The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-09-17

Iellef II 0l0 poor GfOWled the Old man.
He went outside and sat down on the
garden bench I'm see Cicely," said
he, with crafty look on his face.
Cicely was the girl who sorted and dealt
out the mail at the village postofiice.
Not long after this Lucia ceased receiv-
ing letters with California postmark.
Time passed and it was now nearly
ten years since Lucia and Angus had
stood at the garden gate and said good
by. Old Marsden had fallen into astate
pf dependency so utterly abiect that
Lucia was sometimes ON the point of
yielding to his wishes. but she thought.
"I'll wait awhile longer; something has
happened or he'd never have broken his
word"
One day her father called her to him.
He was unable to get about the house
now, but lay propped up in his chair all
day with his eyes closed, very unhappy
old man. Luce said he, "Ill make
short work of it, The last investment
made l stalcd all and l lost. It was the
first time, Luce, and your father has
had many a bargain in his day, but this
time has outdone them all In a month
from now we won't have house to cover
our heads. hoped this sickness might
hurry me OFF, but l see it's going to give
me time, and I'll have to go to the poor
house, Luce unless, and the old man
looked at her pitifully, unless you save
your old dad"
"l'll work for your cried Lucia.
"You shall never 60 TO the poorhouse. :"
AID Ia. 4 H..
her father after that
Ono day as she stood near her favorite
bed of flowers sadly thinking how soon
she would have to leave them, voice
broke the silence of her meditations:
Il beg your pardon, but your flowers
look very pretty and had to stop to adj
mire them" and looking up Lucia saw
tall well dressed gentleman standing
at the garden gate. Il raise Il great
many flowers myself, said the gentle
man, "and ! always take an interest in
them, but live in flower country
where they grow much more luxuriant-
ly than here
Lucia gave startled LOOKOUT no
how foolish; it couldn't be he. Angus
Howard could never have developed into
such handsome man.
81 declare, Luce, yOu don't know me" +"
said the gentleman with a smile.
"Oh, Ang! know you now, for you
speak with your old voice, but you have
been away "A long time
you stopped writing, and read i'll u
California paper that you were mar
ried," said Angus; but recently /
learned that it was a false report, and
am here once more to ask you to be
mine"
Father, this gentleman wishes to see
you," said Lucia, as she ushered How
land into her fathers room. The old
man opened his eyes and murmured.
/ "Well, have a chair"
81 understand that you have suffered
a misfortune said the gentleman
kindly.
The old man groaned. IN have to
die in the poorhouse; there's no help
for it."
"It may not be so bad as that, said
the gentleman.
The old man turned ON him fercely.
what do you want with me, I'd like
to know? Amt, it bad enough TO be
ruined, but lot Of vultures have got to
come and hover around me before I'm
dead?7
~ have been investigating the mat
ter" said the gentleman, "and am
sure that it is not 50 bad as you think,
and here is evidence that you will not
be turned out of your home at any rate, "
and he opened before the old mans eyes
the cancelled mortgage. "The place is
yours" said the gentleman, "and all
your other property is safe, for l have
been making investigations"
"Who are YOU" cried old Marsden
"that comes at such a time and saves
me from the poorhouse?'
at is not so bad as that" said the
gentleman, smiling, "but my name is
Angus Rowland
Ther remaining few months of the old
mans life worked great change in his
character. One day when the autumn
leaves were turning he called his chill.
dren to him. "Goodby," said he. 81
am going. You are good boy, Ang
and will make her happy" and he closed
his eyes forever. er.--Chicago News.
The Barred Head at Funerals.
The barred head at funerals is, for hy
gienic reasons, becoming Il custom Of
the past in some localities. An agita
ton against it was started by Captain
George A. Raabe, a member Of many
benevolent societies in San Francisco
and as a result of his labors nearly
every society Of the kind on the Pacific
coast has adopted resolutions to the ef
feet that the members shall keep theii
hats on at the graves Of their departed
comrades Grand Army posts in Cali
fornia have followed suit Societies il
Milwaukee are discussing the sam,
question. Health Commissioner Win
gate, of that city, recently made thes,
sensible remarks on the subject Of tn,
exactions Of the modern funerals:
Death comes at time very often in
family when an overworked and nearll
broken down mother or sister or wife
or perhaps a husband, is nearly if no
completely Frustrated, and whose healtl
is in a most precarious condition. PLY
sicians can testify, as no other class il
the community can, to the often seriou
results Of funeral as it is conductet
] uuMaANl n ANAAAaNH AANnAhl4 VI kl
family, who perhaps has not been on
Of the house for weeks, worn down AM
prostrated by the care and grief Incl
dent TO the loss of a dear relative, is sui
jected to a long, slow ride in a caIriag
2 on a cold, inclement day. Custom ha
had its way; the victim, following IN
custom, thinking it "a duty, returns /
! her home, not TO go out again till she /
followed over the same road 10 the las
resting place by perhaps others who fal
victims after her.
l am comparatively young man, an
p yet have not fingers enough on whic
y to count cases of this kind that hav
e come under my own observation and i
my own experience as a physician, and
n have resolved to raise my voice agains
this custom whenever and wherever
o may have the opportunity.-Chicag
:, Times.
A Chinese City of To-day.
Annoy proper and its suburbs have
living population of about 10000 an
4 a dead one of four and a half times a
many. The wells are shallow and an
i. sunk on the edges Of the graveyard
and even among the tombs themselve
a 1 have not seen one whose water is nS
muddy aud discolored by the perpetui
. turning up Of the soil.
u g. q na e