Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-05-28

Margie and |, the profit OF which wa
quite as small as the wares we sold. Blu
then we had no rent to pay; owning tn
brown, Old-fashiOned house in which w
lived. and which looked strangely out O
place among the stately-loOking modern
dwellings that crowded up against it OF
either side, quite putting it out of coun
tenance by their superior height and ap
pearance.
Grandfather built it when the plac,
was new and he an old man.. and wheI
all that brick and mortar were verdan1
fields and well-kept garden, dotted here
and there by houses as low and modern
as his 0wn. He owned large farm and
was considered to be a wealthy man in
those days; but acre after acre had been
sold until nothing was left except the
house in which my father was born, and
which was the only inheritance OF his
children. But we made the most of it
Margie and |, as you will see.
/ hardly think we should have dared
to do such thing while father lived
who would have considered it a sort OF
sacrilege; but soon after his death we
turned the front part of the house into a
shop, with show windows which opened
out upon the street, in which to display
articles we kept for sale.
This was a matter of necessity rather
than choice, it being all that l could do
at home, and could not leave Margie.
Poor Margie was cripple; she had re-
ceivei fall when only four years old.
and had never walked since. She had
been great care to me for many year,
but never burden. She was so thought
full and patient and cheerful. that in
the event of our separation l think l
should have missed her quite as much
as she would me. She was very useful,
too; lying all day on her lounge in our
little sitting-rOOm, her hands were never
idle, crocheting tides, mats, mittens and
edging. and doing various kinds OF fancy
work, for which found sale in my shop,
and though the price asked was only
moderately i'm excess of the cost OF ma
terial, helped us not little. =
Margie kept all quietly, having clear
er head than /, and a knowledge, or
rather intuition. of character that was
wonderful. considering how secluded her
life of necessity had been. 1 never
thought Of taking any step without con-
sulting Margie.
We lived very quietly, having few ac-
quaintances and no near reiative-ex-
cept John. John was my lover and no
girl ever had one more kind or true. He
was poor in worldly goods, but oh! so
rich in goodness and manly wealth. He
might have seemed plain to those who
knew him mott can not tell how he
looked to other eyes-but there was more
than beauty, to me, in that frank. honest
face, and in the big, brown hands that
were so strong and helpful.
We had been engaged ever since was
eighteen was twenty-three nOw-and
no nearer to being married, as could
see, than we were five years before. But
still we loved on and hoped on. John
had widowed and infirm mother, and L
had Margie; and though she was any
thing but burden to me, L could not
think of adding any further weight to
the hands that were full enough already.
Trade not being very brisk during the
summer, Margie and decided to exc out
our slender income by renting the room
over the shop. 1t was low, and the slant
of the roof on one side and big chimney
made it full of queer hooks and corners.
The furniture was old. being some that
grandfather had when he was married.;
but with the help of John, who could
spare me an hour or two evenings, COW
cred the floor with a neat carpet, the bed
and windows were draped with white,
some pretty prints hung upon the wall;
aud on the whole was very we'll salts
fed with the result of our labor.
When all was done, John wrote no
tice, "ROOm to Let. Inquire within"
But though placed it in the shop win
dow, where it could be plainly seen from
the street, nearly three weeks passed and
we only had two applicants for the room,
aud from persons who only looked at it
and went away.
E One morning as 1 was busting the
counter and putting the shop to right,
saw queer looking, oddly dressed old
man standing in front of the window,
his eyes fixed upon the notice in it, and
his lips syllafying each word. He wore
shoes with big buckles, and a snuff-cOl-
Ored coat, with short waist and long
skirts, and which looked as if it might
be his grandfather's. But the oldest
thing about him was the long white
hair which fell upon his shoulders and
the heavy beard of same color which
touched his breast. A broad brimmed
hat completed his quaint, Quaker-like
The door being ajar, before had time
to Law aside my buster he was at the
counter.
He stared at me for some moments
without speaking, and then pointing to
the notice with his cane, said:
"Will thee let me look at it?"
Inwardly hoping that this applicant
would not share the fate of those that !
had preceded it, led the way up stairs. |
To my great relief, our prospective lOdg- |
er, far from Directing to the slOping !
roof and Old-fashiOned furniture. seemed |
to regard them with feeling of positive |
interest and admiration. /
at is like the chamber used to sleep |
in when was boy" he said, as he look |
ed around, and speaking more to himself
than to me.
As l wanted Margie to see him before
decided, | took him down through the
where she lay.
'This gentleman thinks of taking our
room, sister," l said, as she glanced up
to US.
eff within my MEANS" interpOsed the |
stranger Il am poor man."
Margie's clear, soft penetrating eyes |
were quietly reading the face of the !
stranger. What she saw seemed salts
factory, for she nodded in reply to my
look.
In spite Of his threadbare appearance
be looked so respectable that l was half |
ashamed of the question | was obliged |
to put. -
Suppose you have references, SIR?
"NO; all are dead who might speak for |
me if they could. You will have 70 take
me on trust s
II looked at Margie again, who giving
me- another nod, said:
perhaps the gentleman will mention
what he feels able TO pay?"
The stranger did so, adding: