The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-25
and lying down on the lounge fell into a
trO1hlad a1ean

bringing nearer the twentieth. Such
short, sad days, and yet she sought
TO hide their sadness I'm her heavy
heart, and busted herself packing and
making preparations for her journey.
And Robert was deceived and thought
she wished to make the change; and
when Clara's heart r~eproached her,
she thought of her library and said {:
"She will o o get used to 1t and then
she won't mind"
But though she said it over and over
the morning she went away, it was
long before she could forget the pa
thetic hopelessness of her last back
ward look.
When Robert returned his wife
asked him but few questions !; and
when she would have talked over with
him her plans for furnishing the Ii
brary, he only said: do as you
laughingly asked: care you not
afraid | will make it cost too much ?"
he sighed and answered 81 am
afraid 1T has cost too much already"
Young james was away at college,
and when he heard that Aunt Marga-
ret had gone to the Old Ladies' Home
he could not understand it. He wrote
to her and to his father, and neither Of
their answers satisfied him but other
matters claimed his attention. In
June he was graduated with hOnors,
and a few weeks after, his marriage
with Elsie Knowlton occurred. The
happy couple took q bridal tour among
the mountains before settling down
to housekeeping in James native city.
They planned their return journey
through Clayton and stopped over u
day to visit Aunt Margaret. Elsie had
heard James speak of her so often that
she was quite prepared to love the
little lady who welcomed her so warm
ly. Aunt Margaret wanted to hear all
their experiences and plans, but James
could get her to say but little of her
self. She enjoyed the day so much
that it was hard for her to say good
bye when the time came for them to
leave.
at seems as If you ought to be 60
ing home with us, auntie," said James.
There was o wistful look in her
eyes, but she did not trust herself to
speak.
They were obliged to wait awhile in
the reception room whore they met
the matron. eyes" she said, in
answer to a remark of Elsie's, "this
home is q great benefit to many an
aged m Some who are left in
circumstances of extreme restitution
are supported hero by their friends.
A number of our rooms are endowed
for the use of the very poor who have
expenses. Others are left with some
property but without any family
friends, and are glad to pass the clos
ing years of life here, where they re-
ceive the care and attention often
lacking in a boarding house.
but there is another class here
for whom 1 feel sorry. There are old
ladies here who were deeply attached
to their homes, but whose children or
grandchildren do not want the trouble
of caring for them. There is no stig-
ma attached to providing for them
as there would be in sending them
TO the poor house. But it is hard to
transplant old people. OF course we
do all we can to make them happy,
but nothing a make up for the old,
familiar Genes and faces, nor take
away the bitterness Of the thought
that they were not wanted"
James and Elsie looked grave, but at
that moment their car passed, and the
conversation was interrupted.
The following evening they stood
in the library at Father Grants, look
ing out as Aunt Margaret had so often
aOne at the sunset.
"What u beautiful scene," exclaim-
cd Elise, land what q beautiful ROOM
she added; but James answered 81
had rather see it as it was when | went
away. 1t was Aunt Margaret's room
poor auntie % and he sighed.
After a few days they went to house
keeping in their own home, q little
farther down the street. Very busy
n happy they were arranging their
furniture, hanging pictures, and de-
Gliding where many Of the pretty we'd
ding gifts should be placed. At last
1T was all done but one room. From
the first Elsie had said hat her plan
for that room was u secret, and James
had laughingly declared that she
could not keep a secret two days but
it was not until the morning Of the
third day that she came behind his
chair at the breakfast table and
whispered something in his a that
made him catch her in his arms and
kiss her as he exclaimed "Do you
really mean it, Elsie ?"
All the breakfast time they discuss
ed her plan, and James pointed out all
the objections to it, but Elsie had an
answer for each one, and at last he
said as his father had done, but in a
very different tone: "Do as you think
best, dear"
Anew days after James went to Clay
ton. When he came back late in tho
evening Aunt Margaret was with
him. She was very tired, and after @
warm supper, Elsie took her off to bed.
Then she came back to hear James &C
count of his day.
ct was all / could do to persuade
her to cOme," he said, in conclusion.
II don't know as l should have sue
ceeded If you hadn't sem that little
note, but that settled it. After she
had read it, she leaned back in her
chair and said, with the tears running
down her cheeks: "She wants me,
she wants me-. Thank God, / shall die
in Camden, after ALL"
Die !" said Elsie, whipping her own
eyes, "she mustn't talk about dying yet"
When it became known that Aunt
Margaret had returned to spend the
remaining years of her life with James
and Elsie, there were many comments.
Robert Grant kissed the young woman
fondly, and said God bless you, my
daughter" while his wife declared
that it was the most foolish idea she
ever heard Of, and prophesied that
Elsie would soon regret it.
But her prediction was never verifi-
ed, though for five years Aunt Marga-
ret gradually grew more feeble, and
needed more care, and Elsie was
obliged to give up many of the plea
sures of society on her account.
Then the day came when she bent
to catch tho last whispered words of
blessing. Standing at the open grave,