The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-05-24

| pride grew, and he fixed it on the cherished
blade, and when Rosie grew into bright
eyed, pink checked, fluffy haired beauty,
she, too, shared In his pride The hard
working mother had died just as the in
dustry of herself and her husband began
to bring generous reward.
Won Grif's pride, as has been limited,
was not purse born pride Even after
he owned two largo tenements and two
cottages he still lived over his store and
wore the Same gray clothes,
| Simple were the habits of Won Griff.
He loved to sit, on summer evenings, I'M
der the bakery awning pipe in hand, and
| gossip with his neighbors. Sometimes he
read-always of wars.
| 1t happened that he was thus occupied
one evening when Rosie, with sparkling
eyes and flushed checks, came into the sit
ting room. He held a magazine in one
hand and his long pipe in tho other
"Oh, Rosie, mine dear, come here.
vos reading someding here, und like you
| to finish i'd for me. EhP That's a good
| girl"
"All right, papa, after Ive"-
"Now, Rosie, now. Let dot Wait und
read me.
| So Rosie, who was good girl, proceed
ed to read 1t was a story of Gettysburg's
fierce fight. The tale was little to Rosie's
liking but she did not hesitate. AS she
read on and the story pictured that fear
full three days struggle on tho hill tops,
the warlike bakers blood was stirred. AS
the story detailed the slaughter In the
bloody angle and in the wbeatfleld and
how Little Round Top was lost and cap
tured again, his eyes flashed with excite
ment But 1t was when the writer told of
how, for hour after hour, the troops of
both armies lay, face to the ground, while
above them flew the iron storm from the
opposing batteries, that no was stirred
most. Won Griff told himself that not
even on the historic field of Austerlitz was
there such an awful cannonading. The
description of the roar that seemed to
shake the earth and sky as we'll reached
him with full force. Had ho not known
tho Same terror HIMSELF Heartily he
agreed with the writer that the menwho
stood their ground there and waited dur
ing that duel of iron throated monsters
until their turn came were indeed brave
men and heroes.
''Rosie, dot vos grand, grand, grand!"
he exclaimed when she had finished.
Yes, / know, papa. But now l want
you to listen to me. There's some one in
tuo WIZ . COiuIuB III W say SOiuo-
thing to you, and want you to be real
nice to him. :"
Then she gave her father kiss and
hug and tripped into the next room.
''Vot is dot you say, Rosie?'
Won Griff could not change the current
of his thought so quickly, and Rosie's
words wero all but lost upon him.
On his mind was still pictured the field
Of Gettysburg when a young man came in
from the parlor.
"Ah, dot vos grand, grandl Heroes dey
were, heroes Yes, und-vell, vell?"
He had realized that some one was pres
emit.
"Ah, Meester Fairfield. Veil, vot is id
nowp Want to daSe Rosie to some more
dances, ell? My ohrachious, but you boys
will turn mine hair vite. Always wanting
mine Rosie to go somevere."
'Mr. Won Griff,' said Jack Fairfield
II want to ask you something more seri-
GUS than that this time
"Vell veil, oudt with it," said the I'M
suspecting baker.
II want-sir, IL
Jack hesitated in spite of himself while
he CROPPED for the carefully prepared
speech. But 1t was gone. He could not re-
member a word of it, and there he was
standing stammering like sohoolboy with
a half learned lesson.
well, vell," said Won Griff impatient
ly.
Jack made a last effort to recall that
elusive speech and then blurted out, Il
want Rosie, Mr.. Won Griff, for my wife.
"Vat?"
The word seemed to be the result of an
internal explosion. The baker had leaned
forward in his chair in an effort to riso
quickly to his feet, but had failed. All
this had added to tho lurid color of his
face and deducted from his lung power.
He made another effort to rise and sue
ceeded.
"Vatp he exploded again. "You-you
you want TOTO marry mine Rosie?"
Yes, sir" said Jack, half wondering
whether the baker was really going to ex-
plode or only choke himself. "She is will
ing, for have asked her, and l came to
got your consent"
"You-you did, ehp Hail My consentl
Vell, sir, you will nefer get it-nefer
Vat, mine Rosie marry a jackanapes Of q
nobody Mine Rosie"-
"But I'm somebody to Rosie" put In
Jack, thinking q little argument might be
q relief.
"To Rosie, eh9 Hail But vat are you?
Who are you? Answer me dot. Who is
your fatherp'
You know my father, Mr.. Won Griff."
eyes, know him. He ISIS another no
body-a nobody, dell you. Leaf mine
house und nefer como here some more. Go
away quickl'
There seemed to 10 nothing for Jack to
do but go. 1t YVES very plain that the
baker was in no mood for argument, and,
much as Jack wished ~ rctort to the state
ment that he and his father wero nobodies,
he turned on his heel without word and
left the house.
Jack did not understand the cause of
Won Griff's wrath He looked upon 1t
merely MS tie temporary ruffling of an old
mans tcmpoT that a day would smooth
out But Hosio knew better She fully
comprehcnded tho contempt in which her
father held those whom ho thought. were
of common clay and far outside the nobil-
ty of arms which he had constructed for
himself She knew that his pet project
was to take her back to Germany and buy
for her an army husband-a creature with
waxed mustache, high boots, clanking
sword and opaulets. She realized that
her fathers money would attract many
such and that the giving of her hand in
marriage would be only question Of how