The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-04-19

forgotten in listening To the CHEEKY. cour-
ageous voice. albeit little cracked and
husky from age and weakness One scarce
~ noticed that he pronounced flesh as II
spelled flush and that he made other mis-
takes scarcely less serious. With ali his err
rors. the song ~ sung by INN that gusty
day had IN II the lifting power OF croin-
weilian battle lynn
And yet. apparently. Tom Towsley had
litne 70 render him CHEEKY and hopeful
His truck patch on which he depended for
a subsistence for himself and grand -daugli-
ter had failed missrahly the previous sum
mer. The drought KIND ruined his garden:
the hot sun had twisted his vines into the
semblancc Of sapless = ings and the beetles
had devourcd his potah leaf ana branch
The winter that followed was unusually
severe. and he had SCARCELY been able be-
cause Of rheumatism and general ill-health,
10 provide the necessary food and fuci ~
for clothing. the coat which now kept out
the north wind had already seen many win
terS and persisted in becoming thread-barc
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 nfferings OF his
grandchiId struck a chord Of woe. some
time~. even from his blissfuly atuined
hcart-strings
Worst Of all II seemed very likely that
they would not have so much as shelter
for their heads In the summer that wnscoin
inv He had been unable to pay the rent
for the cottage and truck patch and Ind
received notice that IL the amount due was
not handed in by the first Of May. the place
would be given 70 another And to pay it.
seemed III his present financial distress, an
utter imposSibility
In his momentary despair he had begged
Tor time but the landlord would not re-
lent
Pay er git OUT was the har sh command
can't give away good dollars t. every
bcggar that asks me I'd be paying rent
purity soon myself II did.'
It was while returning from this unsuc-
cessfuI visit that the words and tune Of the
quaint old hymn fell from his l1,s
speck's laid an egg. gran'pa, Spcck's
laid an egg' cried little Ethel, running TO
meet him. II lef' II in the mes 50 she a lay
anuthcrn"
Tom Towsley stopped short IN the midst
OF his singing and caught the child TO his
breast
She hes. Ell, Well, that's nsginnin-.
ness lack they ought. we cu'd put little
mite more onto the table"
lie kissed the chubby face uplifted to his.
and carried the child through the gateway
and on toward the house
His voice trembed little rs 10 answered
her prattle: but his wns tremulous voice
Mt best. and the child did not notice the unac-
custoncd quaver 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 conf,led
Ethel. her irst-born. to his care.
Il leave Ethel to you. father. for know
that you will never let her suffer while you
livc,r
u never will. 30 help me-" was his fer
vent response. as he pressed the tiny girl
baby to his heart that desolate, crushing
evening
An can I have the eggs fer Easter.
Rran'pa;" questioned Ethel, eagerly, AZ the
old man deposited her on the little porch
.Oh. please, nayn't /, Thcrell be les n
dozen. cause counted"
Towsley had been thinking that the eggs
would furnish welcome addition to their
mcager fare. either cooked or exchanged
FOR small Injuries He had even debated
whether II would be- most advisable 70 cook
them or invest their value in tea lie was
a dear lover Of the cup that cheers but not
fnebriates." and had stinted himself IN IL
use the entire winter.
Come, les 20 an take peek at the mes
| Epeck won't kccr she's a-cacklin' VIII but
! know she won't kecr. She seen me put