Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-01-20

'"ihiJ SOAAPiCHSLucu WIZ Olu hf.
Mitiiin was. A bowed, bent-over, little
man with silver hair curling over the
collar Of his coat, rufied shirt like
the pictures OF our revolutionary fsre-
fathers. and blue eyes which glistened
from behind pair of silver spectacles,
he ehutllad in and out to his meals after
an apologetic fashion, and sat all the
bright afternoons under the naples.
staring at the sea.
"Who is that old gentleman % she
at last ventured to ask Mrs. Dsggett.
That lady frowned impatiently.
Its old Daddy MiHin," said she.
81 wish it was anybody else!'
rs he a boarder?" asked Helen.
"Well, he is and he isn't" rather
obscurely answered Mrs. Daggstt. who
was picking over currants for a pudding.
while Helen sat by and watched her.
" But he won't be here long. You see,
my & ar, he hasn't any friends. When
he ana Daggett came down from Yer
mont and bought this place. we got il
cheap because of old Mr.. Mifflin. We
was to give him the northeast chambe
and they we're to allow US so much a
month for his keep. 1t amt everybody
you see. that would be willing to have
an old man like him around the place
But he's harmless and innocent enough,
and won't deny that the two dollars a
week helped along. But now prices
have gone up, and Breezy Point has
got to be a fashionable locality in sum.
mer time. and things have altered. And
what's worse. his folks have left cfl
sending the money"
81 wonder Why" said Helen, with
her large dreamy eyes fixed pityingly
on the old man, who sat in his usual
place under the naples wistfully watch
ing the sea.
They're dead, p'r'aps." said NJ rs
Daegett. "Or p'r'aps they've go'
tired of him. Anyhow, it's three
months since we've heard a word, and
me and Daggett have made up Gu,
minds that We can't stand it any longer
So we're going to put him on the town
Lawyer BoxaIl says it's legal and right
and they can't expect nothing else oi
US. Squire Sodus is to send his GOV.
cred carryall next Saturday, ard old
Daddy Mifilinll suppose he's going fol
a ride. And SO things'll go off all
smooth and pleasant"
"Smooth and pleasant Heller
Hyde looked across the grassy lawn to
the little old man with his mild, alb
stracted face. his rufllsd shirt front, the
silver hair that glistened in the sun
shine and the white, claw-like fingers
that slowly turned themselves back
ward and forward as he sat there.
"He owned the place once," SAID
Mrs. Daggett, "but his sons turned
out bad, and he indorsed for Squire
Sodus' cousin and lost everything. Ani
here he is in his old age, without I
penny! What is it. Becky? The over
ready for the pies? Yes, I'm coming.
And she hustled away, leaving Heller
alone. A sort of inspiration had en-
tered into the girls heart as she sa
there with the briny smell of the ocear
filling her senses. the rustic of tbt
msple-leaves murmnripg softly over
head. She took Mrs. Dardanel's ten,
dollar bill from her pocket and looked
long and earnestly at it. She thought o.
the little one-horse csrryall which SHE
and the girls from Ixwood Institute
we're to have hired together to drive
over the hills and glens all those sweet
misty summer afternoons; of the ex
cursion to Twin Rock by steamer. upor
which she had counted; of the new
black bunting dress which she decided
to buy. She must abandon all these
little darling extravagances if she in
dulged this other fancy.
"As if there could Ee any choice,
she said to herself. And then she got
up and went softly across the grass and
clover blossoms to where Daddy
Mi in eat.
"Do you like this place ?' she asked
softly.
"It's home. my DEAR" he answered
seeming to rouse himself out of rev.
erie; It's home. I've lived here TO,
eighty odd years. I could not live
anywhere else."
But there are other places pleasant.
er."
81. may be, my dear, it may be-" he
said. looking at her with troubled eyes
through the convex lenses of his
glasses. "But they wouldn't seem the
same to me-"
Helen went to Mrs. Daggett, who
was baking pies and rolls and straw
berry-shortcske all at once.
"Mrs. Daggett." said she. "here are
ten dollars which Mrs. Dardanel gave
10 me to do as I pleased with, and
please to give it to you to keep old Mr..
Miflin here five weeks longer"
Mercy sakes alive" said Mrs. Dag
gett. "he amt no kin to you, is he?"
No." said Helen, "but he is so old
and feeble and friendless, and-and-
please. Mrs. Daggett. take the money.
And perhaps by the time that is gone
shall be able to send little more. My
employers are going to pay me gen.
erously in the city, and feel myself
growing better able to work every
day."
So Helen Hyde adopted the cause of
one even poorer and more friendless
than herself, and for a year she paid
two dollars week steadily, and Mr..