The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-01-09


genufiections, and a fiddle, and dOleful
complaints that he could not play It,
and that it was the fiddle's fault.
We'll, it is for once" said Hope.
why, you little duffer, don't you see
that the bridge is too l0wT
He slackened the string, removed the
bridge, fitted on higher one, tuned it.,
and handed it over.
There" said he "play us one of the
tunes of Egypt. The Rogue's March,
'eh2 and muzzle."
The supple Oriental grinned and made
obeisances, pretended not to know "The
ROgue's March" Ito the hen-house), and
went off playing Johnny Comes March
ing Home (Bridewell to witt.
Then did Miss Clifford's French maid
trip forward smirkng with q parasol
to mend: "DesOlee dee aOus derdnger,
Monsieur Hoppe, n,ais aotre denao,seiS est
du desespOir; Oh, ces pdrds0ls Afgldisw
"COnnu," said Hope, "royOns ca" and
in a minute repaired the article, and
the girl spread it, and went off wrig-
Cling and mincing with it, SO that there
was pronounced horse-laugh at her
minauderies.
Then advanced a rough young Eng
llsh nurse out of farmhouse with n
child that could just toddle. She had
left an enormous doll with Hope for re-
pairs, and the child had given her no
peace for the last week. Luckily the
doll was repaired and handed over. The
mite, in whose little bosom maternal
feelings had been excited, insisted on
carrying her child. The consequence
was that at about the third step they
rolled over one another, and to the spec
tators at little distance it was hard to
s..h
offspring. Then the strappmg lass in
of dislocating their little limbs, tossed
into the air and caught, one on each of
her own robust arms, and carried them
off stupidity irritated-for want of a
grain of humor-at the good-natured
laugh this caused, and looking as if she
would like to knock their little heads
together. Mk Fb NM
Under cover of this an old man in u
broad hat. and seemingly infirm, crept
slowly by and looked keenly at Hope,
but made no application. Only while
taking stock of Hope his eyes flashed
wickedly, and much too brightly for SO
old q man as he appeared. 4 lie did not
go far; he got behind Il tree, and watch
ed the premises. Then genuine old
man and feeble came and brought Hope
his clock to mend. Hope wound it up,
and it went to perfection. The old man
had been stout fellow when Hope was
a boy, but now he was weak, especially
in the upper story. Hope saw at once
that the young folk had sent him there
for Joke, and he did not approve it.
"Gatfer," said he, this will want re-
pairing every eight days; but don't you
come here any more; III call on you
every week, and repair it for auld lang
syne."
Whilst he toddled away, and Hope re-
tired behind his lathe to study his model
in peace, MOnckton ragged at the sight
OF him and his popularity.
Ay," said he, you are a genius. You
can model u steam-engine or mend q
doll, and you outwitted me, and gave
me fourteen years. But you will lind
me as ingenious as you at one thing,
and that's revenge"
And now higher class of visitors be-
gan to find their way to the general fa-
V0rite. The first was fair young lady
of surprising beauty. She strolled pen
sively down the green turf, cast a hasty
glance in at the Workshop, and not see
ing Hope, concludedhe was little tired
after his journey, and had not yet ar
rived. She strolled slowly down then,
and seated herself in a large garden
chair, stuffed, that Hope had made, and
placed there for Colonel Clifford. That
worthy frequented the spot because he
had done so for years, and because it
was sweet turfy slope; and there was
q wonderful beech-tree his father had
made him plant when he was five years
old. 1t had gigantic silvery stem, and
those giant branches which die crippled
in beech wood but really belong to the
isolated tree, as one Virgil discovered
before we were born. Mary BARLEY
then lowered her parasol, and settled
into the COlOnel's chair under the shade
Pdtu!g jagi-of the wide-spreading
beech-tree.
She sat down and sighed. Monckton
eyed her from his lurking-place, and
made a shrewd guess who she was, but
resolved to know.
her, and came forward and leaned out
of the window to enjoy the sight of her.
He could do that unobserved, for he
was long way behind her at q sharp
angle.
lie was still a widower and this his
only child, and lovely as an angel; and
he had seen her grow into ripe lowell
ness from sick girl. He had sinned
for her and saved her; he had saved her
again from more terrible death. He
dotted on her, and it was always special
JOY to him when he could glOat on her
unseen. Then he had no need to make
up an artificial face and hide his adora-
ton from her.
But soon cloud came over his face
and his paternal heart. He knew she
had lover; and she looked like girl
who was waiting pensively' for him.
She had not come there for him whom
she knew only as her devoted friend.
At this thought the poor father sighed.
Mary's quick senses caught that, and
her sweet face beamed.
"You are there, after all, Mr.. Hope"
Hope was delighted. Why, it was
him she had come to see, after ALL He
came down to her directly, radiant, and
then put on stiff mannts he often had
to wear out of fidelity to BARLEY, who
did not deserve it.
This is early for you to be out, Miss
Barley"
"Of course il is" said she. "But /
know it is the time of day when you are
kind to anybody that comes, and mend
all their rubbish for them, and | could
kill them for their impudence in vast
ing your time so. And am as bad as
the rest. For here / am wasting your