The Russellville Democrat., 1889-04-18

forgotten in listening to the CHEEKY, cour-
ageous voice, albeit a little cracked and
husky from age and weakness. One scarce
" noticed that he pronounced flesh as if
spelled flush 80 and that he made other mis-
takes scarcely less serious. With all his er-
rors the song rs sung by him that gusty
day had in it the lifting power Of Crom-
wolllan battle hymn.
And yet apparently Tom Towsley had
little to render him CHEEKY and hopeful
His truck-patch, on which he depended for
n subsistence for himself and grand daugh-
ter. had failed miserably the previous sum
mer The drought had ruined his garden
the hot sun had twisted his vines into the
scmblance of sapless strings and the beetles
had deyomed his potatoes leaf and branch.
The winter that followed was unusually
severe, and he had scarcely been able, be-
cause of rheumatism and general ill-heaith,
to provide the necessary food and fuel As
for clothing, the coat which now kept out
the north wind had already seen many win
ters, and persisted in becoming thread bare
and shabby, In spite of interchangeable mend
ing and careful brushing.
There was only one thing that touched
him lie could endure poverty, rags and
want, The iron hail of misfortune could
not scare him. But the sufferings of his
grandchild struck a chord of woe, some
times even from his blissfully attuned
heart-stIings.
Worst OF all it seemed very likely that
they would not have so much as a shelter
for their heads in the summer that was com
ing lie had been unable to pay the rent
for the cottage and truck-patch, and had
received notice that il the amount due was
not handed in by the first of May the place
would be given to another And to pay it,
seemed, in his present financial distress, an
utter impossibiliuy.
In his momentary despair he had hegee ed
for time, but the landlO~9 :, ouId not re-
lent.
Pay er git out!o was the harsh command
~ can't give away good dollars to every
beggar that asks me. I'd be paying rent
purity soon myself if | didn
1t was while returning from this unsuc-
cessful visit that the words and tune of the
quaint old hymn fell from his lips
Speck's laid an egg, gran'pal Speck's
laid an eggin cried little Ethel, running TO
meet him II lef' it in the mes so she'd lay
anuther'n.'
Tom Towsley stopped short in the midst
of his singing and caught the child TO his
breast
d" She hes, ehl Well, that's a beginnin'l
If them two hens nd on'y git down to biz
ness lack they ought, we cu'd put a little
mite more onto the table,
He kissed the chubby face uplifted to his,
and carried the child through the gateway
and on toward the house
His voice trembled little as he answered
her prattle; but his was a tremulous voice
at best and the child did not notice the unac-
castomed quayer, Mingled with the recol-
lection Of the words of the landlord was the
memory OF the request OF his dying daugh-
ter who, six years before, had contded
Ethel her hrst-born, to his care.
Il leave Ethel TO you, father, for know
that you viii never let her suffer while you
live"
"Incver viii, so help meN was his fer
vent response, as he pressed the tiny girl
baby TO his heart that desolate crushing
evening.
AN can ! have the eggs fer Easter,
gran'pa" questioned Ethel, eagerly, as the