Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-09-28

evening, when she was washing her
favorite china with her own hands,
and little figure, stealing up beside
her, whispered, LET me help you"
though she answered, "Such as you
cannot help" all remonstrance ended
there, and soon the little fingers were
deftly wiping the smoking dishes, and,
with careful haste, putting each In Its
appointed place.
Somehow, as the days wore on, Mrs.
Gray found she had more time to sit
and rest-that instead Of added care,
1t seemed lessened; while little fairy
like figure fitted here and there and
everywhere, like burst of sunshine.
House cleaning was over now; her
voice had lost It's harshness, her brow
its frown; and as Hope, who had rush.
ed to her own room ut the sound OF
wheels, watched her from q window
open her motherly arms to welcome
her boy, saw her happy tear-dimmed
eyes, the girl wondered how she could
first have regarded the woman with
such dread.
Hopes own eyes did not seem so big
now; faint peach bloom had stolen
into her cheeks; her figure had lost Its
angular lines in rounded curves, and
all day thanksgiving seemed to come
bubbling to her lips in song.
"Why, who's that, motherY ques'
toned the tall, handsome young man,
as he turned his laughing blue eyes out
through the open window and saw the
little figure among the flowers.
"She's a child father brought me
home in house cleaning. / wasn't
overglad to see her, but think I'll
miss her when she goes"
An amused smile overspread the list
ener's face. He could appreciate that
welcome at so inopportune season
as house cleaning time.
Reuben wondered, as the days
heightened into weeks, why his home
coming had never been so pleasant be-
fore.
He, too, began to think he would
miss Hope when she went away.
Somehow the parlor had lost its look
Of stiffness, and even had an air of
habitation, with its fresh flowers In
every available receptacle.
well, guess we have done all we
can for Hope" said the farmer, one
day. poor child! she's an orphan,
and will have to win her daily bread.
But she's got back some of her
strength, and the color has found its
way back to her face again; and you
must be tired of havin' the care of
her''-this with a Quizzical expression,
while he narrowly watched his wife's
| face.
You'll do no such thing Seth Gray!
Just like a man-when the girls begin
ming to pick up. to whisk her off to the
hot town again! She's. learned my
ways now, and she's not much in the
way. Besides, she's company for Reu-
ben"
So it seemed, as ont to the queer
rooted arbor they sat side by side, she
listening, with downcast eyes, and
happy, fearful smile. while he told her
how different his home had seemed
since she had entered it, and how, in
solving the enigma, he had discovered
his love for her.
But what will mother say?', asked
the sweet voice-for, since Reuben
came, she had learned to say moth
err" too. "She has such great and
wonderful dreams for your future, and
thinks that somewhere some princess,
clad in shining robes, is waiting for
YOU"
II have found my princess, Hope"
he answered, placing his arm about
her. "She is here, and her soul is
clothed in such beauty-such glory
shines through it's windows (your
eyes)-that she needs no outward en-
Enlistment! Only say you love me,
darling. and l have no fear but that
the mother who has ever smiled upon
my boyish folly will not frown upon
the first wisdom of my manhood"
So hand in hand, as the sun was
sinking in magnificence, they entered
the house together, and he led the
shrinking girl to his mothers side.
I'VE have come to ask your blessing
mother" said Reuben, in his honest,
manly tone. "Hope has made me very
|
In mute bewilderment Mrs. Gray
looked at them both, sense of her
own folly shifting her as with sharp
sword, and bringing with a crash all
her castles to the ground.
But she looked from the calm, reso-
lutte face Of her son to the sweet, fair
girl whose hand lay in his, and draw
ing Hope down, she kissed the young
red lips, and uttered no word of her
disappointment.
Farmer Gray heard the news with
shake of the head and a twinkle
Of the eyes, as much as to say he had
predicted it from the first.
But when the good doctor came lat
er to tell them that they had not, as
they had supposed, given their son a
dowerless bride, but that he, her guar
dian, represented snug little fortune
for her-though, in his proud love and
young ambition, Reuben would almost
have wished it otherwise-as the farm
er whispered to his wife, Blessings In
disguise sometimes come even In
house cleanin', my dear" the last
frown left her still comely face, and
there Is no one in the world so dear tC
her as Hope, her sons wife, and the
little children whose feet bring dus
or dirt, without reproach, upon tn,
still spotless floor.
ASf;lfe Ustost iotfo;ou