The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-10-05


That lady frowned, impatiently.
"It's old Daddy Miflin," said she.
Sand wish it was anybody else I"
Is he boarder ?" asked Helen.
"Well, he is and he isn't p rather
obscurely answered Mrs. Daggett, who
was picking over currants for a pud-
ding while Helen sat by and watched
her. "But he won't be here long,. You
see, my dear, he hasn't any friends.
When me and Daggett came down from
Vermont and bought this place we got
it cheap because of old Mr.. Mifiin.
We was to give him the northeast cham
ber, and they were to allow us SD much
a month for his keep. It amt every
body, you see, as would be willing to
have an old man like that around the
place. But he's harmless and innccent
enough, and won't deny that the two
dollars week helped along. But now
prices have gone up, and Breezy Point
has got to be fashionable locality in
summer time, and things are altered.
And, what's worse, his folks have left off
sending the money"
"I wonder whyP said Helen, with
her large dreamy eyes fixed pityingly
upon the old man, who sat in his usual
place under the naples, wistfully watch
ing the sea.
"They're dead, p'r'aps," said MRS.
Daggett. cor, p'r'aps they've got tired
of him. Anyhow, it's three months since
we've heard word, and me and Dag
gett have made up our minds we can't
stand it any longer. So we're going to
put him on the town. Lawyer Boxall
says it's legal and right, and they can't
expect nothing else of us. Squire
Sodus is to send his covered carryall
next Saturday, and old Daddy MIflin II
suppose he's going for ride. And so
things II go off all smooth and pleas
ant"
"Smooth and pleasant I" Helen
Hyde looked across the grassy lawn to
the little old man with his mild, ab-
stracted face, his rufied shirt front, the
silver hair that glistened in the sun
shine, and the white, claw-like fingers
that slowly turned themselves backward
and forward as he sat there.
"He owned the place once" said
Mrs. Daggett, "but his sons turned out
bad, and he indorsed for Squire Sodus'
cousin, and lost everything And here
he is, in his old age, without q penny
What is it, Becky? The oven ready for
the pies2 Yes, I'm coming"
And she hustled away, leaving Helen
alone. A sort of inspiration had en-
tered into the girls heart as she sat
there with the briny smell of the ocean
filing her senses, the rustic of the
maple leaves murmuring softly over
head. She took Mrs. DardanePs ten
dollar bill from her pocket and looked
long and earnestly at it. She thought
of the little one-horse carIyall, which
she and the girls from the Ixwood in
stitute were to have hired together to
drive over the hills and glens, all those
sweet, misty summer afternoons; of the
excursion to Twin Rock by steamer,
upon which she had counted; of the
new black bunting dress, which she had
\ decided to buy. She must abandon all
these little darling extravagances, If she
indulged this other fancy
| "As if there could be any choice"
she said to herself. And then she got
up and went softly across the grass and
clover blossoms to where "Daddy Mif-
fin" sat.
"Do you like this place? ?" she asked,
softly.
cts home, my DEAR" he answered,
erie; "it's homei I've lived here for
eighty odd years. I couldn't live any
where else."
"But there are other places pleas
anter r.
at may be, my dear, it may be-" he
said, looking at her with troubled eyes
through the convex lenses of his glasses.
But they wouldn't seem the same to
mep
Helen went back to Mrs. Daggett,
who was baking pies and rolls and
strawberry shortcakes all at once
Mrs. "Daggett," said she, "here are
$40 which Mrs. Dardanel gave to me
to do as 1 pleased with. And 1 please
to give it to you to keep old Mr.. Miflin
here five weeks longer"
"Mercy sakes alive I" said Mrs. Dag
gett, she amt no kin to you. is hep"
"No," said Helen, "but he is so old
and feeble and friendless, and-and--
please Mrs. Daggett take the money.
And perhaps by the time that is gone 1
shall be able to send little more. My
employers are going to pay me gener-
ously in the city, and 1 feel myself grow
ing better able to work every day"
So Helen Hyde adopted the cause of
one even poorer and more friendless
than herself, and for year she paid the
two dollars week steadily, and Mr..
Miflin never knew what danger had
menaced him
At the end of that time the old gentle
mans grandson came from some wide,
wild region across the sea, tall, dark
eyed young man, with the mien of a
prince in disguise.
"My father has been dead for year, 3"
/ he said. "And his papers have only
just been thoroughly investigated, so
that I have recently learned, for the
> first time, that there is an arrearage due
/ on my grandfather's allowance. Hope