The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-04-05

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had belonged to my grandfather, he
asked me TO exchange with him, which
/ was very glad to do. Not long after, "a
chest of drawers, that was my grand
fathers, found Its way back to the old
place, together with the quaint, brass
mounted mirror that always hung over
II so that, at last, the room looked very
much as II did before we re.arranged 1t
with so much care and labor.
John and had quite laugh over 1t,
but, so long MS II suited the present oc-
cupant, we did not mind, and 1t seemed
to suit him completely. He spent much
of his time reading. No one called to
see him, or wrote to him, though lie re-
ceived quantities of papers and maya
zines.
1t was Marge that flrst suggested that
we invite him to take ten with us one
day when we had some unusual delicacy
early strawberries, think.
Z" He must be very lonely, poor man !"
said my gentle-hearted sister. Per
haps he doesn't have enough to eat. He
spoke about being poor you know"
After this he dropped In occasionally,
bringing some new magazine or paper,
and reading to us as we sat at work.
Finally, IL became an established Gus
tom with him to take ten with us twice,
and sometimes three times week fire.
quently inviting himself though we al
L., 1, l,,t tla
advent of the market boy with liberal
supply of provisions, all of the best
quality.
This troubled Margie's tender con-
science, and she demonstrated with him
one day.
at is wrong" he said, with grave
shake of the head "I'm poor man,
and ought to be more prudent"
But he continued on the same way,
and we finally got so used to his oddities
of speech and action as to think little of
them.
He and John were apparently on the
best of terms, and yet he was always
finding fault with him to me.
"To think of his taking entire charge
of his mother, when she has other chill
dren, and sending money to bis brothers.
widow besidel" he said to me one day.
" He Is poor man, and always will
be !"
Now, never could endure the slight
est reflection upon John, and defended
him with spirit and indignation that
seemed to please Mr.. Thomas not
little.
With thy pretty face and ways, thee
ought to do better, Ruth" he resumed,
when L paused for want of BREATH
mot but what John is good, but he Is
poor. I've heard that thee refused Mr..
Hart, who is worth 100000. What
made thee do such foolish thing as
that, child 7"
Because didn't love Mr.. Hart; and
1 do love John"
The silence that followed made me
glance up at my companion, who had
turned toward the door. 1t was grow
ing dusk, and the face was partly avert
ed, but was almost sure that the eyes
were full of tears.
Mr.. Thomas generally used the plain
language, almost invariably so when
speaking to me or Margie, and, until l
saw that he was q regular attendant at
st. Luke's, L supposed him to be a
Quaker. When 1 alluded to this i'm
preston, he said
was brought up to that faith and
1t comes back to me now that / am
growing old, and the end is near.''
1t was nearer than L thought. He
had been feeble all winter, though it
seemed more like the gradual loss of
strength than actual disease. In the
early spring he was knocked down by
runaway horse, sustaining some inter-
nal injury from which he never recover
ed. John and took turns in nursing
him it was pleasant, afterward, to re-
member that he wanted for nothing.
John, Margie and were there. He
had been lying in stupor for some
hours now he reused himself and began
to talk, startling us not little by his
strange expressions and illusions.
81 was born in this room," he said,
glancing around; "and / shall die
here ~
Thinking his mind was wandering, 1
laid my hand gently on his.
He smiled as he looked at me.
"Thee hast thy mothers name, Ruth,
and her kind heart as well, but thy eyes