Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-02

Eyes, father, he did," answered Lu'
cia, sbut | told him couldn't"
Told him ye couldn't" screamed
the old man. ''Why couldn't yer
Because l don't love him" said the
daughter, looking her father steadily in
the eye.
Love him, L1cei / tell ye people
don't marry for love. They marry to
make good thing. When they get the
worst of it it's like any other bad bar
gain; but young Hinton has money and,
Luce, you'd better change your mind
and send him word that you like him
we'll enough. I'll give you good start,
and you'll find out that you have a
pretty good old dad after ALL"
Lucia kissed her father, but replied:
Mot him. can never marry him."
The years crept slowly by and brought
their usual round of bright and cloudy
days. Lucia had grown taller and
more beautiful Her father was still as
grasping as ever. 81 agree with you,
Luce" he used to say, "there's no special
hurry; but you drop them almost toe
quick sometimes, it seems to me-" One
day he hobbled into the room where
Lucia sat at work and said in a severe.
low tone: 81 hear that you get letters
from that Ang Howland. Is it truef"
81 have received letters from him"
Lucia replied, 'sand he is doing very
well, understand"
II don't care how he is doing. That
fellerll die poor" growled the old man.
To do Nd cot ,1,t tl,n
garden bench. "I'll see Cicely," said
he, with a crafty look on his face.
| Cicely was the girl who sorted and dealt
out the mail at the village postofice.
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
of dependency so utterly abject that
Lucia was sometimes on the point of
yielding to his wishes, but she thought
''Ill 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, a very unhappy
old man. Luce" said he, "I'll make
short work of it. The last investment I
made staked all and l lost. 1t was the
first time, Luce, and your father has
had many bargain in his day, but this
time has outdone them all. In month
from now we won't have house to cover
our heads. hoped this sickness mighr
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"
''Ill work for you'll" cried Lucia.
"You shall never go to the poorhouse. !"
And she was more tender in the care of
her father after that.
One day assshe stood near her favorite
bed of flowers sadly thinking how soon
she would have to leave them, voice
broke the silence of her meditations:
81 beg your pardon, but your flowers
look very pretty and l had to stop to ad.
mire Them" and looking up Lucia say
tall, well dressed gentleman standing
at the garden gate. 81 raise 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 a handsome man.
81 declare, Luce, you don't know me" ="
said the gentleman with smile.
"Oh, Ang! know you now, for you
speak with yorlr old voice, but you have
been away long time"
you stopped writing, and read in a
California paper that you were mar
ried," said Angus; ''but recently
learned that it was false report, and
am here once more to ask you to be
NINE"
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 chair"
II understand that you have suffered
Aiioioi Cuii0, salu tHo SeuUiSudu
kindly.
The old man groaned. "Fll 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 fiercely.
"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?'
81 have been investigating the mat
ter" said the gentleman, land I am
sure that it is not so 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, land all
your other property is safe, for I have
been making Investigations.
"Who are you," cried old Marsden,
"that comes at such time and saves
me from the poorhouse?"
SIT is not so bad as that" said the
| gentleman, smiling, "but my name is
| Angus Rowland"
The 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,