Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-02-10

turn, but she Gid not get it, and she slipped
down and went with her mother to the little
dark room where Rufus Grote had given up
to their use his own hard bed.
For himself he had planned to spread a
blan ket upon the floor in the living room.
He had slept so before, and he conld sleep so
again.
The soil Of Rufus Grote's heart was like
the soil Of other hearts. A seed once forced
through the crust would find root there
either good or evil. In all his manhood's
life SO bright a thing had not crept upon
him before-so warm a thing as that child
ish kiss had not touched his cheek. He did
not think Of it so much until he was alone
in the dense darkness; and then, when he
could see nothing else, he could see that
sunny face, and the musical chirrup sound
ed again in his ears. AT first he would have
have been glad to believe that the child's
mother had instructed her in this, but when
he looked over all the circumstances he
knew that it could not nave been and, in
the end, before he slept, was glad that the
little child had come to him of it's own sweet
impulse.
Upon that hard floor, with only a single
blanket for bedding, Rufus Grote did not
sleep SO soundly as was his won't. He
dreamed, and in his dreams he saw a cherub
and felt cherubic arms around his neck,
with kisses upon his cheek. And he said to
himself in his dreams:
"Surely [ cannot be such an ogre if these
sweet beings can love me!n
In the morning Rufus Grote was up very
early. He had thought, the night before,
that he had bread and cheese enough for
breakfast but after the nights rest-per-
haps after the nights dreams-he took new
thoughts. Without exactly compromising
the feeling, the sense of utter lonliness and
s%eltishness had given place-just the glim-
mering OF a place-to a Warme sense of
companionship and fraternity. He put his
hand up to the cheek where the impress of
the child's kiss had fallen, and a new resolu-
ton came to his mind. He went out to a
neighboring street corner and purchased
tea, and sugar, and butter, and new warm
breakfast-rOlls, and a small can of milk. He
had just deposited these articles upon his
own table when Mrs. Sanford made her APP
pearance.
"Good morning, Uuncle Rufus"
Had the host caught that sound when he
first arose it would have startled him, but it
fell softly upon his ears now. He had been
exercising, and had earned the salute.
GOOD morning, Mary returned Rufus
and so odd was it, that the very tones of his
w voice surprised him.
What can l do for you this morning, I'M
Gle? May / get your breakfast for you?"
" will light a fire. said the man, and
then, if you please, you may make a cup of
tea.''
The fire was lit, and then he showed We're
his dishes were.
Mary Sanford was an accomplished
h~ousekeeper, and she could accommodate
herself to circumstances very narrow. While
she was busy a ray of fresh sunshine burst
into the room, lighting up the dingy walls,
and making golden with its light the atmos-
phere of the place. It was little Flora,
bright, joyous and jubilant, thinking only of
love in this first hour of her waking from
sweet, refreshing sleep. Without a word,
only a ripple Of gladness dropping from her
lips, she went to where to where the old
man had sat down in the corner, and crept
up into his lap.
81 can't reach your cheek, uncle,'' she
laughed, without getting up you are so
big, and / am so little.
Then she kissed him as she had done the