Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-09-21

"Humph! Do you always read other
peoples letters, You girls?"
Il don't know what you mean, grand
father. 1t was not 'other peoples let
tiers. The man asked plainly if this
was not the Dalrymple place and said
you told him to give the letter to u.s."
''Oh, well, Peter Van Dusen was
| never known to DO an errand right.
But should think you could have read
Cyrus CQbley's name on the envelope"
and he chuckled as il he had said some
thing funny.
There was no name on the envelope.
There was nothing at all on the out
side, but as it began: Dear Sis on the
inside, we supposed it was for one OF
| u.s." said, in as dignified a way as l
could. He turned around and gave me
| piercing glance from his keen eyes.
''How is that, miss? No address and
beginning Dear Sls?' That is no let
ter of mine.''
1T is signed 'Ignatius Leggett,'" re-
marked. demurely.
He made no reply to this, but drove
directly to our house.
''Go bring me that letter. john" he
said briefly. as we reached the gate.
1 rushed in for it, only stopping to
give Blanche convulsive squeeze by
way of an outlet to my feelings.
Grandfather gazed rather blankly at
the envelope, then opened the letter.
At this he squinted with puzzled look
for a minute or two. Then his face
cleared.
THAT is not Dear SIS at all, John,
but Dear Sir as plain as the nose on
your face. and l should think anybody
but passed. of silly girls might have
known that the letter was fora lawyer,
and that Sweetheart is the name OF
silver mine. happened to meet Cyrus
Cooley in town this morning, and found
he had not received my message, SO
suspected that Peter had made one OF
his usual blunders; but didn't think
that you simpletons were so fast for
my money as"
He never finished that sentence, for I
interrupted him holly. You can i'm
aRine, perhaps, how my indignation
had been rising under his remarks. To
think of those two dear girls on their
way to Rockmeadow; Of their chagrin.
disappointment and modification at
being so duped; and of our sweet
Blanche, whose hopes had been raised
so high, only to be dashed to the
ground. And then to have him hint
that we were so fast for his money!
just could not stand it another min
ute. The next thing I knew I was
looking him straight in the eye with
burning cheeks and beating heart, and
speaking very fast.
''Grandfather," said, you are not
fair. We don't want your money at all
nor anything connected with it. And
it Is not our fault that you did not
write plainly and forgot to address the
letter, nor that Dolores and Huldah
have gone over to your house, nor that
poor Blanche has been so happy about
Will Hendip. We took your letter for
just what it said. and am not going to
have my sisters blamed for it."
He had turned red and then white
during my little speech, and 1 was
frightened myself at my bo1dness- But
was not going to let him see it I
held my head up very high and looked
as brave as l could, when 1 had fin
ished. To my amazement, after a min
ute he began to laugh.
'You are real little Leggett. John.
L ShoA1 nave ~ SoAA you AS AuCAuo IL
the future. Not one of your sisters
would dare to talk to nae in this high
and mighty fashion, I'll be bound"'
He laughed again, loud and long.
80 Dolores and Blanche have gone
over to help me make my will, and
Blanche thinks I've given her and Will
Hendip my blessing, and you are scold-
ing your poor old grandfather like a
all because don't write
good fist and forgot to put any name
on an envelope. Don't you think you
are rather hard on . lonely old man,
John?"
could hardly believe my ears when
! heard the tone of this last question.
We had always thought of our grand
father as queer and sharp-tongued; but
that he could be lonely in his fine home
or that he was growing old and feeble
had never occurred to us. In spite of
myself. felt the tears coming into my
eyes as looked into his wrinkled face
and thought of the many long years
since his daughter had left the old
I forgot that he had been
hard to our mother; that he had neg
lected US; that he often behaved in
such strange fashion. saw only an
old man who needed some one of
his womankind to love him and
care for him. But did not
speak of this new emotion which had
filled my heart. could not Per-
haps it was not necessary that my lips
should express my thoughts. My face
has always been called tell-tale one,
and grandfather's eyes were very keen.
He leaned forward from the buggy
and la,d his hand for a moment upon
mine.
God bless you, john" he said, then
drove quickly away.
When the girls came home and had |
told them all about it, we had first a |
good cry and then a good laugh. And |
we decided to go over and see our
grandfather the next week and to try |
and be more friendly with him But |
he was more prompt than we. The |
very afternoon following the girls
fruitless trip to Rockmeadow, he came |
to see us. That was in June Now it |
is the first of August, and were are all |
living at Leggetts Luck, as happy
as we can be. The day sof good |
times and pretty things has come to us.
Dolores writes more charming stories |
than ever, Blanche and VIII are to be
married at Christmas time, Huldah is
amanuensis, and there is
no danger of any more mistakes in his
letters; while / am housekeeper for
him and, he often says, heart keeper,
too
Ever since that me morable day, when