The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-09-21
GRAXDFATIIER's BANK.

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GRANDFATMER's BANK.
There were four of us: Beck, Wy
man and fat little Bunnie, besides me.
We all lived in grandfather's house.
1t had been grand place in its day,
and the boys and girls of long ago
used to walk out in the summer twi-
light to admire the great wooden
pineapple and its green leaves cary
ed and colored over the front door
In our day it was an old fashioned
house in Il shady city street. Moth
er died when Bunnie was but baby,
so grandfather took us to live with
him. The stage brought US, under
the charge of Mrs. Stocking, and we
scared and wondering, stood in row
before him. He said:
"Well, well, childrcn Nurse, take
them into get some supper" Then
he rubbed his handsand went out in
to the garden to potter about some
plants.
While we were eating at a small
table in the middle of an immense
dining-room lie came and stood in
the doorway.
"Rebccca is the eldest" said he, re-
ferring to a paper in his hand. eff.
tcen!' Want your nurse yet2'
Bcckie's eyes filled with tears.
"Tut! TUT exclaimed grandfather;
don't cry! l can't bear crying!
"Sir," began Beckic, resolutely, 81
can. do whatever you think best; but
I'm afraid / do not know enough to
take care of Bunnic all alone"
"Thcn nurse must stay till you do
know enough, Learn as fast us you
can"
He thcnmadc some agreement with
Mrs, Sticking about wages, and our
dear "Stockie,' as we called her, after
Bunuie's pervcrsion, staid 4 year.
There was the great house, moth
ing changed for more than half a
century. \ wide, shady garden ran
down toauothcr street. We had free
range without and within-always
excepting grandfathcr's rooms.
On the rainy days, or when VIC felt
particularly full of fun, We used to 60
to the garret, where our rackoting
could disturb nobody and in that
great cobwebby space We had royal
times, till we needing other things,
attiring ourselves in the antiquities
we found there,
Wye and | wrote u thrilling drama
of the war, in which he represented
Il Union officer taken prisoner, and
Beck, the lovely Virginian, who set
him free Bunnie was sentinel, ]
a spy. There were scenes with sol
dicrs, in which we four appeared,
and hospital sketches inwhich bolst-
ers laid out made capital sick sold.
icrs; and Wye was surgeon to cut
of arms.
We all felt out ofsorts when Beck
grew too old for this entertainment
and used to walk alone in the gar
den, like an imprisoned princess
We inherited from our mother an in
como of ono hundred dollaro year
that was punctually paid to Beck by
grandfather, in quarterly install
monts, to be spent for the four
What a life we led herr How We in
sisted she should buy accordconsr
pistols, dolls, work.boxcs-iorgctful Of
ragged hats and toes sticking through
our shoes.
All this time the great civil war
was raging, and grandfather who
hated war, and thought everybody
wrong, and everything going to per.
dition, talked nothing but politics to
his ncighbors, and to us, when We
were still enough to listen.
He particularly hated the paper
currency, and Bunnic once came in
gloo with u dirty dfty.ccnt note a
fisherman had giycn her grandfather
| in change, 1t had fallen to the
ground, and he, being irritatcd that
morning told Bunnic to takcit away,
lie had never given us anything be-
fore, and we sent Wye out to buy
chocolate candy.
When Bcckie was eighteen, wy.
! .. ,,,,, q, liz 1ngI ,Innr Of ilo hiul