The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-02

beauty?7 he added, with intense en-
joyme nt.
III feel fit to go to court" declared
grandpa. "Now, Dorothy, the pro-
cession is ready to move; and really
feel as if the band ought to play"
oval will have to whistle" said
Mrs. Marsh, merrily, as she stopped
to help her husband rise. clean on
me, dear. You know l am quite
strong"
Lean on me, too, grandpa" piped
up Val from the other side, Offering
his study little figure, as usual; and,
thus assisted, grandpa made his
usual descent.
Really, shall be almost sorry to
get WE'LL" he said, smiling, when the
fit of coughing, brought on by the
exeltion, had subsidized, and he was
comfortably settled for day. His
chair was drawn near the CHEEKY CRATE
fire, with table, holding books and
magazines, close at hand.
"You spoil me, both of you, even
to Walls favorite tie" he added, pat
ting that adornment appreciatively.
Nothing is too good for grandpa"
said Mrs. Marsh, stroking his gray
hair lovingly.
Val lowered near, vibrating from
side to side. How pretty the tie did
look! He had never quite realized,
when he was wearing it himself, how
very fine it was. And poor grandpa
had actually never owned four-in-
hand Just plain, old fashioned
black ties were all he ever wore.
Walls soul was moved with pity.
Suddenly thought struck him. 1t
was such tremendous thought that
he had to run away to his own room
| to grapple with it properly. 1t fairly
made him gasp. Could he? for
something had whispered to him that
he might give his cherished tie to
grandpa for his very own. Oh, dear,
dear how could he He might not
ever have another. He had heard
grandma say that she thought he was
really too young to wear one. So she
certainly would not buy him one
again if he deliberately gave away
this. Yet grandpa looked so nice in
it, and seemed so pleased to wear it,
Dear grandpa -
He was always doing something
for Val. What a splendid bicycle he
had bought him lately, when he had
outgrown the little one he had had
since he was five years old.
All day long Val thought of his be-
loved fourth hand, taking long, visit
full looks at it. If he gave it to grand
pa, he would never again have the
bliss of throwing the end around his
collar and bringing out fine, fiat
knot. All the other boys in his Sun
day school class had looked enviously
at him, for none Of them yet owned a
fourth hand. Last Sunday, however,
| Sam Nelson had said that he guessed
his mother was going to get him one
| that week. How hard it would be
next week to go into his class with
Sam rejoicing in his new tie, and he
himself not having his!
Just at dusk, while grandpa dozed
in his easy-chair by the fire, Val and
grandma sat in the west window,
watching the glowing sunset.
"Grandma," said Val, in very low
tone, breaking long silence, "I've
been thinking that"-he stopped and
swallowed-"that I'd like to give
grandpa my four-in-hand. Blue looks
so nice on him, you know; and he
hasn't any of his own and he seemed
to enjoy it so much to-day,-and so
I'd like,-yes, I'd really like him to
keep it all the time"
All this was said with frequent
pauses.
"But, my dear little boy, that's
your favorite tie," expostulated
grandma.
"Yes, know; but it would make
grandpa awfully happy to wear that
tie all the time. l know. And now
he's sick and can't go out,-yes, |
think he ought to have it, grandma.
Grandma kissed the little boy low
ingly.
st would certainly please grand
pa very much to know that you want
to give it to him." she said. "You
may tell him about it when he wakes
up, if you WISH"
So, when grandpa woke, Val crept
up to him softly, and whispered
something in his ear.
"Eh! What7" said grandpa. "Your
fourth hand|
"Yes, grandpa; and I'm going to tie
1 :