The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-04-04
The Old kial Who Smiled.

his step was slow, aud men who sazcd
upon his snowy locks and wriukled
face whispered to each other
lie Is II good Old man, who has
not Ion, To live
The old man had been well OF in
his day, bit when ho found himself
on the shady side of life, wife dcii
aud hoc,e broken up, he said t. bis
oulv son
Here, William. take all that have
aud let your home bc my home until
I dic.
The sou took the papers-you bet
he did aud the father was given II
cozr corner, u III, chair, aud II corn-
cob pipc. All went W, II tor u year or
81, aui then the son aui tho sons
wife began to make il uncomfortable
tor the nce oli nau in the corner
They threw out hints depriviug him
OF hi. conIerts, aul une cold dav in
winter he was toll that he had bet
ter 90 to Halinx-Nnva Scotia.
The old m,n's heart wa, sore rs h"
wen, out into the world to battle ~
g,inst hnn,er AMI c,ll, AMI when
night came he covered in u doorway
AMI wcpt like ch,ld.
Who IL making that chin-nuSic
mp there 2 called II reporter. whose
steps hid been arrested by the sObs
aud he went up the steps, p'ttei the
old man on the head, aud by-Lnd.by
ths story WAS told.
C me down to tho station with
me. said the reporter, taking tho old
mans arm Your son is first cousin
to tn, mau whJ preferred buzzard to
lamh, aud III help you Fix him :.
Next moruing one OF the dailics
con tnined an item to tho effect that
an old gentleman named G1odbart
had been found wandering :he street
at night AMI when taken t. the sta
ton $1,000 worth Of United States
bonds were found on him. The old
man rcai IL over three times, slapped
hi. legs II. he saw the point, aud II
beautiful smile covered his face and
climbed up through his hair. In about
an hour hi. son William rushed iuto
tho station and called out
Father, dear father. cone home
All Of u. were crying al ni.ht long,
aud my wife is now lying in u coma
to.o state on your .acconnt.
rhe old man went home with him
winsing at the lamp. posts and smiling
~ hc turned tie coroes lle hal all
his comforts back. aud the sou b,ngb,
him costly pipe AMI pair oi box
tnci boots that very day.
Well, as the time went ou the son
vcntnrcd t. suggest that the bond
had better b, turncl over To him, aud
every time he said "bpnds' the oh
man would smile aud turn tn, sub
iecI to p,tcnL miIk-cln> or the ne.
ces.ity ot crunterieirers taking more
pains with their lead nickIcs. The
ether dny the father went to bed u
die, and ho smiled oltencr than be-
fore a. hs lay waiting for the sum
mons. The son said his heart WAS
breaking. and then went through the
oil man y clo,hes to find tho bonds.
Ec didn't hnd any. Ho searched
the barn ard tho garret, aud the cell
lar, anI finally, when he saw that
death was very near, ho leaned over
tho bed and whispered {:
Father do YOU know me? z
oh, yes--I know you like book,
replied the dying man,
And, father. don't yon SEQ that
thi. thug is almost killing me 2
Yes. William, l see it,,
"And, Observation-Disclosures
you know. l suppose you want
them used to purchase you monu-
ment =
"Correc', William" whispered the
father. winkiug q ghastly wink. and
as that same old smile covered hi.
iace death cimo to take him 10 bet-
ter home.
When evening fell, and tho son and
the sons wife wcre wildly searchin.
the straw beds to got their hands on
those bonds, u repo.ter stood under
the gas light across tho street, aud
with his thumb on bis nose he sweet
ly called out
'Suld again and got the tin-noxt
| tiiial 500 -tep Ia !'-DetroH Free Press