The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-17
TWO C0BWEBS.


There, I've found the place, Cob
web."
"You have, papa?"
az have"
with admirably planned kitchen
and flower gardens ,"
"No," said /, laughing.
"With an extensive view of the Sur
rey Hills 2"
"Why, anyone would think you
were a house agent, Cobweb," said.
smiling.
No wonder, papa, when I've been
reading SO many advertisements. But
do tell me !; have you really found the
place at last ?"
Oh, am, dear, dear, dear father !"
she cried, seating herself on my knee,
and nesting her head on my shoulder.
"and look at ME. Now, tell me frank
ly, did you ever see such weak, stupid
old man in your hfe9'
"L like weak, stupid old men," she
said, archly; and her eyes twinkled
with naerriment, and then softened with
the tears that stole into them.
"Yes," I said, "because you can
tyrannize over them, and do what you
please with them and make them your
slaves, like yen do me. A pretty rig
I've been running this last two months
to find place you like-iust as if By
ranston square wouldn't do. I tell you
to make me comfortable down there. for
l shall be as dull rs lead"
"No. You will not, pa dear" she said,
laughing, and then laying her cheek to
mine. "I 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, a sigh escaped MY lips.
Ruth-Cobweb, as I always called
her, because she was so soft and downy-
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
iuliy; and then, seeing the tears gather
n her eyes, tried to be cheerful. and
smiled as [ added, 81 have the future
as well as the past to make me sad. my
dear" -----
She looked at me wonderingly, but
did not speak. and I sat there holding
her little hand to my heart as I thought
OF the past, and how, ten years before,
Just rs business was beginning to pros
per with me, I was left alone with the
little fair-haired girl of 8, who
found it so hard to believe that her
mother had been taken away never to
return, 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 a very idol of her, yield
ing to her every whim, and doing the
most [ could to spoil one who never
would be spoiled. For, with all the ac-
compllshments had lavished upon her,
Ruth had grown up to be notable little
housewife, who disgusted our cooks by
insisting upon going down into the
kitchen and making my favorite pud-
dlngs and tarts with her own hands, and
generally behaving in what servants
called an unladyllke way.
And then I thought of my other sor-
row-the future-and pictured with an
agony [ cannot describe the day when
should have to resign my claims to
NhobiCi, ahl bc iSlt dltnS-a uSSOJ2te,
broken old man.
I am naturally a 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, I never was happy when
home from the city without she was
waiting on me-filliDg my pipe, mixing
my one nightly glass of grog, upon which
the butler frowned-in fact, he had sug-
gested TO me that his late master had
always taken port of an evening.
Cobweb was very quiet as she ghded
down from my knee to her Eassock at
my feet, and was evidently thinking as
much as I; and at last I frightened up,
for thought had come to me with a
selfish kind of comfort
She'll be quite away from all tempt
ations to leave me, there, anyhow" /
said to myself as thought of the s' at
homes" and balls to which she was so
! often receiving invitations.
This set me distinguishing, as /
called it in my great cunning-to see if
there was one of the rocks ahead of
which was in dread
How shall you be able to leave all
your fine friends parties-a set
outs ~ saio.
"Oh, Tn tired of them all % she said.
clay,yojury her hands