The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-10-26

carryall next Saturday and old Daddy
Miffiin'Il suppose he's going for ride.
And so things1l go off all smooth and
pleasant"
Smooth and pleasant" Helen
Hyde looked across the grassy lawn to
the little old man with his mild abb
stracted face, his ruffied shirt front,
the silver hair that glistened in the
sunshine and the white, claw-like fin
gers that slowly turned themselves
backward and forward as he sat there.
"He owned the place once" said
Mrs. Daggeft, "but his sons turned out
bad and he indorsed for Squire So
dus' cousin and lost everything. And
he is in his old age, without pennyi
What is it Becky? The oven ready for
the piesP I'm coming"
She hustled away, leaving Helen
alone. A sort of inspiration entered
the girls heart as she sat there with
the briny smell of the ocean filling her
senses and the rustic of the maple
leaves murmuring softly overhead.
She took Mrs. DardanePs $40 bill from
her pocket and looked long and earn
estly at it. She thought of the little
one-horse carryall which she and the
girls from Ixwood institute were to
have hired together to drive over the
hills and glens all those sweet, misty
summer afternoons, of the excursions
to Twin Rock by steamer, upon which
she had counted; of the new black
bunting dress which she had decided
to buy. She must abandon all these
little darling extravagances if she in
dulged this other fancy.
"As if there could be any CHOICE"
she said to herself.
Then she got up and went softly
across the grass and clover blossoms
to where Daddy Miffiin sat.
"Do you like this placer" she asked,
softly.
"It's home, my DEAR" he answered,
seeming to rouse himself out of rev.
erie. "it's home. I have lived here for
eighty-odd years. I could not live
anywhere else."
"But there are other places pleas
anter."
at may be, my dear; it may be, :"
he said, looking at her with troubled
eyes through the convex lenses of his
glasses. "But they wouldn't be the
same to me-"
Helen went to Mrs. Daggett who
was baking pies and rolls and straw
berry short cake all at once.
Mrs. Daggett," said she, "here are
SO which Mrs. Dardanel gave me to
do as 1 pleased with, and I please to
give it to you to keep old Mr.. Mifain
here five weeks longer"
"Mercy sakes alivei" said Mrs. Dag
gett; she amt no kin to you, is hep"
"No," said Helen, "but he is so old
and feeble and friendless, and-and-
please, Mrs. Daggett, take the money.
Perhaps by the time that is gone !
shall be able to send a little more.
My. employers are going to pay me
| generously in the city, and feel my
self growing better able to work every
day"
So Helen Hyde adopted the cause of
one and for year she paid 50 week
steadily, even poorer and more friend
less than herself, and Mr.. Mifiin new
er knew what danger had menaced
| him.
At the end of that time the old gen.
tleman's grandson came from some
wide, wild region across the sea, a
tall, dark-eyed young man with a
mien of prince in disguise.
|
he said. "And his papers have only
been thoroughly investigated, so that
l have just learned, for the first time,
that there is an arrearage due on my
grandfather's allowance. l hope he
has not been allowed to suffer-"
"Oh, he's alright" said Mrs. Dag
gett. "We have taken excellent care
of him."
"You are a noble-hearted woman, "
said the young man, fevently clasping
her hand, and 1 will see that you are
no loser by your geneosity."
at amt me-" said Mrs. Daggett,
turning red and white, for Helen Hyde,
now spending her second summer at
the farmhouse, sat by quietly sewing
in the window recess. II m free to
allow that me and Daggett got out OF
patience and was going to put him on
the town, but Miss Hyde, here, one OF
our boarders, she's paid for him ever
since"
81 beg your pardon if 1 have inter-
fered," said Helen, blushing scarlet as
the large black eyes fell scrutinizingly
on her face, "but he seemed so old and
helpless that"
"God bless you for your noble deed!"
SdlQ An1DFOS0 MIllllu, earnestly.
But there was something in Helen's
manner which prevented him from
offering any pecuniary recompense to
her.
"My grandfather will require your
care no longer" said he. 1--WE have
been fortunate in our Australian in
vestments and am prepared to buy
the old farm back again and settl'
here permanently"
And when Mrs. Dardanel began t.
think about getting her winter dresse
J made up, she received note from
: Miss Hyde, which ran as follows:
Dear Mrs. Dardanel: I am sorry to disap
point you, but 1 cannot undertake any NOR
orders, for am to be married next month t
Mr.. Ambrose Mitflin and we are to live at tn
Daggett farm. And OIL how proud shoul
, be If you would come here and visit me mex
} summer, when the roses are in bloom and tn
Strawberries ripen. Ambrose is all that
nice and have the dearest old grandfather
in-Iaw in the world. Affectionately,
HELEN HYDE
} And all this life's romance ha
grown out of Helen's month at tn
seaside.-EGchdnge