Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-07-18

"It's a poor place" said Mrs. Gore,
looking helplessly around the dreary
old farmhouse kitchen, as she stood
there with one little child in her arms
and another clinging to her skirts.
but I've always heard tell that beg
gars mustn't be choosers.
1t was more than year now since
the Black Farm had been left to the
mercy Of the suns and rains, desert
ed she'll. People said that the old
house was nearly hundred years old.
1t certainly looked it, with that huge
gmass of chimney stacks, the sloping
roof, the tiny-paned windows, and the
low ceiling, which seemed almost to
touch your head as YOU crossed the
Wondering threshold But after Mat
thew Black had been lost at sea, and
his old father had grown too feeble
and ufrm to work, the place had
fallen to ruin, and the old man was, in
country parlanee, thrown on the par
ish.n Nobody wanted to rent the
house, which was mortgaged to Squire
Sedley for an amount considerably be-
youd its value, neither was the Squire
willing to make any repairs, so the Ii
lac thickets grew up in rank clusters
around the front door, the pears ripen-
ed and fell in the Wilderness of a gar
den, aud stray tramps slept now and
then of a night on the floor of the old
Black Farm house
Until George Cores little house took
fire, one windy June night, aud was
burned to the ground, and Mrs. Gore
and her little ones could only escape
with their lives.
Its just our luck said Mrs. Gore
paintiyely. just as you'd got your
5hoe-shop fitted up, and the new stock
in, here comes visitation of Provi-
dence and swallows up all we're worth
in the world! I've almost a mind to
give up!'
Cheer up, mother" said George
Gore who had one of those elastic
temperaments which are absolutely
unqucuchabe. at amt so bad but
what il might have been wuss. You're
safe, and so be l, and 50 are the dear
little children! And we amt none of
us hurt, the good Lord be praised! And
Squire Sodley will let me have this
place for ten pounds a year It's a
little ruInOus, to be sure, but we can
make "A room or so habitaLle at least;
and its warm weather, SO we don't
mind a loose place or so in the boards;
and / can have a little garden, and
there's power o. fruit down in the
garden, If once we can fight the weeds
out! And if can't make new Shoes
can at least get a job among the
neighpors to cobbe old ones And
you shan't starye Sylvy, neither you
nor the children, my grill Eli! Helloi
Who's that?'
The Squire hemmed and hawed.
"Na.' said he, Il hope it won't be
no objection; but it's old Uncle Black
lie will come here every day, He
can get over the notion that he lives
here yeti They've done everything
they can TO keep him in the work
mousse but he will wander over here
ANA SIT by the hour on the door
stones"
A, he spoke, the shrivelled little fig
uIe vi 81 Very old man came slowly up
lAt Neel--rown path, leaning heavily
on ,.tu As he neared the door, and
s2W strange faces around him, he took
ON MS battered straw-hat, so that the
"IAd blew bis Struggling silver hair
aF.. ".' wy" strangely picturesque
You're welcome, ladies and gentle
men, SAID he, in a feeble, cracked
voice, Kindly welcome. My son,
Aa.thew, and his wife are somewhere
.,., .'e pace m very oid' ana
'- l'ih muchi but you're well
a' ''l'Ag' he sat down on the sunny
.-'.'s''p' and the children crept softly