The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08

eyebrows, and spectacles.'
"sYou've described him exactly 1
said, beginning to feel quite cousnly and
familiar, for knew that John set great
store by his relations.
"sOh, yes, John and l were school
mates, and bosom friends, as you might
say he went on. But about that news.
OF course you haven't heard yet-Dr.
Van Dorm is dead, and has left your
husband ten thousand dollars
"Well, was more foolish then, l
s'pose, than l am now. We were pref
ty poor, and John had to work days
work in printing office, and the way
that man said it, you'd have declared
that he spoke the truth.
"'Is John at homeP' he asked.
"Qh, no. said [. John never comes
home till five in the afternoon
"'That must make it lonesome for
you,' said be.
"It does, said I. Il am all soul alone,
day after day, and the neighbors never
come in till after dark
"'If you don't object says he, put
ting his hat on the table, I'll stay here
little while. I've been travelling all
night, for thought it was my duty to
give John a hint of his good fortune. l
always liked John so much
"Certainly,' said l, for the mans
manner was so natural and cousinly-
like that l began to think considerable
of him, for Johns sake.
"' I'm about getting lunch, and if you
can be satisfied with hot gingerbread,
and bread and butter, and cup of tea,
you're welcome
"Thank you very kindly said he;
'have you got quarter handyp'
"A quarter!' l exclaimed, aston
ished.
6" Yes; you see, have some letters
to post, and, though I've got plenty of
money, it's all in large bills;' and he
took out bulky pocket-book from his
coat-pocket, though he didn't open it.
'I'll hand it back to John tomorrow
81 thought that queer, but happened
to have fifty cents in my pocket, and 1
handed it to him.
" Thank you kindly, he said, very
pleasantly, and offered to 90 out and
change it.
81 went into the kitchen, through the
dining-room, my thoughts in sort of
whirl, what with the queerness of Johns
cousin, and the news of the ten thousand
dollars. | must say l kinder lotted on
that money; for John was working too
hard for man of his age; he was past
forty, little, then, and not nigh so
strong as he is now.
"Well, I'd got the tea-kettle to boil
ing, and the tea out, and the ginger
bread was done beautifully always
did make good gingerbread, if l do say
it-and I'd gone into the dining room to
set the table, and was just putting the
cups on, when [ felt a hand on my
shoulder. 1t startled me and screamed
and turned round. There stood that
man, with two or three pounds of meat,
done up in red silk handkerchief
same had seen round his neck.
Would you be kind enough to cook
this?' said he, with queer smile, and
he put it on the table, right on my snow
white best damask cover, that I'd got
out in consequence of the ten thousand
dollars-no, l mean in honor of the Wis
itor," said grandma, seeing that we
smiled.
"Wel, well, it amt possible to tell
you how | felt when took up that mess
in the red silk handkerchief. | put the
meat in plate, as soon as could, and
| just wanted to burn the handkerchief;
but instead just put it on chair by
the door, and went obviously into the
kitchen.
"'What kind of man can he be, ;
thinks to myself, to bring meat home
in that fashion,
"There was a stove IN the parlor-
one of those old-fashioned, sheet-iron,
air-tight stoves-and hearing a noise,
went to look through the glass top of
the dining room door.
"Well, you'd a-thought the house
was on fire to hear the roaring of that
stove! He must have put all the wood in
it that was left in the wood-box. As for
the man himself, he had taken off his
coat and collar and thrown himself full
length upon the floor in front of the
stove, where he appeared to be asleep.
That was the moment l began to be
scared.
"However, tried to reason with my
self that he was one of those old-fashion-
ed, easy-going men, who make them
selves at home nywhere--though do
think that sort ought never to 60 into
anybody's houses but their own.
"Well, l went back and cooked the
meat-of course he took that fifty cents
to buy it with-and then l called him.
But I'd made up my mind that 1 would
tell him that he had better go see John at
the printing office; for the thought of
his staying there all day was beginning
to be more than / could bear.
sit was some time before he woke
up, but after he did he had the grace to
put on his coat before he came into the
dining-room. He sat down to the table,
and folded his hands and shut his eyes.
| shall never forget the words he said
for grace
$40 Lord, have mercy upon all Jews,
give us this day our daily bread, and
make this meat and this ginger-cake a
blessing and refreshment. Amen
GAS for me, could not eat Never
in all my life have l seen man eat as
that man did. Five cups of tea poured
out for him. Half the loaf of ginger
bread and all that meat disappeared,
and the wild way his eyes worked in his
head was frightful.
Thinks 1, what shall dop'-for he
watched every movement l made. He
finished his dinner at 1ast-hut 7 bad