Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-04-22

hidden tragedy of those few words, Mar
garet took small tray from the shelf,
and, covering it with q snowy napkin,
selected what she wanted from the closet,
and went again to the kitchen.
James Franklin, weary with the effort
to hold book ID his aching hands, was
now sitting in a deep armchair musing
when Margaret tapped at the door.
"Come in,'
But he started as she obeyed. Such q
sweet, bright face was new in the dismal
old farmhouse, strongly in contrast with
the bare, meager room and desolate all
surrounding her.
81 have brought your supper" she
said, drawing little table near. to the
armchair and covering it with a white
cloth. Then, going to the door, she
entered again with a tray. Upon white
china dish was half chicken, delicately
Drowned, potato roasted in the ashes,
and a slice of buttered toast and be-
side this delicate cup full of fragrant
tea. Nsf
You must not scold if have any
think wrong" said a clear, sweet voice,
Z" because Aunt Jane is too busy to look
after me. / cleaned the fork and spoon,
for silver gets dreadfully black" then
more tenderly, as she marked the pain
full effort to move the tortured finger
{" Let ne cut the chicken, sir.
Grimly wondering, the old man suf-
fered himself to be fed, finding appetite
as the well prepared food was eaten, and
listening wei pleased to the CHEEKY voice
so unfamiliar in his lonely life.
''Jane," Margaret said, setting down
the tray in the kitchen again, 81. don't
wonder he is sick. No carpet, no cur
tains, that great hearse of bed, and
nothing pretty near him."
'It's all ctedn," said Jane.
"Clean as wax, but oh. so doleful
Can't we fix up a cosey room?"
"There's rooms enough. Six on that
floor" said Jane, "and none used but
the one Mr.. Franklin's in, and Mr.. Rob-
ert's, the little one next to it.
"Well, we'll see tomorrow. Can
have man TO send to town if / want
anything9"
"There's men enough. Will you
sleep down here tonight, or in one of
the rooms upstairs"
''Down here, in the room next yours ="
"It's all ready. I'll go up now and
make Mr.. Franklin comfortable fer the
night"
Comfortable" Margaret said, shiv-
ering.
But the next morning, after putting a
tempting breakfast before the invalid,
Margaret selected the vacant bedroom
she meant to beautify for his use. 1t
was large, with four windows, light and
cheerful, and we'll suited to her purpose.
In the intervals of directing Jane, send
ing the man to town with her orders,
and giving her own dainty touch to every
thing, Margaret visited the invalid, read
ing to him, chatting with him, and max
ing the long hours fly by. 1t was late
in the afternoon when she came in to say:
"Mr. Franklin, the room across the
hall has southern exposure, and think
you will find it more comfortable than
this one. VIII you try to get there if
Aunt Jane and 1 help your"
I'm very well here"
But You will be better there. Please
come"
So he yielded, but once fairly in the
room, could not repress cry of amaze
ment. Softly-carpeted, white-curtained,
a bright fire cracking in the stove, a
dainty supper spread upon the table, the
room was cosey and CHEEKY enough to
coax smile from the grimmest lips.
Yet, when James Franklin sank into
the bright chintz-covered easy-chair and
looked around him, everything was
strangely familiar. That was the parlor
carpet taken from the never-opened
room below, those were the parlor cur
tains freshly ironed and starched and
held back with knots of broad pink rib
bon. The bed, bureau, wardrobe, chairs,
and all were his own, polished till they
shone again. The snowy bed-inen, the
white Counterpart, the bureau covers
with their knotted fringe were all his
sisters work, stored away in chests since
she died, long, long years ago. Even
the chintz on the chair was part of some
old curtains he had stuffed away In a
long-forgotten corner of closet.
''It is very comfortable, and you are
a good, thoughtful girl, he said, looking
round with keen appreciation of the
added comfort. 81 wonder we never
thought of using these things"
"Now let me read the rest of our book
to you. have some new periodicals. in