The Jasper weekly courier., 1878-03-22

gardens owner. There had been frost
over night, which had wiped out almost
every lingering vestige Of summertime.
A few elderly beans clung shrinkingly
to their poles in the bleak background; I;
q scanty patch Of corn rustled is sere
leaves forlornly in the wind, with here
and there pumpkin ripening sparsely
between, and turning out its yellow 70
tundity TO the sun, AS resolved 10 put
the best face on things that was possible;
while, tall and stark, row Of suntlow-
ers, happing gauntly above the hedge,
overlooked the desolation.
As old Ware stood there at his gate
-and looked about him, with his faded
red cap on his head and his iank dress
;ng-gown clinging about him, he seemed
verify part of the frost-bitten scene,
illustrating it feebly, like an ill-cut
frontispiece in badly printed volume.
Yet there was tradition that he had
once upon time been the chief figure
in great concern somewhere in town,
and that in some forgotten period long
ago the old weather-beaten house had
flaunted gayly in new coat Of paint
and bright green shutters, and was
bright with new carpets and curtains to
welcome a coming bride. But all that
was SO far away now that people had
forgotten the date, and could not recall
that they had ever been interested in
any thing concerning old Ware.
Tin Ware, Esq, the boys called him
Ia nickname based, perhaps on float
ing legend of miser-made wealth slowed
somewhere away in the loose clap
boarding Of his tenement, or perhaps
intended briefly to bear testimony to
the value set upon him in the commu-
nity-Tin Ware, Esq, was not popu-
lar man among the lads Of the village
They had persistent inclination TO hoot
him, to gibe at him, and to torment his
lean, ill-tempered dog, which fol- owed
his master everywhere with snarling
and objectionable faithfulness. The
boys, considering all these things, felt
themselves called upon 10 vindicate the
claims of justice by robbing old Wares
orchard and breaking into his melon
patch. Things in this way were brought
70 sort of balance. l myself saw one
day, as passed his fence, huge char
coal placard, reading thus:
y. Ware Of the DAWG.
And many bare-legged youngster,
have no doubt, hid snickering in the
hedge at the sight Of old Ware slowly
deciphering the scrawlin wrathful spec
tacles.
But very few besides the boys ever
troubled the old man with attentions,
either for good or i'll. He seemed to
have slipped from the mind Of both man
and fate-an elderly, shriveled old figure
whom Time had forgotten to dignity
with gray hair.
He looked up and down the road
keenly with his frosty blue eve, not as a
man who expected any thing or any
body, but simply because it was his
habit to look sharply. And yet as this
northeasterly glance swept the road,
there came along It something far from
unpleasant to look upon--a gray figure
in Quaker bonnet. There would have
been a smile Of welcome in almost any
body's eye, as the plump, quiet Quaker
face Of Rebecca Rhodes approached. but
not a spark kindled in old Wares flinty
gray orbs.
Behecca's well kept acres lay just be-
yond him, over the south ridge, and all
about her farmhouse was trim and
tidy, clean and wholesome, as Rebecca
herself II must have been the love Of
contrast that brought her in range Of
Timothy's dilapidated surroundings;
but Of all living things in the village
Rebecca alone had good word for him.
and stopped Of an odd afternoon now
and then TO wish him good-day over the
gate.
~ have brought thee loaf Of sweet
bread, neighbor," said she I'D an
uncommon good baking this week, and
thought thee might not take it amiss
70 try Loaf She held forth in her
white plump hand snow-white napkin.
opening its folds temptingly as she did
SO.
Elm wanting naught." was the gruf
reply. "Week-old breads good enough
for me. ard | make no doubt II might be
far better for some other folk than the
dainty trash they're set upon--women-
folk leaStways.
The blood came into Rebecca's calm
face. but there was no ycxation in her
answer. "Thec'd never SET aside an old
friend like that, neighbour she said
may, nay; recommend thee try the
loaf. It's spoken well Of, Is nv sweet
bread, the country round. Thee wall
not shorten thy days much by Just one
trial. and If thee likes X not, III never
trouble thee again.
Even the impertnrbablo face ~ old
Ware shows slight smile AT this ming
linz VI acerbiiy and sweetness, but he
makes I'D demonstration.
~ am On my way 70 see Old Betsey,r
says Rebecca. quietly extending her
hard and placing the loaf on the gate
oost. s'Shc's one oi tire town poor -ur
rather the Lord poor, ihink, for she
doesn't belong % this township. Poor
III Tf..,-n.-tss