The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-12-24
SOMERSET, PA. WEDNESDAY, DEC "a, 1879.

and you know there is nothing be s
much dislikes as any pryiBg into hi
doings or his affairs. Therefore
never appear to take any heed Of hi
going or coming; | never even AS
him where be has been, much les
what he has done, because l know b
so particularly dislikes it."
Just like you, my dear loving
wife, always striving to make peopl,
happy. I'm a stupid laundering fel
low to have asked you; | might hav'
known all you have said withou
your saying it. All, there's six o'clocl
striking; let's have tea. Come, Lily
you shall sit between daddy aDt
grandfather; be will be here in q
minute"
Bat several minutes passed and
the old gentleman did not appear.
Then said the mother, Run down
and tell grandpapa that tea is ready,
Lily he'll be late
at viii be. for the fr5t time 10 his
life, then" broke in George. "No,
sit still, Lily" as the child was about
TO move; grandfather is half way
here by this time, I'll be bound he
is not the man to break an appoint
ment. whether for business or pleas
ure; if he had not been as punctual
as the day throughout his long life
be would never have turned that lit.
tie hosiery business in Cheapside in-
to the ine concern it became; 20,
nor have made all the money be did
in other WAYS"
What other ways do you mean,
dear 2" asked his wife; has be made
much money in other ways?"
"Oh, Of course. Don't you know
Alice, that it was he, and one or two
more men of his stamp, who laid the
foundation OF much OF our most re-
muuerative intercourse with the silk
trade Of China And though bis
name has never been prominent in
the affair, it is said that be has been
their backbone if he bad lived fifty
or sixty years earlier he would have
been just such O sort Of man as the
old East Indian Directors were.
Lord bless my heart! people in the
city who know more Of these things
than | d. say be must be worth mint
of money. He is rather laIe, though
went on WoOdwyn, after q minutes
pause perhaps you had better run
aud fetch grandfather, Lily; be can't
have heard the clock. - and the child
scampered away through the low
open window.
a few minutes passed, and she is
back again, breathless, frightened,
aud sobbing.
"W hat Is tne matter, my da-ling 7
what is the matter 2" cries the mother,
taking her up in her arms.
"Grandps, grandpa" gssps cut the
little one-''grendpa won't peak
grandpa tumbled down on table"
10 d moment husband end wife are
flying down TO he summer-hOuse.
A. 3 glance they see that the child ;
words are true; for there, prone
across the table at which be was
writing. helpless, speechless, uucon-
scious lies the dear kind old man, his
body partly resting against the chair,
the pen still 10 the outstre ched hand,
a. it lies across q sheet of paper,
slightly smesred With the last touch
of ink To raise him aud loosen his
stiff high white neckcloth is the work
of an instant on Georges part, while |
Al e bending over the disturbed face,
calls loudly for help
Ii comes, of course, in time, and |
Matthew Hickman is laid upon his |
deathbed !; for he never RECEIVERS con-
sciousness, aud within fourand-
twenty hours of bis apoplectic seizure
his spirit passes peacefully away.
For one moment at the last the |
glazed eyes turned with the faintest
look of recognition to the face Of the
loving aud rt-stricken daughter
a slight twitching of the moutb. as ifl
he would have spoken some words of
farewell, a momentary expression of
anxiety, aud all was over