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

at last ventured to ask Mrs. Delggett.
That lady frowned, impatiently.
cts old Daddy Miflin," said She
"And wish it was anybody else !"
els he boarder ?" asked Helen.
"Well, he is and he isn'tp 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.. Mifflin.
We was to give him the northeast cham
Der, 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 arotlnd the
place. But he's harmless and nnnc cent
enough, and won't deny that the two
dollars q 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 whyT' 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, pr'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 csrryall
next Saturday, and old Daddy Mtdlin IL
suppose he's going for ride. And SO
things II go off all smooth and pleas
ant"
"Smooth and pleasant |" Helen
Hyde looked across the grassy lawn to
the little old man with his mild, alb
stracted face, his ruffled 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 Solus
cousin, and lost everything And here
he is, in his old age, without 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
{ filling her senses, the rustic of the
maple leaves murmuring softly over
head. She took Mrs. Dardaners ten
, dollar bill from her pocket and looked
long and earnestly at it. She thought
of the little one-horse carryall, 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
r indulged this other fancy
1 GAS if there could be any choice,
r she said to herself. And then she got
4 up and went softly across the grass and
| clover blossoms to where "Daddy Mif
t fin" sat.
, "Do you like this placer" she asked
softly.
h "It's home, my DEAR" he answered
{ seeming to rouse himself out of a rev
:. erie; cts homel I've lived here fol
a eighty odd years. 1 couldn't live any
r where else"
r "But there are other places pleas
], anter !"
e cit may be, my dear, it may be-" ht
n said, looking at her with troubled eyei
4 through the convex lenses of his glasses
n But they wouldn't seem the same t.
d mep
). Helen went back to Mrs. Daggett
+" who was baking pies and rolls anC
e strawberry shortcakes all at once
r Mrs "Daggett," said she, here ar
10 $40 which Mrs. Dardanel gave to M
n to do as 1 pleased with. And I pleas
B. to give it to you to keep old Mr.. Mitfiil
" here five weeks longer"
rs "Mercy sakes alive !" said Mrs. Dag
=, gett, "he amt no kin to you. is he ?"
le "No," said Helen, but he is so ole
IS and feeble and friendless, and-and-
,d please Mrs. Daggett take the money
And perhaps by the time that is gone
T. shall be able to send little more. M
le employers are going to pay me gener
a. ously in the city, and / feel myself grow
ing better able to work every day"
r. So Helen Hyde adopted the cause c
tt one even poorer and more friendles
10 than herself, and for year she paid tn
Q, two dollars a week steadily, and MI
le Miflin never knew what a danger ha
ne menaced him
s. At the end of that time the old gentle
ee mans grandson came from some wide
e. wild region across the sea, tall, dark
ed eyed young man, with the mien of
I'd prince in disguise.
to "My father has been dead for year,
of he said. "And his papers have onl
le, Just been thoroughly investigated, s
p. that 1 have recently learned, for tn
/" first time, that there is an arrearage du