The times., 1901-04-28
OLD JOE'S VPLET.

q bride; his children had all been born
there: and the place which the villagers
stigmatized as so lonely and way back
from everywhere" was TO him the most
peopled spot in the universe From its
homeIy shelter his children had gone
forth one by one to earn their daily bread
afar or near-some had married, some had
died; and from that rickety fourposter so
despised Of Liza Legg, his old wife had
turned face Of calmest trust toward the
dark and silent grave.
Now that his wife was dead and his
children drifted out into the world-aud
beyond 1t, with none of his own Sith and
kin remaining in the parish-this little
tumbledown house was his world, the
/ only place where he did not feel lost and
| lonely; 70 him the spirit of departed
| blessings rested upon 1t like the dew of
the morning. But it was to be his no
| longer; the decree had gone forth that he
| must lose his home and his individuality,
! to become just one more pauper added to
| the responsibilities of the parish. The
| idea was so sad and strange that he could
| not get used to It, and even as he strove
| to meet the inevitable with no rebellious
| spirit the evil day came upon him. That
| morning his scanty belongings had been
! parted up and scattered among the par
| ishioners, and the little money they fetch
| ed was to go toward his maintenance in
the Union.
| Liza Legg had fastened upon the feath-
| er bed. and was 10 be ousted by no more
| generous bidder; but she could not appro-
/ pirate the old oak bureau, for the vicar
| knew fine piece Of antique furniture
| when he saw il, and he gave Thorne an
| honest price for it.
| Now the place was bare, save for the
old EBfaf af.h sun
| posed TO be a fixture, upon which Joe sat
| TO try 10 read his Bible: few red sparks
| fingered IN the depressed-looking fire
| place. with Il brick in its lower jaw and
| ashes upon its head The cottage had
| been let over his head and the new ten
! ants were coming in that day. Joe
! ThOrne was waiting for their arrival be
! fore taking himself off as in duty bound
| TO the Union ere the sun set. For he had
! still q piece of property to dispose Of
/ which troubled him more than all the
| rest; he had offered this last treasure 10
| Liza Legg. who had flouted il, and he
| was terribly afraid that the worst would
| have to come to the worst
I'm my Fathers house are many man
sions-many mansiOns--' His quavering
| voice broke suddenly with a sob and n
| neat little grey cat stirred upon his knee,
! and began gently rubbing against him TO
know what the matter was. She had been
| uneasy herself FOR a week or longer and
| the removal Of the furniture had disturbed
| her still more What could she and her
I master do when bedtime came with no
/ four -poster-for she was accustomed 10
| sleep on one corner OF the shabby patch
| work quilt and rouse him in the morning
! with a cold little nose against his face and
! a burst Of rapturous purring.
| What a lonely awakening for him the
next morning without his little faithful
friend and companion. For IL had come
TO pass that the little grey cat and the
old man were all Ia all TO each other. She
had come 10 them years ago, a tiny stray
kitten, on their last daughters wedding
day, and because Mrs. Thorne had been