The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-02-12
L. G.. GOULD. Publishel
VOL. xIIt--No. 12.
SO good a girl, SO good a daughter as

II :
old sinner who'is gone used to admire
her SO, too : used to say he would leave
her nice wedding portion when he
died. If j had only known what "a con-
founded old rascal he was?"
]" Dontrepine about it any further,
dear Peter" entreats Matty, tenderly !:
slet us hope on ~ 4, p
Hope, wife9 what are we hope
for nowf II feel utterly crushed, hope
I1essly miserable. Drat that clock
tStopit's ticking; cannot bear to hear
F. g Eonsensel Here. are the children
and Alice so
Here the door burst open, and four
teen boys and girls, poorly clad, with
Alice Durant at their head make their
boisterous appearance.
- Oh mother,n cry all the children, as
with one. voice, soh my, amt We all
Matte speaks aside, her heart heavy
as lead.
g9a Buugryt OF ccurse they are, poor
dears, and we haven't q scrap of food to
| give them, or sixpence to buy loaf
of bread with. Oh, what shall dol
WE What can doh eh, that clockTdrst
hatsWhatl Have we really clock
mother Z" cries Alice. "Well, it's no
beauty, wherever it has come from.
Wasn't it Uncle Durant'sf suppose
it has come along with the money he
has left father ?, -
face with his hands.
What's the matter, dear father-are
| you ILL inquiries Alice, going to the
tailor and addressing him with tender
soIicitude. !. Is it headachelT
/" No, love, heartache," he answers.
/" Fifteen that walk and talk and one
| in the cradle that can do neither. Build.
| ing on having that old miser's gold, I've
not done stitch of work since his death,
and consequently we haven't a six
pence in the. house to buy food for the
children. Hang that clock p he adds,
tsbaking his fist at it, sN-R
Am / to understand, then, that
bUnele DnranEthas leftsns nothing ?'S de-
mands Alice in surprise. "0h, papa,
surely he hasnot left his money to
strangers ?o-Tr
He has left us nothing in the world,
girl, but that ugly clock. There was no
money for him to- leave at least we
couldn't find any in the house, which
we searched from cellar to roof. We
found a Ssort of will, in which he be-
queathed me that sonfounded old clock
not mention of money was there in it.
Helmust have buried his boards some
where, the hoary headed villain, and
then when he became 80 ill, forgot all
about it."
Peter here burst into tears, and the
little ones follow his examples thrust
their knuckles into their eyes, and roar
Justify. aE8Hio) , as.sa43.ss ssg
q Silence, children, ALP commands
their mother, in tones that act like
magic on the youthful listeners, for they
hush their voices with one accord, and
stand like so many mutes. "To work,
manW suddenly says Matty.
Peter siehs heavily, seats himself on
his shop-board, takes up his shears, and
absently cuts at the air. Iss8 Ia
Alice, says the mother, beckonig TO
her daughter, ego to the baker and ask
trust till your father has done Betty
Marsh's job. There's some onions in the
garden; with those and a bit of salt the
children must make meal"
Alice hesitates.
Mother, dear" she says, after q
pause, g was fortunate enough to sell
the piece of embroidery I worked. l
got whole hslf-soyereign for it.
s" Alicei" e &A
/" Yes. indeed, mother. Here it is. 1t
is yours, now."'
"My darling grip Martha cries, en-
bracing her daughter, who gives her the
money.
Peter pricks UP his ears at this pleas
ant piece of news. 1t is long, long ago,
since he could call SO much his own.
He had hoped ere this to jingle in his
pockets some seoresrof them; but that
sweet hope had been crushed, and
his poverty once more stares him in the
q A whole half-soYereign, Alicel'
he exclaims. Oh, what a blessingr'
Now Jacobs eldest born receives the
dlhalf-soyereign from hismofher, and al
once disappears followed by all his
brothers and sisters. Alice goes, oi
course, to see that the piece of gold j;
spent to tie best advantage. She ha;
I known the trouble of earning it, pool
4 girl and the scant she has been &C
4 .quainted with during her young life hal
taught her all sorts of lcarefui house
Wifely habits.
i GIVE had q terrible dream, Alice, .
says Peter, one day soon after,
GA dream, fatherW
&C Yes. that he has, child; he though
the clock was golden~man," puts il
the worthy dame; and to hear the &C
4 count of it, very wonderful man i
must have been.o ~ 7l -
"Ahl wonderful, indeed!" observe
i tha tailor, glaneing at the clock ans
I shaking his head dolefully. i shudde
from head 70 foot when think of it
4 Oh, that confounded legacyf' he adds
doubling up his fists aud Threatening
the poor old clock, as though the venei
able piece of mechanism lconld under
'dstand his aGgry mensces. "You RAJ
4 acaIly pepper box ticker, how i detes
you'll IN put you out of my sight,
win, as sure as my name is Peter Dl
rant. Wait awhile!"A
1 AT this particular moment the chill
i dren enter, bawling Justify.
} g Hush, you noisy clattersI" cries tn
mother, GROSSLY "do you want t wax
up the baby you young rebels r.
5 The baby p cries the tailor, with
, groau. "Oh, luckless parent that am
: Here, one of you lads, fetch me an ak !
4 starting -up, and excitedly pacing t
and fro with his shears il his hand.
, tan ak, fatherl What fort. asl
! Alice, in alarm.
!" To,cut off his head"
q l." Whose head, father?'s "a flllE
The children have set up deafenin
l chorus, and surrounding Peter, Gun
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