The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-07


ter Mamie, don't you? She's the pretty
orr with black eyes and curls. She
calls YOU Old Money-bags'
Was it the freight which cast n glow
on Simon Pinch's withercd check? Per-
haps SO, for he acquiesced quietly and
the small voice went on:
And then there's me, aud Ben. and
Robb. We wear out an awful lot of
shoes" tlIcre diminutivc pair were
thrust disconsolatcly out in corrobora-
TOM 1T made me feel awful bad
about papa's ovcrcoat, and lots of other
things. too. and thought: IN go and
live with Mr. Pinch. Hes rich and can
buy me shoes and things without miss
ing it. And I'm sure he'd like to have
me-
Mr.. Pinch swung one lean leg off the
other and leaned back in his chair His
hands relaxed their hold on the arms.
His shaggy brows lifted q little and
the wrinkles about his eyes grew
deeper and deeper. His mouth twitched
once, twice, and then this grim old man
burst out into the longest, loudcst.
hcartiest peal OF laughter that ever
startled the echoes in the dull old room.
Again and again, as he glanced at this
funny apparition, he laughed long and
loud. as he had not laughed since he
was boy. Medicine had not done him
SO much good in ten years. And still
the angel sat perched high in her chair
gazing at him With the same calm, I'M
rufllcd look
AT last Simon Pinch brought himself
to order. He drew small book and
pencil from his pocket and resumed the
subject.
80 you've come to live with me on
condition buy you some things Well,
but what things are they first? Let's
hear"
"A new ovcrcoat and pipe with a
picture of a lady on it," calculated the
angel, promptly.
WHAT said Mr.. Pinch ''You don't
smoker"
"of course notr' said Miss Midget,
with some asperity. That's for papa,
you know"
oh" said Mr.. Pinch, 81 didn't know"
The fierce eyebrows elevated them
selves slightly, but the items were jotted
down without further comment.
"And-"
ga sacquc for mamma. A scalskin
would be the best, think
Again the pencil gravely glidcd along.
"And Mamie, IL blue silk dress and a
watch.
For Ted, lot of books. He likes
books. And Ben would like n bicycle,
and Robby wants new express war
on"
"You haven't said what you wanted
Tor yourself, he reminded her, quietly.
"Oh! haven't ~" with much uncon-
Germ. "Wcll, l don't believe l Just
know. III think about it and tell
you tomorrow. l think must be
going home now, Mr.. Pinch. l forgot
to tell mamma about it and she'll be
worried. Ill come tomorrow to stay. 3"
There was Il moisture in the blue
eyes and n homcsiclk trcmble in the
pretty baby lips that warned Mr. Pinch
to make no rcmonstrance. So he sim
! ply touched his bell and instructed his
man James 1.-THE rotundity of whose
| eyes expressed ut once surprise, alarm,
incredulity, suspicion and humor) to
take Miss Midget to her own home
-. Il. Brown-on the next corner
James, think, met with stoical and
discreet: Eyes, SIR
Long after Simon Pinch had tied the
furry hood down over the curls and eN-
pcrienccd the curious sensation of Il
goodnight kiss, he sat before the en-
bers of his fire with shaded face and
pondered. Then he rose, drew on his
great coat and went out-and on such n
night, too.
lie faced the cutting blast with an OK
hilaratcd glow on his sallow check and
Il new warmth in his heart He bought
bags and bags of flour for the city poor:
turkeys roasts and oysters for each of
the twenty -four families who had known
him heretofore but to tremblc at his
footstep on rent day. Then James
needed new ovcrcoat-his was looking
shabby; and while he was about it he
would buy Nancy new gown, by way
of encouragement. She had been faith
1ul these many years.
10 be sure, when he chose il. he
termed it red and the willy shopiecper
lifted it down and pronounced it the
very latest shade, and SO il was-of
blue. But what difference? II was Il
high-priced fabric, and "a rose under
any other name would smell as sweet"
Yet, among all these purchases (the
lavish recklessness of which made the
merchant stare-for they had long
known him as "Old Pinch') there was
not one of the specific wants jotted
down in certain little book that
nestled even now, against his heart
and had helped to crack the hard old
she'll that had SO long enveloped that
organ. 1t looked as though Miss Midget
was to be forgotten. But when he
reached home he said to james, who
sat in the hall awaiting his return, in
decidedly speculative turn of mind: II
i1lk iSr - L. L.