Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-03-18

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turn of sunshine. But "grandpa'
sat..siient ih his armchair and thought
Shall let things remain as they are /:
!. lShall | give up my bedroom and let
my woods-my pride-be cut down
, Yes, yes, yes, am an old man and !
shall soon 90. I'd better let the young
ones have their. way, even to giving
lup my dear old bedroom. Only a
little while shall | remain; give me
, peace while do
Dime. came ia good season, and
then Mr.. Lamson thought ii would
do him good to take sleigh-ride to the
."store" aud see his old friends. So
he walked out To the barn where
Patrick was feeding the cattle and
told him to harness the old mare.
"Mr. Jim Just told me to harness
her for him; he and his wife are geing
to the Corner, said Patrick
!. "We'l, let him take Dick or Tom ;
want my old mare and you can bring
her around, said the old man. Us he
turned away and went to his bedroom
to put on his outer garment. As he
struggled iuto his coat he heard
Patrick bring up the sleigh and tell
Jim what he had said about going to
the store.
I "Hey. What's that" asked JIM
l"W anted to 70 to the store: Well, he
will have 10 watt another afternoon.
Come along, Eliza; bring the children;
tambls in there, Jimmie. guess
graudpa will wait this time. lie drives
altogether 10 much for his health any
way.
! And away they went leaving the
old man Il prey to disturbing thoughts.
-. Is IT possible that his son Jim could
ttrcat him like that.
! For m hoIr or two he sat IN silent
/ thought, then b. took up = newspaper
I TO entertain himself But ii bad lost
+ iu power; he could not read and was,
~ last, forced to 60 to the barn and
. look at thu steck, aud talk to Patrick,
~ho vas very ready to tell him of all
fhr work that mad been already laid
ou. for tie coming Spring, Mr. Lam
sou heard him In silence and asked
no questions. Tor his heart Was weary
With hea, ness. ard he could not
ryusa himself 10 take any interest IN
lie conversation, and soon retained 10
the house.
BEFORE tn. family returned. hua-
ever. he had determined upon the
cuurss ha would lake. Jim had con-
uicnes-i sltosei her too strong and had
evidently forgotten that the deed was
unsigned. In truth, It wonld have
+ beea signed aui recorded al oaca II
Nr. Munsos had not urged SO strongly
to keen the relns IN his own hands.
Although over eighty years of age
+. sse -~ax sAEs~d assd iho.s shsfnl still.
and h- !vl, that little trial of the
change wuaId not come ariss. II.
Suu'l have seen the pine trees cut
Iown without a murmuE. and perhaps
nave gwen up his bedroom for the
guoi of the farm; bat whca his old
Mage, that he had driven for fifteen
wears. Mas lakcn from hIm ID such "a
hrartlrss manner, Ice reb~lls'i and had
nos come 20 the conclusion that ne
arul, .;cslEnY The drc,'. bat IN order
So dr J.. caius,Y agtl u'v.. sleep uSpH lL
When tee stet- n.b<lls announced
.iIns's return. 'ar Old man lifted his
head. looked cat oC The window and
saw the fam,ls enter the door without
moving from hIs chair, slil seemed
gn;eay asleep until 80 vas ready,
Then Jim told the news that he had
earned al the siorr. and Eliza told
ws7at h,.r sister sad about the dairy
sic hal planned, that Jim had been
lonAlng a. somc COWS 10 added 10 his
sloc = sud 50 on. The mau ma.ie 10
reply. bat Inn did not notice II, SO
greatly Was lie interested in his own
ailalrs.
Eliza sand: ''Jin, did YOU notice
grandpa al The table, lie did not
speak one word, not even 10 the baby.
He looks as II he might have a shock
any moment, We ongut not In have
taken Maggie this afternoon. Some
thing will come OF 1t. | feel sure it
was not al all right, You know that
deed in neither signed nor recorded"
Then jim bad thorn planted in
hs pillow for the night, but he replied
with mans dIsdaIn OF womau's
wis lom, "No. didn't notice him
You are always on the Lookout for
something ahead. II he is in danger
of "a shock he musn' I 90 driving around
| the country alone.--
Then, the mare is mine; he knors
IL too' When go to the store he can
20 along too.
The hours, as they were tolled Off
upon the old. tall clock, that night,
erept very slowly to both father aud
son. But little sleep closed their
eyelids, jim beisg thoroughly awak-
ened to the fact that as yet the farm
was not his. and he ought to have at
tended to that needful business before
he drove TO the Corner to tell his
friends of the plans he had made for
its tilIage,
When Jim came down stairs the
next morning his father lad just kind
led fire IN the sitting room stove.
and AS soon as the fire blazed in the
kitchen he called to him to come IN.
Jim went at once, and seeing a folded
paper in the old mans hand, he said:
Whats that, father: Have you
had the decd execnted?' #H.5
"No,' replied Mr.. Lamson, "nor do
intend to do So" The same moment
he stopped down and thrust the fold.
ed paper into the brightest flame,
WHICH shriyeled it to ashes. -g-~,-. =.
"There it goes" he continued, sand
our targain will remain as it was,
or you may make other arrangements.
While | live intend to hold the reins
and drive when please. When | am