Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-01-10
Grandmother Kirke.

when they should be married in {
few weeks.
"Oh, it is besutifulw she whis.
psred. "But, Charley, don't 20,
think it's rather smallp"
"Well, yes-perhaps so; but
what do we want of anything
larger? The bedroom over the hal
is really quite good size, and"
"But is there bedroom on tn,
ground floorp" asked Melicent
anxiously.
mo. Why?"
"For grandmother, you know"
Mr.. Clare's countenance fell
slightly.
81 have made no arrangements
for your grandmother, Mile"
"But, Charley, she brought me
up. Oh, Charley, we can't keep
house without her.
1--WE can't keep house with her."
said Clare, impsratively. "When
man marries a girl, he dosen't
contract to support all the relatives
she happens to have"
81 am all that grandmother has, "
said little Millie, her face all in a
glow, her eyes darkly coruscating.
"Gradmamma has loved and cher
ished me more years than you have,
and | will not leave her to want
and, perhaps, suffering, in her old
age"
"Very well, them" said Mr..
Glare, quietly, lit is settled"
yes" said Melicsnt; lit is set
tledw
And grandmother Kirke, sitting
alone by the fire, was astonished,
some five or ten minutes later, by
the sudden appearance of little
Millie, flinging herself upon her
shoulder and sobbing most bitterly.
Grandmother Kirke listened to
the poor little girls story, with an
odd working of her toothless jaws.
IL don't ask this sacrifice of you,
child" said old Mrs. Kirke, stroking
down the lustrous masses of dis
heveled brown hair. III dare say l
shall do we'll enough; and its hardly
fair for the old to stand in the way
of the young"
Mile looked up, loving and in
dignant in the same breath.
"Do you suppose | could leave
you, grandmamma?"
Charles Clare was a little surpris-
ed at the turn events had taken; it
had never for an instant occurred to
his mind that any girl in her sober
senses could prefer the society of a
crooked old lady to that of himself.
shell come to her senses after a
WHILE" was the reflection with
which he was consoled. Gall girls
indulge in heroics now and then,
but it won't last long"
Mr.. Clare, however, was destined
to disappointment.
Engaged to Frank Blakeslee!'
he cried, about two months subse-
quently. "Why, he's been court
ing her this long time-sending
her flowers and books and music,
and all that sort of thing. And the
old witch of Endor is to live with
them, l suppose. ] wouldn't have
stood it!' went on Clare, growing
more heated and angry as he talked;
"But Frank Blakeslee never had
any mind of his own. Well, l wish
'em Joy, that's ALL"
And the tone of voice in which
Mr.. Glare spoke indicated anything
rather than the aspirations shower
ed forth by his words.
Frank Blakeslee and Melicent
Kirke had not been married more
than year when dark messenger
came to the door Of their humble,
yet Intimately contented little home
-Azrael, the mighty and relent-
less!
you've been very kind to me,
Frank and Millie," SAID Grand
mother Kirke, "but it's well-nigh
over now. | only wanted to live
long enough to see my little girl
confded to the care of some good
man who would value her as she
deserves, and I've got my wish!
And Grandmother Kirke, whose
old eyes we're growing dim, fumbled
under her pillow for the old calico
work-bag with leather strings and
outlandish little pockets, which,
with it's paraphernalia of antique
housewives, bodkins, scissors and
thimbles, was her constant CON-
panion.
1.-THE needle-book, Millie," she
said family, "look in the needle
bookw
"But, grandma, the leaves are