The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-09-10

anu the more liberal equivalents you can e
from HIM the better. You will be kind enoug
10 show me 10 my room!"
"Yes, sir" | replied, meckly, completed
succumblng 10 the big black eyes and stron
Will power of the frall.looking old man, AM
totally forgetting To ask for the references
insisted upon In the advertisement Where
upon he stepped 10 the front door, and beckon
cd 10 the man outside, who, taking the trunl
upon his back, followed me to the second stor
front room.
All" sand our lodger, ~ he entered it, "thi
Is not bad-not AT all bad.
And 1t wasn't. As have said before, 1t WA
the pleasantest room in the house, and hat
arranged it as PRETTY as | could with tn
means at my command, Fortunately these IN
cluded number of llnc engravings and vases
and a capacious bamboo chair with crimson
cushion and footstool OF like color. And tn
fragrance Of the honeysuckles that stole IN a
the window from the balcony, and the two
three sunbeams that had found their way thro
the halfclosed blinds, and danced IN triumph
on the wall, and the halt dozen gaily boun'
books (mine) on the mantle, and the Ivy grow
ing from red pot on a bracket in one corner
ali combined 10 make the room q plcasan
place indeed.
Mr.. Griffin had been our lodger exactly tw'
years, during which had prepared and su
perintended the serving Of his breakfasts, anI
taken entire charge of his room, las well a
though had been brought up to that sort o
thing" as my cousin Cleanthc remarked, ant
the rest Of the family, with the exception o
uncle, who became quite friendly with him
had only met him some dozen tlmes-at which
time they assumed their most dlghilied dlgni
ty-when he was taken sick.
Its an old complaint which will carry mi
off sometime" said he to me; but | hope no
this time. Anyhow, Little Honesty, "a name
he had given me from the tirst-l hope de
served it-) live or die intend to remain here
Nowhere else could be as comfortable Yol
must engage an extra servant, and you and sh,
together must nurse ne. should certainly
die of professional. By.the,by, who Is you
family physician ?'
tod hun.
IF am not better, send for HIM tomorrow
am gong out-only few steps" mee,in!
my look OF surprise. II want to see nay law
yer, and shan't take To my bed for scvera
days YETI
That afternoon, taking care not to repeat TIT
old gentleman's exact words but putting hi
remarks in the form of request to be allow
ed to remain in his room, | stated the case L
the family.
Gong to be i'll" exclaimed Alethea. "Dea
me, how disagreeable"
"rm sure | don't want him to stay; HI
might die here" said my aunt, who had tn
utmost horror of death.
"He's an old nuisance anyhow" proclaim
cd Ethel, and always has been, and blusl
that any relative of mine should have degrad
ed herself so far as to become his servin!
mad"
Here will mention that my cousin Rolant
a month or so before this, had married a lad,
with large fortune, and out of this fortune h
generously proposed to make the family lit
eral yearly allowance, besides which cam
gifts from the married sisters, whose husband
had prospered, and thereupon been Obliged b.
their wives TO share their prosperity with us
that we might live at ease, as Minerva express
ell it, with elegant economy And so W
were not dependent uponl our lodger for DIES
serts and several other things. But now TO 6
back
"He Is not an old nuisance" said |, indie
mainly. He is kind-hearted old man, and
am very fond of him."
Good gracious!'
"Yes, Miss Ethel, went on, 81 repeat it,
am very fond of him. And il my aunt wi
take all the extra care resulting from his sicl
ness upon myself, and no one else shall be al
noyed in the least. After living beneath on
roof for two years, and contributing so bount
fully to our cOmforts-you needn't glare at MT
Cleanthe; he has, for | am quite sure no on
else would have paid US so liberally-it wOul
be the basest ingrattude, not to say cruelty, I
send him among strangers now that he mos
needs care and kindness"
"Are you quite through Miss Reynolds
asked my aunt, sarcastically. 81 had no lde
you were so eloquent, never having heard yo
preach before. But of one thing am detern
med. You shall not call IN our doctor to you
patient He is perfect arlstocrat, and has n
idea we keep lodger and do not wish hir
to know it."
"There's a young saw.bones few doors b'
low" drawled my youngest gentleman cousll
who resented my waiting upon any ore BIT
himself Hell do for your fine old nuisance,
That very evening Mr.. Griffin had ba
turn, and / sent for the young saw bones
few doors below" in great haste. He prove
to be Dr. Rice, q frank looking, brown'hal
ed gIay.eyed, broad proved young man, wit
gentle voice and quick, light step. And tn
old gentleman, taking great fancy to hin
decided on retaining nina decision that n
lieved me greatly, bearing in mind as al
my aunt's embargo in regard to our tamil
physician.
And from that time for three months, altht
very seldom confined to his bed, our lodge
never had well day. AT the end of the thrt
months, however, he began to mend slowl.
and at the end of two more he was on his lie,
again And then he told me that he had mad
up his mind to return TO England.
81 am sorry, very sorry, to part with you,
replied But then it Is right that yo
should GO
well said, Little Honesty. And now let
begin tc pack" said he
DIR. Rice and went with the old gentl
man to the steamer that was to carry him Cl
and waved last farewell to HIM, in the mid
of a crowd also waving last farewclls from II
pier, rs the vessel slowly moved out into II
stream, and then we returned to our respec
i've homes to read the letters he had placed
our respective hands with his final heart