Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-19
OLD GRUMPS.

Nature always atonce for any incongrui.
~ in her make up.
SEQ the sluggish pool a. your feet, its
winters stagnant and noisome; not far
away you will find strip Of velvety grass,
cluster Of fragrant flowers, an artistic
bit Of pebble coloring, or perhaps the trill
Of q bird sounds swceter there; At least tho
sun shines just as brightly a. elsewhere,
and glints the dull waters with the same
sparkle and radiance as when Il fingers on
the bosom Of the placid lake.
One OF natures incongruities, apparent.
ly, was "old Grumps." The oldest iuhab-
itants In Fcrndale could not remember
when he came among them, neither could
It be remembered that he was ever young,
and II he ever had any other name that,
too, seemed to Be wholly forgotten. "Old
Grumps' appeared to have reached q GER
tain age, and then, for him, time stopped.
Quiet, rcticent and unobtrusive, how ho
lived was mystery TO himself more than
to others, who marvclsd not little ~ to
how he managed to exist. Old, bent and
misshapcn. with a forbidding countcnance
aud q gruff, unpleasant manner, he was
not pleasant companion.
II was strange how little children loved
him. Every one called him "old Grumps,"
even these tiny ones, whose sweet voices
softened IL, and the wee birds and squirrels
auttered and scurried about his weather
beaten old hut IA though quite at home
there.
The hut was a rough, homely little AZ
fair, consisting Of one room, with large
open fireplace. Il was built Of logs and
plastered with mud. There was ono tiny
window and ramshackle door hung with
leather hinges.
The room contained several boxes. Ono
he used for table, the two smaller ones
for seats and the long one for couch or
bed.
Everything was scrupulously neat, and
kept In perfect order and the tiny room
in summer and winter was rs fragrant
with the perfume Of blossoms az tropical
garden. This was tho way he lived.
He never accepted favors, but was prone
to proffer them, and Fcrndale people did
not patronize him very literally, 30 he gave
away more flowers than he sold.
"He is so ungracious," they said, yet &C
very good grace, rs he presented them with
a stern, "you don't t-descrve-them" sort Of
an air that made them feel very small In
deed.
just at the foot Of a great hill In the cdge
Of "a somber wood stood the little hut, sur
rounded with huge trees, whose leafy
branches toyed and caressed the moss
grown roof as though they loved it.
In summer the hut was a sea Of bloom
externally; Its rough sides were covered
with trailing, clinging vines and rare fra
grant blossoms--a beautiful picture--its
masterpiece, "old Grumps" himself, stand
ing In the open door, with the sunlight
Pickering through tho interlacing of leaves
and boughs, and falling aslant Of his un-
covered head, making halo Of his silvery
hair.
His would have been desolate, lonely
life were It not for the birds and flowers
and warm sunlight; he apparently cared
little for the companionship Of human
kind, II we may except tho children, occa-
sionally.
His face was like his life, a sealed book.
II he ever had "kith or kin" no one knew
II. His eyes were always averted; none
ever could tell what they were like, those
tell tale windows Of the soul. Who might
say whether joy or sorrow lay In their
depthsp
It was stormy day In midwinter; snow
lay thick on highway and hedges. WANTED
some pure white buds to lay upon tho
pulseless bosom Of dead young friend;
marveling a little st the non-appcarancc Of
"Old Grumps," who usually made us q
weekly call las well as TO other residents,
taking orders for his fowers), / decided To
seek him i'm his little home.
A toilsome walk, for "old Grumps"
lived nearly two miles from the village
proper.
No smoke curled up from the quaint old
chimney, and an air of desolation pervaded
the surroundings of the hut, where the
drifted snow piled against the low door
proved that no footstep of recent date had
trespassed therein.
Wading through the white drifts, / raped
gently. Noanswer, no sound Of life within.
Again, more loudly. Nought but the
signing of the wind through the leafiess
branches Of the great trees greeted my lis
tening ear. Unhesitatingly l lifted the
frail latch; the door creaked noisily.
Beautiful flowers hung shrivelcd, wilted,
drooping-dead.
A pile Of lifeless gray ashes In the open
fireplace.
Involuntarily lifted my eyes from the
floor, and they rested upon two fathomlcss
blue eyes gazing into mine with the inno-
cent sweetness OF a little child--the beau
tful eyes Of "old Grumps."
There was no dimness, no blur--age had
certainly passed them by--and, apparently
resting calmly, he lay upon his hard box
bed. The horny, toll worn hands lay help
lessly, touchingly, upon the thin coverlet.
There was no movement. and M l stepped
nearer, with that subtle awe creeping over
me, ! caught glimpse OF the Infinite
through the kindling expression Of those
dying eyes. Nought but n life free from
stain, a life that had suffered and grown
strong, could those windows of the soul