Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-12-07
uIt's all clean.'' said Jane.


'sClean as wax, but, oh how doleful.
! Can't we fix up cosy room -
"There's rooms enough. Six on that
floor" said Jane, land none used but the
one Mr.. Franklin's in and Mr.. Roberts,
| the little one next to it,
"Well, we'll see, tomorrow. Can have
man to send to town, if l want any,
| thing?''
s'There's men enough. Will you sleep
down here tonight, OF in one Of the rooms
up-stairs2"
''Down here, in the room next to yours
cts all ready. I'll go up now and make
Mr.. Franklin comfortable for the night. ;"
"Comfortable,'' said Margaret, SILVER
| ing.
| 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 cheer
full, and well suited for her purpose. In
the intervals of directing Jane, sending a
man to town with her orders, and giving
her own dainty touch to everything, Mar
garet visited the invalid, reading to him,
chatting with him and making 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. Will you try to get there if Aunt
Jane and 1 help your"
81 am very well here"
"But you will be better there. Please
come"
So he yielded, but once fairly in the
room, could not repress a cry Of amaze
ment. Softly carpeted, white curtained, a
bright fire cracking in the stove, dainty
supper spread upon the table, the room
cosy and CHEEKY enough to coax a smile
from the grimmest lips. Yet when James
Franklin sank into the bright chintz COW
cred easy chair and looked around him,
everything seemed strangely familiar
That was the parlor carpet, taken from the
never opened room below; those were the
parler curtains freshly ironed and starch
ed, and held back with knots of broad pink
ribbon. The bed, bureau, wardrobe, chairs,
all were his own, polished till they shone
again. The snowy bed linen, the white
counterpart, the bureau covers, with their
knotted fringe, were all his sisters work,
stored away in chests since she died, long 4,
long years ago. Even the chintZ on the
chair was part of some old curtains he had
stuffed away in long forgotten corner of
closet.
''It is very comfortable, and you are a
good thoughtful gill;" he said, looking
around with keen appreciation of the
added comfo1t.-''I wonder we never
thought of using these things.'
s'Now let me read the rest of your book
to you. 1 have some new periodicals in
my trunk if you will look at them"
The days flew by, cold weather strength
ening, till Robert wrote he was coming
home one chill January day. Margaret had
been busy for a fortnight before in the
lower part of the house, but Mr.. Franklin
asked no questions. He had been very ill,
but was recovering, so that he had hoped
to welcome Robert in the sitting room.
How he shrank from returning to it's
dreariness, and sending Margaret away, he
told no one till he had his neplleW's hand
fast clasped in his own.
81 can never tell you, Robert" he said
then, what Margaret has been to me. No
daughter could have attended me more
patiently and faithfully, and when could
listen, she read to me and talked as pleas
antly as if were companion to her, in
stead of a grumpy old bachelor past
sixty"
81 am glad you have been well cared
for,' Robert said, turning his head to hide
a twinkle in his eyes; ''you look very fine
here"
But when he carefully led the old man to
the sitting room, both stood amazed. Was
the handsomely carpeted, cheerfully fur
nished room the dreary old place in which
they had been so contented?" While they
wondered, new sound greeted them-the
tones of piano touched by skillful fingers,
and voice sweet and clear singing song
of praise.
Throwing open door to disclose beau
tifully furnished parlor, Robert saw also a
little figure on the piano stool, clad in
shining black silk, with lace and jewelry
to adOrn it.
margaret! p Uncle James cried.
But Robert said softly:
s'Margaret Franklin, Uncle James.
Daisy, my Wife"
| Then she came forward with shining
eyes.
81 wanted to make you love me-" she
said, in low, tender voice, 'for Roberts
sake"
s'And for your own, he answered; "But
I am bewildered, my dear. Where did
these things come from?"
| s'From my old home. They are all mine,
and you will let them stay here, will you
not, for cur new homer" she added, sly
ly slipping her hand into Roberts. ST
don't want to take Robert from you, Uncle
James, when he is all you have to love,
but if you will give me a place here, too, I
will try to be good daughter to YOU"
"Give you a place here - the old man
cried; II think no greater grief could come
to me now, Margaret, than the thought
of losing you. God ever bless you, child !!
for few at your age would have cared to so
kindly overcome so obstinate an old m an s
stupid prejudices."
"Thank you.'' she whispered, touching
her lips to his for the first time; "you have
made me very happy"
And as she presided over the carefully
appointed table in costly furnished dining
room Uncle James had used for spare har-
ness and bags Of grain, but which was