The Russellville Democrat., 1889-04-18

miliar enclosure 1t was the commence
ment of the gardening season, albeit the
| days were yet raw and chilly-some of them
and Towsley could scarcely raise the ring
! ing tune with which he was accustomed TO
cheer himself
Even sparrow can not fall TO the earth
! 'thout His notice. he whispered, as he hob
, bled tremblingly about AN air you not
of more value than many sparrowss Oh,
ye of little faithln
Then the song rose clear and full, with
only the vibrations incident to a failing
voice:
| IT'S not war OF flesh an blood;
| fight fer Heaven / fight fer God;
| kingdom, with my rights in;
| Oh. that's the war fer me-"
! The next day he visited the wood-lot, and
| on his return bound the sassafras roots up
with his load of sticks.
Twas good idee. +" he cried, cheerfully,
! as he deposited the burden in the back
! yard. "The sassyfras II do the colorin an
also make the tea I've been wishin' fer tea
the whole winter, an never onct thought O.
that sassyfrasln
Twas the Easter eggs, gran'pa," Ethel
explained solemnly 1T must a. been"
II dono but you're right I dono but
| you're right" he assented, rather struck
with the idea "All things work fer good
to them that love Him. Yes; dono but you
air. Wen believe SO anyhow
| He hustled about quite briskly after that,
| preparing their simple meal; while the tea
/ pot sang merrily, as the fragrant steam
arose like incense from it.
| I've got two eggs, now, gran'pa" said
Ethel proudly as she sat at his side while
! he helped her from the dishes.
/ NsNbut mir vO11 ilotViO' t0 do with iprn ~ ia
| questioned You can't eat all o. emf
I'm a-goin' to roll EN- down the hill
gran'pa an fight 'em with Sissy Tanner
An I'll give you one, gran'pa; an I'll save
! two forever an ever. Sissys got four eggs
now. But don't keer. Speck's eggs is the
best an purdest."
$50 they bel So they be-" Towsley
agreed. II hope you'll allus be as well sat
istied as you air now Ones own things air
allus the best o their kind in the worr. It's
human natur to think So an it's right"
In spite OF his cheerfulness Tom Towsley
knew that their stock of provisions was
dreadfully low He had made an inventory
that morning before starting to the wood
lot. Ten days fare, of the very scantiest
kind, was all that he could reckon up,
| serape as he might at the echoing -four
barrel and the almost empty meat-keg
The next morning, with this knowledge
| impressed firmly on his mind, he began a
search for work.
twas not successful; but he continued
it. regardless of his aches and pains and
failing strength.
The only one of the family If the ex-
preston may be allowed) that seemed pros
pering in business way was Speck. Day
after day her transparent cackle resounded
from the little chicken house where, in an
old, straw filled keg she had chosen her
nest
At the first note Ethel would bound
through the doorway and a white, chubby
hand would quickly extract the Treasure
| from itsresting- place Speck al'T~ys eyed the
performance askapao; 1uu she evidently re-
garded this spJiiation of her nest as the in
{t..ole fate of the egg laying sisterhood.
At any rate, she never changed its location,
or failed on any day to add an egg to Etheps
pearly hoard
The afternoon before Easter Tom lows
ley returned earlier than usual from his
unsuccessful quest He could scarcely mus
ter the cheerfulness and bravery necessary
to enable him to raise the song with which
he always heralded his coming For more
than year he had not once failed in this.
Nor did he fail now; though there was a
For two days Towsley had practically
tasted While placing before Ethel the last
scanty remnants OF food, he had kept from
her the knowledge of his abstention by the
harmless fiction that a headache had de-
priyed him of an appetite That noon
Ethel had devoured her restricted allow
ance and hungrily called for more Alas!
there was no more
Weak from ill-health and lack Of food,
Towsley had made another vain cndeavor
to find work. Now he was returning to
hungry grandchild and an empty cup
board And tomorrow would be Easter;
that day when the whole earth should be
filed with cheer and gladness!
He fairly reeled as he passed into the
yard; but when Ethel came running to
meet him, he Strengthened up with a great
effort and carried her in his accustomed
manner.
He dreaded the announcement which he
knew would come.
"Granpa Speck's laid another egg! an
now I've got dozen fer to-morrer A
whole, big dozeni"
II s'pose one o. EN- wouldn't do fer We,
would it, he asked, trying to speak quite
cheerfully
She looked up in alright
Why, you amt a-goin' TO sell EN-, gram
pa.'
" Well. ! low ] dono what feg dot It's
les as YOU say, though, Ethel Fact is,
can't git any work, howsever much try;
an we eat up the las bit O. whites at noon
A dozen aips uin't much. but they'd Git n
dust o meal an a bit o. bacon--'nough
mebbc 20 last day er two"
His chin o,,fvered as ne made the nitiS,I
confession ana big tear rolled down eoch
furro,yed check
Ethel was only n child and couId NOT
wholly control her impulses Her heart had
bear, sat IN, The ,laas,ire to he attended, h.,