St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-01-19

now, when Janet's sweet voice was
cOaxing him to eat !; and her pretty
white fingers ESQ different from Mar
tie's) buttering the toast that was done
to turn, or preparing the fresh boiled
eggs which were SO appetizing that he
asked for another. When that was
gone, and he had eaten up every
crumb of toast, Janet took away the
tray, then came back and sat down by
the fire-which fortunately had not
followed Martie's example and gone
out for the night.
She made pretty picture as she sat
clasping her knee in bOyish fashion,
that caused her grandfather to smile
invOluntarily, then sigh deeply, for
she looked so much like his son as she
sat there gazing thoughtfully at the
fire, that whatever doubts he might
have felt were banished forever. This
was surely JAMS child! She had his
eyes, his merry smile, his very trick of
turning his head, that the poor father
remembered SO we'll. Jan had looked
back at him in just that way when he
drove him out of his sight. Yet. why
had she come to him now2 and where
was her mother whom he hated so
and whom in his heart he accused of
his sons death
Just then Janet looked up and
caught his glance. "You are wonder
ing about me, grandfather, know"
she said with shake of her head that
set the soft curls dancing. "I'm won
dering about you, too. l have always
wondered, and now have come to find
out"
$50 7" said her grandfather. "And
what do you think about me, eh 2"
81 Think" said Janet slowly, going
up to the bed and looking d6Tn at
him with her loving heart shining in
her eyes, 81 think you want some one
to love you, and make you happy, and
never let you be lonely again. l know
you are poor, and sick, and unhappy /;
but L would take such good care of you
that you would forget all that. Oh,
grandfather do let me-"
$50, you think | am poor, eh-q" said
old Adrian with a queer little chuckle.
"Of course you are poor" answered
Janet, with half disdanful, half
plying glance around the bare little
room that certainly looked poor
enough. "That's why you need me to
help you. l can do it," she added
proudly. "By my singing, | earned
nearly six hundred dollars last year !;
| singing in church and at some church
concerts"
"Sing now for me-" said old Adrian
curiOusly. And she sang ii beautiful
Christmas carol, and as her voice rose,
clear and sweet toned as bell, filling
the little room till the very air seemed
throbbing with melody, her grandfath
er bowed his head on his hands, while
the lovely voice rang out the "good
tidings of great joy; on earth peace,
good will to men,"
ooh, child" he said brokenly, 81
see now how wicked | have been. |
have had no good will toward God or
man, or woman either; least of all for
your mother"
"Yet she taught me to love you,"
said Janet softly. "Oh, grandfather,
can't you forgive her today ?"
He looked up at the sweet, pleading
face, and all anger seemed to die away
from his heart.
Eyes, yes" he said. "IfI could only
see her L would ask her to forgive me.
Where is she 2"
"With Martie in the kitchen. She
dared not come up, but L was holder.
Are you sorry 2"
"No, glad )" he answered; and he
looked glad, with something of Christ
mas brightness in his face that perhaps
was the reflection of Janet's as she ran
away to call her mother.
The meeting would have been a trial
to both Mr.. Wynkert and 1fsdaughter-
in-law if Janet had not been there with
her merry, happy way of helping over
the rough places and soon they were
talking together like old friends. There
was much to tell and to hear. How
surprised he was to learn that faithful
old Martie had such part in it all
that when the letter came telling of
his sons death, which he had shown
her, she had written to the young
widow in her quaint, foreign way i'm
perfectly to be sure, but had made her
understand there was one friendly
heart in that far away Western home
and how the correspondence thus be-
gan had been kept up, at long inter-
walls, certainly, but still kept up. He
remem bered how often Martie had tried
to speak to him of his sons widow
and how sternly he had forbidden it.
To think of it She had known of cha
by Jan" all these years And at last,
when he grew ill and helpless, she had
written to the widow to come to West
veer and bring JAMS child sure that
it was right to do so. The good soul
had sent from her earnings enough
money for the long journey-which the
widow had timed to bring them to
Westveer on Christmas day.
1t did old Adrian so much good to
have Jan las he would call her) near
him that he felt almost we'll. When
she and her mother went out after a
while in answer to Il call from Martie,
he got up, dressed himself after a fash
ion and went down to the little sitting
room where blazing fire glorified
everything. Martie had Christmas
dinner that surprised them all and
they made her sit down and eat it with |
them. After il was over and they
were sitting around the fire, Janet said:
"When will you be we'll enough to
go home with us, grandfather 7"
"Never, my DEAR" he answered. 81
am too old to transplant. Could you
not be content to live in my poor little
house here; you and your mother 2"
and he looked at her anxiously.
"But there is no church here where
| could sing and l must do that or
cannot take care of mother and YOU"
said Janet.
$500" said her grandfather, with
that queer little chuckle again. "Well,
| will give you fifty dollars for every
song you sing me, if it is ten day"
Janet looked at him wondering if he
had taken leave of his senses.
"Why, child" he cried, "the railroad
came right through my farm five years
ago; now there is Il town growing up
nm my land have sold Int oftar lot !