The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-01-03
TWO COBWEBS.
An Old Mans Tale.

sphere, I've found the place, Cob.
weg."
S'You have, papa?"
~eT have"
with admirably planned kitchen
and flower gardens?"
SSNo," said I, laughing.
with an extensive view of the Sur
rrey Ellis p
':Why, anyone would think you
we're a house agent, Cobweb," I said,
smiling.
" No wonder, papa, when I've been
reading so many advertisements. But
do tell me have you really found the
2iace at last? ?"
"Oh, I am, dear, dear, dear father p
she cried, seating herself on my knee,
and nesting her head on my shoulder.
f'There, hold ZIP your head" I said.
- end look ct me. New, tell me frank
Ky, did you ever see such a weak, stupid
sid man in your life ?"
"t like weak, stupid old men" she
said, archly; and her eyes twinkled
with merriment and then softened with
the tears that stole into them.
AOo, oaAu, BECAUSE you can
Gyrannize over them, and do what YOU
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 place you like-just as if By
ranston square wouldn't do. tell you
what, ny lady, you'll have to take pains
TO make me comfortable down there. for
Z shall be as dull as lead {"
"No, you will not, pa DEAR" she said.
laughing, and then laying her cheek to
mime. 81 am SO, so glad. You've
made me SO happy, for I was very tired
of london"
did not answer, but sat looking down
ON the smooth, peachy cheek that one
OF nay 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 nv 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.
Can't help it, child" I said, mourn
fully; and then, seeing the tears gather
in her eyes, / tried to be cheerful. and
smiled as I added, 81 have the future
as well as the past to make me sad. nv
Hear"
She looked at me wonderingly, but
did not speak, and / sat there holding
her little hand to my heart as [ 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 s. who
found it SO hard to believe that her
mother had been taken away never to
refuFn, only to live in our memories.
And thought, too, of how the years had
fed away, and I had become a wealthy
gnan, whose sole thought had been Of
Che child I had seen grow up to maiden
hood, making very idol of her, yield
z&ng TO her every whim, and doing the
most I could to spoil one who never
would be spoiled. For, with all the &C
G0znpiishments I had lavished upon her,
Ruth had grown up to be notable little
housewife, who disguised our cooks by
insisting upon going down into the
kitchen and making my favorite pud-
dings and tarts with her own hands, and
generally behaving in what servants
sailed an unladyl1ke way.
And then thought Of my other sor-
sEow-the fJture-and pictured with an
-agony cannot describe the day when
IL should have to resign my claims to
smother, and be left alone-a desolate.
&,Eoken old man.
Fam naturally very common, hard
and business-like old man, and terribly
selfish. Cobweb had woven herself so
arcund my heart that in my peevish, ir-
fxisable way, I never was happy when
home from the city without she was
waiting on me-flling my pipe, mixing
any 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 hassock at
my feet, and was evidently thinking as
much as I; and at last I frightened up,
Cor thought had come to me with a
esaEfscI4 hind of comfort