Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-03-19
lNGRATITUDE REVENGEO.

The two old men were sitting up ! !
on wooden seats, which were placed
on either side of the rustic porch, :.
that formed kind of arbor entrance
to the front door of the dwelling.
The speaker was spare, little =
man, with dark hair, thinly sprink-
led with gray He wore a swallow
tail coat. adorned with brass but
tons: corduroy breeches, fastened at :;
the knee: thick, blue, worsted stock ,
ings encased his legs, and a PAIR OF
low shoes covered his feet. His WIS.,
age had placid expression, as he ,
glanced first at the welI-kept gar
den, with its rows of potatoes and ,
other vegetables; and on to the lit
tie paddock adjoining. where two
cows were grazing; and next over
the wide, undulating meadow land
beyond. his eyes resting finally OH
the far distant hills. He put the
end OF his long clay pipe between his
lips, and watched the wreaths of
smoke slowly ascending from it.
| Mr.. johnson was a noble-looking
man: his snowy hair and long, white
beard gave him patriarchal appear
ance. His countenance lacked that !
acute. intellectual expression which !
is so often stamped upon the vlsaSe |
of a middle-aged ''town man" His |
ieyes were thoughtful, but gentle; his
whole bearing spoke of mate good
mess. The few wrinkles, which had
gathered on the white, placid brow,
had been gradually traced there by
times relentless fingers, and not sud
denly cut by a keen, sharp sorrow.
He smoked silently for a few mo-
ments, and then replied to his friends
remark:
You're right; this is neat little
Ispot. But I'll tell you what I've
been a-thinkin' on, Hayes. You know
my Jennie's agoin' to be married to
Robert Meadows. She's my only
child, so of course she'll have all my
belongings when I'm gone; but I've
} been q thinkin', that. soon after she's
! settled, I'll have deed of gift drawn
up, and turn everything over to her;
then there'li be no proving the will,
and all that fuss; and the lawyers
won't have pickin' out O. my bit o
property. I shall live here and be
master just the same. What do you
say to that, friend Hayes?"
The old man put hand on each
7 knee, and gazed into the others
= face, with an expression which said
Don't you think it's very brilliant
idea?"
His friend took the pipe out of hi:
mouth. and shook his head dubious
ly; then replaced it between his lips
and gazed fixediy before him for al
instant ere he answered; then h
said, slowly and emphatically:
4 don't like it.
He shook the ashes from his pipe
and began leisurely to fill it agal
with tobacco
Il never seed play but once, b
began. in SLOW, measured tones, IAN
I that vas many years ago, when wa
young man. l was In London, an
my friends got me to go to the the;
tire to see grand piece that Ia
been made up by great man hui
drcds of years ago. Well, 1 wen
and the sight o the lights, the Ga
dresses. and the flash folks. L sha
never forget. But it was the plf
that struck me. There was a GOO
old king who had three daughter
and he thought he'd divide Il
kingdom amongst 'em. They W
very pleased, the eldest went dov
on her knees, and swore how S
loved him more than anybody eli
I and said Us how he was the klnde
ii noblest, and best father that ey
| ] .ived-or words summat like the
The next said about the same, Oh
a great deal more; but l thoue
both on 'em looked too big a
Handsome and wide-awake to st
to their word. The third daugh
said very little; but I thought s
was the nicest-looking of all the
The king was huffed because :
IL would not own she loved him.
II be divided the kingdom between
IL. two eldest daughters. thought
- was silly old fellow to put the re
into them spirited-looking creatu
hands But he did it, and he II
it. They treated him very well
first: but after time they begai
alter, and let him know that he
not master. Well, one night t
turned him out of the castle, W
there was such dreadful storm
ri. it was not fit to turn dog out;
he who had once beea king, hat
roam about like beggar. The
= man went nearly crazed. l ain
fnrgot how it ended; but think
was all killed at last"
Ill. "And what has this to do '