The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-08-31

"Tm sure don't want him to stay:
he might die here" said my aunt, who
had the utmost horror of death.
"He's an old nuisance, anyhow" pro-
claimed Ethel, "and always has been,
and I blush that any relative of mine
should have degraded herself so far as
to become his servant-maid."
Here I will mention that my cousin
Roland, a month or so before this, had
married young lady with large for
tune, and out of this fortune he gener-
ously proposed to make the family
liberal yearly allowance, besides which
came many gifts from the married sis
ters. whose husbands had prospered,
and thereupon been obliged by their
wives to share their prosperity with us,
that we might live at least, as Minerva
expressed it, "with elegant economy"
And so we were not entirely dependent
upon our lodger for desserts and sew
eral other things.
But to go back. "He is not an old
nuisance" said 1, Indignantly. "He is
a kind-hearted old man, and I'm very
fond of him."
"Good gracious p
eyes, Miss Ethel" 1 went on, "I
am very fond of him. And if my aunt
will allow mel am sure my uncle will
L will take all the extra care resulting
from his sickness upon myself, and no
one else shall be annoyed in the
least. After living beneath our roof
for two years and contributing SC boun-
tifully to our comforts-you needn't
glare at me, Cleanthe; he has, for am
quite certain no one else would have
paid us so hberally-it would be the
basest ingratitude, not to say cruelty,
to send him among strangers now that
he most needs care and kindness"
care you quite through, Miss Rey-
noldsP" asked my aunt, sarcastically.
"I had no idea you were so eloquent,
never having heard you preach before
But of one thing am determined: you
shall not call in our doctor to your
patient. He is perfect aristocrat,
and has no idea we keepa lodger, and l
do not wish him to know it."
"There's a young saw-bones few
doors below" drawled my youngest
gentleman cousin, who resented my
waiting upon any one but himself /;
"he'n do for your fine old-nuisance."
That very evening Mr.. Griffin had q
bad turn, and l sent for the "young
saw-bones few doors below" in great
haste. He proved to be DR.. Rice, a
frank-looking, brown-haired, gray-eyed,
broad-browed young man, with gentle
voice and quick, light step. And the
old gentleman, taking great fancy to
him, decided ON retaining him-a deci-
sion that relieved me greatly, bearing
in mind as did my aunt's embargo in
regard to our family physician.
And from that time for three months,
although very seldom confined to his
bed, our lodger never had well day.
At the end of the three months, how
ever, he began to mend slowly, and at
the end of two more was on his feet
again. And then he told me he had
made up his mind to return to England.
81 am sorry, very sorry, to part with
= you," L replied. "But it is right that
you should CO."
= "Well said, Little Honesty. AND
now let's begin to pack" said he.
DR.. Rice and 1 went with the old
gentleman to the steamer that was tc
carry him away, and waved last fare
we'll to HMM the midst of a Grove
|
t pier as the vessel slowly moved ou
into the stream; and then we returned
1 70 our respective homes to read the
letters he had placed in our respective
, hands with his final goodbye.
E Mine read in the privacy of my own
= room at first; and when had partly re
: covered from my astonishment anC
a delight I flew downstairs, called tn
|, family together, and read it to them. 1
a was as follows:
: "DEAR LITTLE HoNEsTY-Had died
\ which 1 didn't, thanks unto God to yoI
and DIR. Rice-I should have left eacl
i of my dear young friends ten thousan,
n dollars in my will. But having lived
! I am going to do a much pleasante
thing-I am going to give them the te,
4 thousand at once. My lawyer will Sc
I you both tomorrow.
!. "AMos GRIFFIN.
"P. ST. have also left sligh
!, bequest to Mi SIS Ethel Egbert. She w
find it on the lower shelf of the close
Z in the room 1 occupied when / was he
cousin Dorothea's lodger."
u u Ethel for once forgot her graceful
= gliding step. She started hastily fo
> the stairs, but her youngest brother wa
: before her, and she was fain to tur
. back again as he slid down the balustel
and landed in our midst with somethin
, in his arms.
1t was a large framed photograph {
, Amos Griffin, with card attached bear
y ing these words, Gan excellent pictur
. of 'An Old Nuisance"
!, married DIR. Rice. -Hwper'S Weekll