The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-04-19

miltar 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 a 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 sparrOws? Oh
ye of little faith!"
Then the song rose clear and full, with
only the vibrations incident to a falling
voice
" It's not war OF flesh an blood;
Tight fer Heaven; I fight fer God;
A 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 a good idee," he cried, cheerfully,
as he deposited the burden in the back
yard THE sassyfras IL do the colOrin' an
also make the tea I've been wishin' fer tea
the whole winter, an never onct thought O.
that sassyfras!n
"'Twas the Easter eggs, gran'pa," Ethel
explained solemnly 1T must "a been"
Il donO but you're right I dono but
you're right" he assented, rather struck
with the idea IAN 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
no helped her from the dishes.
what air you 'lowin' to do with 'em?" he
questioned. ''YOu can't eat all o. emf
"Pm a-goin' to roll 'em 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 Sissy's got four eggs
now. But don't keer. Speek's eggs is the
best an purtest."
80 they bel So they bem Towsley
agreed Il hope you'll alIus be as well sat
istied as you air now. Ones own things air
allus the best o. their kind in the worP. 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
dreadfElly 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
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 Of the ex-
preston may be alloweCN that seemed pros
pering in a business way was Speck. Day
after day her transparent cackle resOunded
from the little chicken house, where, in an
old, straw-flled key she had chosen her
nest
At the first note Ethel would bound
through the doorway, and n white, chubby
hand would quickly extract the treasure
oil.
performance asllance; but she evidently re-
garded this spoliation of her nest as the in
evitable 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 a year he had not once failed in this
Nor did he fail now; though there was a
quaver in the words not wholly due to age.
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 abstenti0n by the
harmless fiction that a headache had de-
prived 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 a
hungry crandchild and an empty cup
board. And tomorrow would be Faster;
that day when the whole earth should be
filed with cheer and gladness!
He fairly rceled rs he passed infO the
yard; but when Ethel came running to
meet him. he Strengthened up with asgreat
effort and carried her in his accuhOmed
manner
He dreaded the announcement witch he
knew would come.
"Gran'pa, Specl1's laid another otrg! an
now I've got n dozen fer to-mO rrer. A
whole, big DOZEN"
81 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 seI'onG gram
pa?'
''Well. ] low dOno what tc,0 do! It's
| les rs YOU say, though, Ethel Fact is I
| can't Git any work hovs' ever much try;
an we eat up the las bit O whites at noon.
A dozen aigs amt much; but they'd git a
dust o. meal an bit O bacon-'nough
] mehbe TO last day er two
His chin quivered rs he made the pitiful
I CONCESSION anu = NAg tear AoAACu NOWA ceACu
/ furrowed cheek.
Ethel was. only child and could not
wholly control her impulses Her heart had
/ been set ON the pleasure to be afforded by
those Easter eggs She leaned her head on
/ his heaving breast and gave way to food
/ Of sobs.
There, there, don't cry he urged.
/ Gwen not sell EN- if you don't want to. I
/ kin ply TO the Board O. Charities, which.
] lackly, I'd have to do anyhow when we'd
| cat up the NNu'th o. the aigS"
I It had been a matter of pAeasurable pride
/ 70 Tom Towsley that he had been able, even
/ in his feeble old age, to escape what he could
not hut regard as the ignomirV of an appeal
I for charity. The contemplation OF its pos
/ sbility was humihating and bitter. Even
! the words as he half whispered them over
/ Ethers sunny head wounded him sorely.
"No. gran'pa, We won't asst anybody 70
/ lots / know they will On'y did 50 want
to color EN- with the sassyfras."
/ Her tears flowed afreSh, but she endeav-
ored TO wipe them away, slipping from his
/ arms as she did so.
Tom Towsley was too greatly over
| whelmed TO reply, or even question or re-
4 strain her.
He heard her pass into the kitchen; but
I had no thought of what she intended to do
1 The silence that followed soon grew so OPP
/ pressive that he went ia there 10 question
her
She was gone, and likewise the eggs, al
4 but one. IL rested in painful loneliness OF
I the center OF the kitchen table and on it
/ tear still giomned like pearl
Then Tom TOWslcY knew that Ethel has