Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-10-16

"And Justinf'
you know the rest, my child He be-
came moody. unhappy man. asking no
sympathy and giving none. But he was
always smart at n bargain; In a few years
he had laid up enough to buy Dea. Platt's
farm when his son went south.
Ever since he has added acres % his
land and hundreds to the bank; but for all
that he Is n man soured toward all his
race. mar who was never known to give
a little child a smile or q beggar q crust OF
bread.
have sometimes thought his heart was
like desert. without a tree to shade or a
stream to gladden. 1t. And yet IL bore a
bright blossom once; and. believe me chill
dren. for 1t is the word Of an old woman
who has seen and nown much of the ways
OF nian, Il l. always so. The heart may be
great wilderness. but In some OF Its by
ways there has grown flower"
Cora and looked at each other and at
Uncle Charlie. Just then Aunt Mary came
in. She had been out, and had not heard
OF Grandma Deans visit.
But Cora stole up to her uncle. and wind.
Ing her arms about his neck. whispered:
II shall believe II always. Uncle Char
lie, now | have heard the story of Farmer
Keep that there Is a blossom In the wilder
ness OF every heart"
IL WAS a tNlLy august IAf, IN the sum
mcr | passed At Meadow Brook. The
wind low aud slumbrous "a the hush OF a
mothers voice at nightfall, crept up among
the corn, and down among the rye and
wheat fields, that lay like broad green folds
about the dwelling Of Farmer Keep.
There was no poem Of flowers about the
/ front yard; no graceful harmonizing touch
| OF creeping vine or waving curtains about
the old red homestead; aud yet It had
/ quiet, substantial matter-of-iact physiog-
I uomy. that somehow made home feeling
abou, your heart.
think II must have been this uncon-
( scious feeling which decided the course Of
the girl who stood az the point where the
/ road diverged and gazed wisttllly about
1 her that afternoon.
( She seemed very tired, and her coarse
/ straw bonnet aud calico dress were Gov
/ cred with dust. II you had looked In her
| face you won not have forgotten II. II
I could not have seea more than fittaen
summers. II was very pale and sweet
I sad beauty. made you think Of nothing but
( Summer flowers drenched with summer
/ rains.
/ Her eyes were OF that deep moist blue
I that rolls out from under the edge OF April
! clouds. and her lips. which we're ripe and
J fuli, had that touch of sorrowfulness about
/ beneath i toll Of tears.
/ The girls hand claspcd lightly the lit,lc
! boys by her slds. The resemblance be
I tween them wonli have told you a, once
/ tia. they were brother and sister; bat his
I life could no, have covered more thau a
I third OF hers.
The little fellows cy.s were iull Of tears
and The bright curls that Grey. OUT from
under his hat were damp with moisture.
\ few minutes later she opened the broad
back gate and went 10 the kitchen door.
Farmer Keeps hou.ekeeper-an old wom-
az, with yellow nighicap and check apron
tied over her hnsey wool skir;-answerrd
T her knock.
"Do you want any help, or do you know
Any one atouud herr who does;" tmidiy
asked The girl.
The Old lady pscrei at her with dim
+ eyes"
90 S SSfa1ac1 re Keep That saf pe pae ,ms s hPs5 ?a5
men. aud ne. lt's harvest time jus, now,
though, and reckon you'd lind place In
. the Village"
Thank you Bennlc here. my little
brother. ia Iircd. for lie walked from the
depot. Can you let us come In and rest
aWhile!"
'~ariiu You can"
The sight of the child touched the heart
I OF the woman, and they went into a large
/ kitchen, and sat down In the nag bot
/ tommcd chairs, while wi,h glowing
cheek the girl cast about IN her mind tor
the best manner 10 which 10 present her
petition for food
Before she had decided. the master OF
the house suddenly entered the kitchen.
for il was nearly dinner time He was
large. muscular. broad-chcsird. .,ua-burned
I man, with a hard. gloomy expression on
I his face, where hny years we're now be-
T ginnlng 20 write thrir history.
lie stood still with surprise, gazing on
the new occupants OF the Kitchen and the
boy drew close 10 his sister and the girl
z threw up li,nld frightened glance into the
( gloomy iact
You don't know OF anybody round here
that wants "a little help. do ye iarmer:
asked the woman. Heres : liiile giTl
that wants place and she's walked from
the depot. | told her she might con. 10
[ and rest biz before she went up into 'hc
7 village 10 try her luck
No" shortly answered the farmer.
{ "D'uber ready:' And the rich man turned
Away withoat one gentle word or Kind
7 LOOK Tor tile homeless children whom God
had brought 20 his door.
Lucy. Lucy, don't STAY here; I'm
affaiJ.' And the little boys lip curled
aul quyercd a. he turned his lace from
/ tn. farmers.
Lucy, Lncy," how those little trembling
tones went down, down, down, into the
mans heart How the dead days of his
youth burst out OF their graves aud rushed
through his memory at that low broken.
Lacy, Lncy." lie turned and looked at
the girl. not sourly. as before. but with a
Kind aud eager questioning interest.
What YOUR name p
! "Lgcy Wheeler. sir,
He staggered back anf caught hold Of
The nrarc-t chair.
"Aud what was your mother'sI"
Lacy Reid She used TO live at Mead
ow Brook. So l came here TO get work.
She told me to before she died"
At that moment the angels looked down
and saw the seed that had lain for TWO
score years In the heart of Joseph Keep
spring up and the flower blossom in the
wilderness.
He strobe across the kitchen TO the be-
wildered girl. He brushed back her bon
net and turned her face TO the light. He
could not be mistaken. II WAS the one
framed and hung In the darkened room In
his soul. The blue eyes Of Lucy looked
again in his own. At that moment the lit
tie boy pushed in between them and gszed
wisttully in the mans face. Farmer Keep
sal down aud took the chiiu In his arms.
He tried to speak but instead great sobs
came and heaved his strong chest. The
trio In the kitchen gazed at him in mute
astonishment.
"Lucy's children. Lucy's children!" he
murmured at last, in q voice whose tender
ness was like that OF mother. ''God sent
you TO me. For her sake this shall be your
home. For her sake will be father to
you"
Five years after Cora wrote to me:
I'VE are having fine times now, dear
cousin Jennie. and mamma wants TO know
IL you do not need to renew your rosy
cheeks among the dews OF Meadow Brook.
Uncle Charlie Is with US, and II you were
also, our happiness would be complete.
Lucy Wheeler-you remember her-has
the place 10 my heart next to yours. Her
disposition 10 as lovely IS her face, and
that Is saying q great deal. for It's sweet
beauty does one good to behold 1t. Farm
er Keep seems to idolize her and Bennie.
He Is . charming man now; he goes TO
church every Sunday. He spares no pains
L.. 4 as1.,a r..