The Democratic advocate., 1882-06-24
Select Sturg.
LoTTIE,s CONQUEST.

There was never such an ill-tempered,
erusS- grained old man in this world as Dun
ssan Reade. He lived alone IN a square
rei-brick house in the middle Of desolate
Cat field: the garden around il had fallen
into dreadful state. no gardener had en-
tered il for many years; j, was fun Of tail
neitlcs and Of long, struggling, unPruned
bushes The windows were griuled with
dust. never having been cleaued within the
memory of man. but the meet miserable
hooking object in the place vas DaHsaAn
Reade himself.
His fare was wishercd aud wrinkled hike
a piece of yellow parchment; his shabby
cIothes hung loosely upon his skinny limbs,
his great shaggy eyebrows lowered like
thatehed caves over his sanken eyes He
lived quite alone with one old man, who
vas almost as old and grSm Is himself, and
who cooked, and swept aud washed for
hsm entirely without assistance from any
female whaievcr-tor If there was one
thing on earth that Mr. Reade hated and
abominated ii Was the whole raes of wum-
Anhood. The sight Of q pcs,icaAt was osii-
Gus to hisa, the sound u woman yotee
made him Shudder. His servant had ssrict
orders never. on Issia ug instant dismissal
10 admit enc Of them within his doors. IL
was currently reported Of him that for
tweuty years be bad not exchanged cue
word with living woman He vas book
cd upon a a hardened old mSser by the
people IN the ncighboFhosd, and there vas
not a man. woman OF child. for miles
around. who would not ersSs over % the
other siele IL the rad sooner than essme
face 20 face with this illfavoFed and sour
viagcd old man.
But I.ostie Harfield. from the end of her
faihers garden On the sunny hillside above
the village. used 10 III and hook down path
fully and sorrowfally upon the gloomy red
brick house in the valley below, where old
Mr. Readr dragged cat his unlovcly exist
enee.
She was the softess-hearted. eentlest little
thing in the world, with ehiidlike, clear
blue eyes, and fluffy hair of yellow geld,
and she had an innocent fearlesSness about
her that seemed TO belong more 20 the child
hood she had lcft behind her than TO the
wumAnhood upon which she had fairly en-
tered She had always kind word for
everybody. and when she heard people
talking Of that dreadful niser Reade, and
telling stories Of his bad heart and evil
nature, she would sigh pisifnIly, and say
"Poor old man Il does turn people
sour when every mans hand Is against
them Perhaps he j. not 20 bad aifer all
aBut, Miss Isostie, objected friend
who was present, what do you say to a
man who perfectly haies the sight Of a
woman
.sperhaps some woman has treated him
badly years ago. and not one has ever been
gentle and kind 10 him since, to wipe out
Che bad impression
'LOttie always makes excuses for every
body, said her father, smiling.
Lottie went on walking up and down the
garden walk from which she could see Mr..
Reades house, musing 20 herself upon his
miserable and lonely fate, until she became
quite possessed with the idea that somebody
ought to do something for him.
Papa, she said one day, in pursuance
Of this idea, smay | ask Mr. Reade to din
ner one night p
'.Mr Reade Good gracious Lottie,
you must be mad Do YOU imagine that
be would come r and her father laughed
at the bare idea of such a guest.
'sWell, | don't know. Ii he were asked
nicely he might come, think
MY little girl, you might ask him from
now till next Christmas, and you would
only get rough words for your pains.
@But you would have no objection, would
you, papa, to his dining here p
'Noue whatever if you can get him to
come, answered Mr Harfeld, laughing,
abut | don't think there is much fear of
that; and now must be of. Good-by.
my pet.
Mr.. Harfeld was doctor, and his high
gig was waiting to take him off on his daily
rounds He kissed his daughter and went
away laughing to himself over her last new
fancy, and Lottie was left alone.
Then what does this miserable young
lady do but 90 up stairs and array herself
in her prettiest dress-a soft, creamy fou-
lard, covered with wonderful fiufhngs and
pufings of lace-for Lottie was an extray-
agant little person, and her father spoilt her
dreadfully in the matter Of dress; then she
took her hat and her sunshade and sailed
forth thus equipped to call on old Mr.
Reade, the miser.
as your master in p
aNo, he is NOT" replied the austere
guardian of Mr. Reades domicile, grufiy,
and preparing to slam the door in the un-
wonted visitors face
@Will he be long out ?" says Lottie, per-
severingly.
"He might be ard he mightn't,' was the
unhopeful rejoinder.
''Well, / shall come in and wait for him
till he comes back
Now this took Timothy's breath away.
No such audacious proposal had ever been
made to him before.