Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-12-28

Margaret took n small tray from the
shelf, and covering it with a snowy nap
kin, selected what she wanted from the
closet, and went again to the kitchen.
James Franklin, weary with tho eff
forts to hold book in his aching hands,
was now sitting in deep armchair
musing when Margaret tapped atthe door.
"Come in p
But he started as she obcyed Such
a sweet, bright face was new in the dis
NAL old farm house, strongly in contrast
with the bare, meagre room and desolate
air surrounding her.
81 have brought your supper" she said
drawing a little table near the armchair.
and covering it with white cloth. Then
going to the door she entered again with
a tray. Upon a white china dish was
half chicken delicately Drowned, a
potato roasted in the ashes, and a slice
of buttered toast and beside this cup
full of fragrant tea.
"You must not scold if / have any
thing wrong" said clear, sweet voice,
because Aunt Jane is too busy to look af-
ter me. cleaned the fork and spoon, for
silver gets dreadfully black" then more
tenderly as she marked the painful effort
to move the tortured fngers-"Lot me
cut the chicken, sir 2"
Grimly wondering, the old man suf-
fered himself to be fed, finding appetite
as the well-prepared food was eaten, and
listened well-peased to the CHEEKY voice
so unfamiliar to his lonely life
"Jane," Margaret said, setting down
the tray in the kitchen again, II don't
wonder he is sick. No carpet, no cur.
tains, that great hcarse of bed, ant
nothing pretty about him"
ats all clean" said Jane.
Clean as wax, but, oh how doleful
Can't we fix up cosy room?"
"There's rooms enough. Six on tina
floor" said Jane, ''and none used bu
the one Mr.. Franklins in and Mr.
Roberts, the little one next to it"
"Well, we'll see, tomorrow. Can
have a man to send to town, if / wan
anything ?"
There's men enough. Will you slcer
down here, tonight, or in one of the
rooms up stairs 2"
clown here, in the room next tc
yours"
"It's 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 room she
intended to beautify for his use 1t was
large, with four windows light and cheer.
full, and well suited for the purpose. Ia
the intervals of directing Jane, sending
a man to town with her orders, and Civ
ing her own dainty touch to everything,
Margaret visited the invalid, reading &c
him, chatting with him and making the
long hours fly by. 1t was late in the az
ternoon when she came in to say:
"Mr. Franklin, the room across tho
hall has southern exposure, and thinl
you will find it more comfortable thar
this one. viii you try to get there il
aunt Jane and help you p
II am very well here"
''But you will be better there. Please
come"
So he yielded. but once fairly in tb,
room he could not repress cry ofamaze
ment. Softly carpeted, white curtained
a bright fire cracking in the stove "a dain
ty supper spread upon the table the room
CHEEKY and cosy enough to coax u snil,
from the grimmest lips. Yet wher
James Franklin sank into the brigh
cbintz covered easy chair and looked
around him, everything seemed strapgol,
familiar. That was the parlor carpet
taken from the never opened room
below those were the paror curtain,
freshly ironed and starched, and hello
back with knots Of broad pink ribbon -
The bed, bureau, wardrobe, chairs, al
were his own, polished till they shonc
again. The snowy bod linen, the white
counterpane,the bureau covers, with then
knotted fringe, were all bis 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 be
had stuffed away in long forgotten cor
ner of closet.
at is very comfortable, and you are
a good thoughtful girl" he said looking
around with keen appreciation Of the
added comfort. IL wonder we never
thought Of using these things"
"Now let me read tho rest Of your
book to you. ! have some new periodi-
calls in my trunk ifyou will look at them"
The days few by cold weather strength
ening, till Robert wrote that he was com
ing home one chill January day Mar
garct had been busy for a fortnight before
in the lower part of the house, but Mr..
Franklin asked no questions. He bad
been very i'll, but was recovering 80 that
he had hoped to welcome Robert in the
sitting room. How he shrank from re-
turning from its drearinoss, and sending
Margaret away, be told no one till he
had his nephew's hand fast clasped in bis
own.
81 can never tell you, Robert" he
said then, "what Margaret has been to
me. No daughter could have attended
me more faithfully and patiently, and
when | could listen, she read to me and
talked as pleasantly as if were a com
panion TO her, instead Of grumbliug
old bachelor past sixty"