The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-06-22

armchair out under the great twin
oaks across the road. There he spent |
most of his time, reading his large |
print Testament or watching the birds
and looking contentedly off over the
pleasant fields.
They had hard work to get him in
doors for his meals. The idea of
sleeping outside, however, had not
then occurred to him.
This was two years ago; the next
year, not content with sitting under
the trees, he built a sort of rude plat
form around them, just below where
the main branches joined the trunks,
and made some steps to lead up to it.
Then on the last day of May, which
was unusually warm for the season,
in spite of his daughters. coaxing and
scolding, he insisted on dragging his
bed and bedding up there. A single
chair and his Testament completed
the furnishing.
From that time on, not only did he
spend his days in the tree chamber,
but he actually slept there at night.
Nothing but q smart shower could
drive him into the house.
What seemed strange, no harm came
to him from the exposure. He did
not get the terrible colds and rheu.
matism that Belinda had feared; on
the contrary, he seemed to grow
stronger and happier every day. And
she found she could accomplish twice
as much work. 1t was true, as Abner
had said, che was out of her way;"
still, she did not feel quite easy about
him.
1t seemed dreadful thing to have
her old father sleeping out there alone
in the darkness of the night So she
anxiously hoped that he would not
think of going this year.
But few days after the recorded
conversation, Belinda came home from
an errand to a neighbours house, to
find that the "May-moving" had taken
place. Abner, who had been q wit
ness to the proceeding, only said,
carelessly:
'"Let him be, he's all right; nothing
happened to'him last year.
What finally reconciled Belinda
more than anything else was remark
her father made in his rambling way,
which gave her new insight into his
feeling.
"Belindy, darter," he said, "don't
bender me. Everything is free out
of-doors, free and welcome"
She knew then that he realized how
grudgingly he was housed and fed.
His Withdrawal from the house seemed
but natural instinct, the protest OF
his self-respect. After that she could
not oppose him farther. She allowed
him the most perfect freedom to come
and go as he liked.
"God IL take care of him, as He
does of the birds and the rest of His
creatures" she said to herself, trust
fully.
One day Abner came in very much
elated.
"Belindyp he exclaimed, "what
should you say to an offer of four
thousand dollars for the old place
What kind of an offer is that, hey?'
and he rubbed his hands in great sat-
isfaction. ..
81 should say it was bouncing
good offer, and you'd better take it, y
said his wife.
He went on excitedly to tell her the
, particulars
"And now, Abner," she said pres
J emily, in her coaxing way, 81 do hope
r you'll try and feel a little more pa
tient with grandpa. Just think Of
all that money coming to us through
2 him -
"The best of it is" continued
=, Abner, who just now could think o.
= nothing but the money, "the best o
a it is, Belindy, it's going to be pait
down! So all I've got to do is tC
= clap it into the bank, and let it stay
till after the crops are in. The1
= We'll begin the new house right ava,
S have it all done and ready to move
: into by spring."
"And when we get into the new
=, house, we're going to have Mary anC
# the baby come home to live with us
amt we? You know you've prom
s ised," reminded his wife, bent on tax
/ ing all possible advantage OF her I'm
n usual opportunity.
Mary, their only daughter, ha
S married poor man, and was now
s. widow, supporting herself and chill
e by working in the factory in distan
n town. To have her child and grand
J.! child at home with her had long bee
it the wish of the mothers heart; bu
her husband had always put her off.
,r UOWait till we get into the ne,