Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-19
OUT OF TEE POOR HOUSE.

his quill pen.
1t was a glorious August day at Bilberry
-Four Corners. The muIlein-studded pas
lures were baked with heat; the closed
cups of the morning-glories hung discon
solately among the willing leaves, while
the cattle stood knee-deep in the Bilberry
river, where pollard willows made a
friendly shade
At the Town House, however, there
was no such luxury as trees. Trees
shaded the cabbage field; their roots drew
all the strength out Of the garden soil,
where onions, potatoes and sugar-beets
were TO be grown, and their LEAKAGE made
a green mold on the roofs. The Town
House was made for use, not show; and
the selecmen had no nonsensicaI scruples
on the subject of beauty; and so the sun
came in like the breath of fiery dragon,
through the uncurtained easement, and
smote Mr. Griggs, the Superintendent, on
the very crest of his bald head.
Pull down the window shade, some
body said Mr.. Griggs, writhing uneasily
in his chair. ooh, dear! oh, dear! l
wish Mrs. Bibb was here She knows p
what is the man calling about?" said
Mrs Grigg, bustling in from an adjoining
room. Don't you know that Mr.. Demas
Dodd is waiting?"
"Take the books for yourself" said the
Superintendent, pushing a huge pile Of
folios towards his better half "What is
one to do? There was two of 'em left on
the doorstep the same night We called
one Ruth and the other Naomi. and we
surnamed her Snow, because it was an
awful stormy night. The equinoctial, don't
YOU remember? And here's Demas Dodd
saws one of EN- is his darter, and he wants
her, and Mrs Bib is gone to bury her
second son. And how in the name of all
creation he | to tell which was which ~
Let him pick and choose for himself"
said Mr.. Griggs, impatiently. Tell him
jest how it was
No" said Mn Grigcs, authoritatively |
q That would derogate from the dignity Of
the Town Superintendent | amt to be
took unawares like that. 1t amt 10 be
supposed that the Town House authorities
can be mistook."
Stuff and nonsense said Mrs. Griggs. |
We're all human, amt We? But if you
feel like that, why, flip up penny. If it |
comes up heads, say Naomi; if its tails |
say Ruth
And she produced a copper cent on She
SPOT, twir!ing it nimbly on the table.
For a second or two 1t spun around
then fell heavily on It's side, revealing the |
expressive lineaments Of the Goddess Of
Liberty
"IIeadsr said Mrs. Griggs. "Send |
Naomi down TO him. And l amt sorry, |
for Naomi always was a careless, Eighty |
thiae and Ruth is dreadful handy with |
the house linen and mems wash
But a man ought to have his own !
daughter" feebly demonstrated Mr.. Griggs. !
We can't 90 no better by him." said
Mrs. Griggs. "And if he hadn't no more
material affection than to leave his own
daughter on the doorstep such an awful
stormy night as that was -
1T wasn't him; it was old Miss Dud- |
gick, his wiie's aunt" explained the Su- |
perintendent Of the Town Poor. " You !
see he was awful down in the world, and |
ne had gone to the Azores to gather YARDS |
TO make a cough cure as should knock |
eyerybody's cold into the middle of next |
wear. An when he heard the child was
dead he hadn't no heart to come back. An |
he never know'd she was Twin until old |
Miss Dudgick made an aherdavy on her !
death-ued, and it was sent TO him by the
lawyers An here he is now"
And here's grown-up darter for him."
said Mrs. Griggs, curtly. And he'll be
suited, and we're suited, and | dare say
Naomill be suited into the bargain, and
nobody need never be no wiser"
With which astounding succession Of
double negatives the matter terminated.
Naomi WAS pretty, blue-eyed girl of Il,
who was to have been bound out" the
very next week to the clergyman's family
Ruth was a dimpled smiling brunette,
whom all the little children instinctively
sought in times of trouble, and who was
Mn. Griegs' righthand woman. And the
two solitary young things had always loved
each other like twins.
wish papa could take US both p
sobhed Naomi, with her arms around Ruth
neck.
Don't hint at such thing" said Mrs.
Griggs, Indignantly.
And after all, said Ruth, who always
saw the consoling side Of things, We can
see each other often. And isn't it exactly
like novel, that your father should come
20 claim you after all these years"
SO Naomi went TO the pretty old brick
house which Demas Dodd, who had con
trived to make fortune out of his "Ori-
initial Cough cure had purchased-a pct !
uresque old place, all mantled with ivy,
where there was m ancient garden, full Of
sweet williams and lilac bushes, and wan
dering toririls Of ciematis; where monster
pear trees flung their penuon5 OF shade |
across the hox-bordered path.
What = change it was after the toll and |
drudgory of the town poor-house this life |
Of easy comfort, with the softly carpeted |
floors, the curtains Of snowy misiin looped |
with ribbons, the books, the flowers, the |
atmosphere of repose.
Na0mIJ Young life seemed to expand |
within 1t, Ike the daGodil in the sunshine Z
and DeImas Dodd, himself scarcely forty |
was so gentle, 80 refined, so compauionabe |
Papa" cried Naomi, who was an impet-
nous little creature, and always spoke out |
her thoughts and feelings, you are 50 nice !
/ don't think l ever loved anyone as much |
as / do YOU
And yet there was shadow Of awe in the |
girls manner toward him.
What is it2' Naomi asked herself Il
am not afraid of him. Do all girls feel so
toward their father? But then | haven't !
known papa all my life OF course that
accounts for it. It's simple enough when
one comes to think of it,
Demas Dodd's daughter had scarcely
dwelt in her new home month when d |
greasy, illspelled note arrived from Mr.. |
Grigg, the Superintendent of the Poor
house.
ale wants me to Come down there" said
Mr.. Dodd. Il wonder what for p
Papa, can't go too? p asked Naomi.
Not this time" Mr.. Dodd responded |
gently; "but perhaps l will bring Ruth |
back with me to spend the day-if Mrs
Grigg can spare her"