The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-01-16

! nBIC lie Is.
Hes welcome, I'm sure" said Deb.
by. "Why, his teeth chatter with the
cold,-or would If he had any, poor
man, and not bit of an overcoat. No
place to go, did you say? Why, he'd
have fro2e to death before morning."
aye, and starved, too" said the
man, looking longlngly toward the
table.
"To be sure! How thoughtless of me
to stand here jabbering when dare say
you didn't have any dinner to speAl;
Of"
1--WE had nothing to eat for two days,
ma am"
"Meicy on us! And to think such
things should happen in a Christian
land, John! Isn't it dreadful2 Sit right
up to the table, Mr.-what did you say
his name was, Johna"
my name is Dill--Joshua Dill,
ma am"
There used to be Dills up in Pa
sumpsic. wonder ii he's one OF 'cln, :"
said Debby.
'Neyer mind that now" said john
"Give the poor man his supper and
you can get his family history after
| ward"
"Those Dills were sort Of relations of
mine. 1t would be funny ii he was one
of 'em, wouldn't it?" persisted Debby,
as she heaped the old mans plate with
eatables, which he devoured. unembar-
rasscd by the curious and eager gaze Of
the five children, and the investigations
of Ponto, who, from the first had re-
garded the stranger with evident dis
trust.
For this, Ponto probably had no bet
ter reason than that the man was poor
ly clad; for the dog, as you know, is n
natural aristocrat, and will drive away
the man who approaches your door in
rags and slouched hat, while he suffers
the man in broadcloth and a stovc-pipe
to pass unchallenged. Is it that, by
some subtle instinct, he divines that rags
and filth are apt to be the reward Of i'll
doing, and neatness and thrift the re-
ward of wcll-doing?
But good little Mrs. Ratchet did not
at all sympathize with this view of the
case, and rebuked Ponto for his want Of
hospitality. AS rule, the more wretch
cd human being was, the more she
took him into her mothcrly heart. Ac-
cordingly she was greatly delighted
when she found that her present guest
had once had relatives in Pasumslc, and
She and all the five children at once took
to calling him Grandfather Dill"
"Only think, john said she, when
the old man had gone to bed, she says
his folks came from Pasumpsic. No
doubt he is some relation to u.s."
at must be great comfort to find
yourself fortieth cousin to a tramp"
said John.
The next morning Grandfather Dill
was so i'll from the effects of his expos
ure that he was unable to rise, and what
with the hot herb teas with which Mrs.
Ratchet scalded him inside, and the
mustard pasters with which she fayed
him outside, it was a wonder he ever did
rise; but in few days lie was able Ia
sit in the great armchair in the corner,
and began to talk about resuming his
wanderings again.
For this, however, he was manifestly
too feeble, and John went to the towH
authorities to get them to take him of
his hands. They all with one accord
declared that he was none OF their pau.
per, that they We're already overrun with
tramps, and that the only thing they
felt justified in doing was to forward
him to Littleton, where he stated that
he belonged.
But Mrs. Ratchet in her turn was
equally decided that he should not be
moved in his present condition, and
John quite agreed with her, So Grand
father Dill stayed on and on, till it be-
came evident that he never would take
the journey to Littleton, or any other
journey but the last long journey which
awaits us all.
Meantime, Johns conduct ellcited
various comments from his towns-people
some praised and some blamed.
Hans Schneider said, ~ always
thought John was a fool, aud now ]
know it, burdening himself with a pau
per in these hard times, He'll come tc
the poorhouse himself yet, see If ht
don't"
AS Grandfather Dill grew weaker, he
had, or seemed to have, some strange
fancies. He often muttered the name
of "Priscy," coupled with the words
"She shan't have cent of i'll" and al
last one day hs asked John to bring the
notary to make his will.
II am going to make 1t in favor ol
you and your Wife" said he; you've
both been good to ME, and she was s
Dill, or her mother was; and as fol
Prlscy'-there he stopped.
"Who is Priscy?" asked John.
Nobody; don't know any such per
son. Bring the notary"
At first John put him off, for he did
not wish to offend the notary by asking
him to come and make pauper's will
but the old man was so persistent that
for the sake of quieting him he finally
acceded to his request, and the will wa:
duly made, signed, sealed and delivered
'If there is any truth in this, you're
a rich man." said the notary TO John.
After this Grandfather Dill seemed
satisfied, though he failed rapidly; but
a few minutes before he died he mur.
INJURED, "Poor priscy! PerhaDs she