Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-08-02
most of her advantages. And Frank, /

fate, and supposed 1t might as we'll be
Lydia Watts as any one else. !"
Talk about circumstances" said UH-
Gle Joab. "Any man can mould circum-
stances to suit himself, il only he has q
little tact"
And Uncle Joab rubbed his hands
more gleefully than ever,
But as the days rolled by Uncle Joab
began to doubt the efficacy of his charm
"I really think, Father Fem" said the
bride, with toss of the head encircled
by black, shining braids. "that you're
making an unnecessary fuss over that
toothache of yours"
"An-unnecessary fuss !" repeated I'm
Gle Joab, In dismay.
"Old folks hadn't ought to be so fret
full and exacting," went on Lydia. sit
isn't Christian and l, for one, won't bear
it. II you can't sit quiet and peaceable
by the fire, l think you had better stay
In your own room"
And Mrs. Lydia Hounced into the
kitchen to turn the batch of cake in the
oven before it should burn.
Joab Fem rose slowly and went up to
his room. II he had been familiar stu
dent Of Shakespeare, he might have
quoted to himself the old passage, "How
sharper than serpents tooth it is to
have thankless child - But he was
not literary man, and kept his thoughts
and troubles in his own bosom.
Crank doesn't feel SO" he told him
self. Frank has q little compassion or
his old father yet"
But that very evening, when he came
cropping down into the kitchen to get
some mustard for his aching face, he
heard Lydia comforting with her husband
in the adjoining sitting-room.
Its no use talking" said Mrs. Fem,
Jr., in an excited sort of way, "and /
shan't stand it any longer, that's positive.
There's very good vacancy in the Home
for Old Men, and it's the only place he's
fit for.
Perhaps you are right, my dear
said Frank, ruefully. For, a big 81 o
footer though he was, he stood in NOR i.
fear of his slim, blackeyed wife. Il da.r
say they'll make him very comforta
there, and | wouldn't mind paying 60 .,
weekly sum to secure peace at home.
Joab Fem did not stop to find ,.'
mustard box. He crept slowly b,ci,
lis own room ond sat down on til" -
OF the oed. A Home for Old Men!
sort OF living tomb in which lia was .,
be inferred at Lydias capriclous viii.
It'll his one afternoon out in the Wa. Z,
: daily allowance of tobacco, and %
clean. desolate cell. He shuddercu E.
lne bare idea. But what was he to do
He remembered, with u shudder, that h,
had made over all his property TO Fran
und Lydia-tAat he had actually iDt.ya .
cent to call his own! And TINS VAS IN .
return measure dealt out to him.
Little Myra wouldn't have treated mr
so,' said he, with one Of the salt, stiL.
ing tears of old age burning its way do,Y"
his cheek. Little Myra would h.,
been ,od to the old man"
Out into the night-the cold, sparkling
starry night-he made his way, with the
vague, half-formed idea OF going to Myra.
Pcregrine Birtwhistle lived twenty miles
away, it is true. but he had walked twenty
mics before, and he could again. Any
thing to get away from Lydias hard,
sharp eyes, and put q distance between
him and the Home for Old Men
20, Peregrine, look here An old man,
asleep by the roadside. Or, Is he asleep!
Come, Peregrine, quick It's nclr
oCaD-dear, good Uncle Joab !"
Myra had run out in the dewy calm o.
the early morning to get few of III.
watercresses that old Mrs. Birtwhialr
liked for her breakfast, and to her SUI
prise she found a PROSTATE iig.r
stretched out beside the brook, VIII,
Joab Fem had tried to drink, aud nau
fallen unconscious in the attempt.
80 it is, said Peregrine. "Whatevci
can have brought him here?"
And between them they lifted him
and carried him tenderly into the hous, .
"Will you keep Inc, Myru?' Joab Fem
faltered, when sense and reason returned
once more to his beclouded brain. "Wlu
you give me q crust, and shelter, am
keep me out of tho Home for Ola
Mem"
Dear Uncle Joab," said Myra, burst
ing into tears, 'you were good to me-
once, and all that l have is yours, aua
welcome And, oh, Uncle Joab. l SHAH
be proud to have you come and live with
me. And I'm married to Peregrine now,
and we are so happy. Aren't we, Pere-
grine, dear?'
Joab Fem looked sadly into her
bright eyes. If she had married his boy,
how different things would have been.
III ne could only have been content to H..
Fate alone, how much wisdom he woul,
have shown But he had managed al.
fairs to suit himself, and this was til
way he was suited.
Lydia Fem tossed her head again
when she heard where her father-in-law
had taken refuge.
II am satisfied if it suits him" said
she. "All / know Is that l shouldn t
have tolerated him around the place
much more"
Frank came to see his father, how
ever, at the old Birtwhistle farm house,
where Myra, a blooming young matron,
held out her hand to welcome him, with
out vestige of the constraint that was
so visible in his face and manner.
Father" said he, "I'm sorry you and
Lydia don't get on together"
"Its the old story, my boy" said
Uncle Joab. "The young birds crowd
the old ones out Of the nest. But
never could have stayed there to be sent
to the Home for Old Mdh.'"
Frank colored scarlet uader the con-
temptuous lightning OF Myra's eyes, and
got away as best he could.
''There he goes, said Joab Fem, with
a sigh; "and have lost my boy for
everw
But it was all his own fault, and he
knew tn. Y. Ledger.
Vomen ne Gurdanars