The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-01-04
TWO COBWEBS.
An Old Mans Tale.

An Oiu IAie.
s'There, I've found the place, Cob
sEeb."
"You have, papa?"
'"I have"
~'With admirably planned kitchen
snd flower gardens2"
"So," said I, laughing.
s'With an extensive view of the Sur
rey Hillsl'
H:Why. anyone would think you
were house agent Cobweb," said,
smiling.
emo wonder, papa, when I've been
reading so many advertisements. But
do tell me have you really found the
place az last?"
ooh, am, dear, dear, dear father !"
she cried, seating herself on my knee,
and nesting her head on my shoulder.
"There, hold up your head" l said,
&c and look at me. Now, tell me frank
Iy, did you ever see such a weak, stupid
oil man in your life 2"
"t like weak, stupid old men," she
said, archly; and her eyes twinkled
with merriment, aud then softened with
the tears that stole into them.
eyes" I said, "because YOU can
please with them and make them your
slaves, like you do me. A pretty rig
I've been running this last two months
to find q place you like--just as if By
ranston square wouldn't do. I tell you
what, ny lady. you'll have to take pains
to make NE comfortable down there, for
I shall be as dull rs lead"
ono, you will not pa DEAR" she said,
laughing, and then laying her cheek to
mine. 81 am so, so glad. You've
made me so happy, for / was very tired
of London"
/ did not answer, but sat looking down
ON the smooth, peachy cheek that one
of my hands would keep stroking, and
at the long, yellow hair that hung down
over the shoulders in waves, and. in spite
of myself, sigh escaped my lips.
Ruth-Cobweb, as I always called
her, because she was so scotland aowny-
started up, gazing earnestly in my face,
and then kissed me very, very fondly.
Don't think about the past, dear
father" she said softly-she always
called me father when she Was serious.
"Cant help it, child" said, mourn
q fully and then, seeing the tears gather
in her eyes, | tried to be cheerful, and
smiled as / added, "I have the future
as well as the past TO make me sad, my
dear"
She looked at me wonderingly, but
isd not speak, and / sat there holding
her little hand 30 my heart as i thought
of the past, and how, ten years before,
Just as business was beginning to pros
per with me, was left alone with the
little fair-haired girl of 8, who
found it SO hard 10 believe that her
mother had been taken awey never to
Nturn, only to live in our memories.
And thought, too, OF how the years had
fed away, and had become a wealthy
man, whose sole thought had been of
the child had seen grow up to maiden
hood, making q very idol of her, yield
ing to her every within, and doing the
most could to spoil one who never
would be spoiled. For, with all the ac-
accomplishments had lavished upon her,
Ruth had grown up to be a notable little
housewife, who disguised our cooks by
insisting upon going down into the
kitchen and making my favorite pud-
dines and tarts with her own hands, and
generally behaving in what servants
called an unladvllke way.
And then thought of my other sor-
-row-the future-and pictured with an
agony L cannot describe the day when
K should have to resign my claims to
smother, and be left alone-a desolate,
broken old man.
Yam naturally very common, hard
and business-like old man, and terribly
selfish. Cobweb had woven herself so
round my heart that in my peevish, ir-
ritable way, 1 never was happy when
home from the city without she was
vsitino on me-filling my pipe, mixing
NV one nightly glass of grog, upon which
She butler frowned-in fact, he had sug-
,orsted to me that his late master had
ALWAYS taken port of an evening.
Cobweb was very quiet as she glided
down from my knee to her hassock al
NV feet. and was evidently thinking as
.,.,cI, as I: and at last / frightened up,
Cor thought had come to me with O
selfish kind of comfort.