The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-09-29

close your shop"
Reuben laid down his knife and fork
Hey" he said reprovingly.
Kathie colOred. Il mean" she ex-
planned, that Jennie Fry's uncle say,
he can get me a position in the new
school that's to be opened in Nesto!
the list of February, and them
Then l shall be sorry to lose you
my dear" Reuben broke in, with dig
nifed asperity. But if it's for your
happiness
'Why, of course, grandpa, you'll
come with me. l want to take care
of you now"
Reuben's steady blue eyes looked
quietly at Kathie
'I've supported this family during
three generations" he said. I've al
ways been Woodworking When | was
a boy at sea l supported my father
and mother. Then when | settled
down l had my own family to raise,
and then
and then after father died you took
care of mother and me. Yes, indeed.
grandpa. you've taken care of every
one. You have certainly earned the
right to be taken care of yourself
now"
Il have certainly earned the right to
go on taking care of myself!' quaver-
ed the old man in retOrt
Kathie said no more. She never had
argued with her grandfather. Of
course she could not leave him. I'll
have to give up the school, she
thought dSconsolately.
The college opened the day after
Mary Marsh's wedding, and Reuben
was up at daybreak polishing his little
shop into shining brightness. The col
lege was largely attended this term,
and he had laid in a proportionately
large supply of goods.
The old mans memory was failing
slightly. AS Kathie went through the
shop on her way out to college she
saw him peeping into various boxes
carefully, noting their contents before
customers should come in.
Her intention was to tell Jennie Fry
that she must give up all idea of the
Nestor school, but it was hard thing
to do, and when as she was opening
the subject Jennie gave her a squeeze
and began talking Of how Kathie must
join the musical club at Nestor her
heart quite failed. We'll play duets
together" said Jennie.
Yes" Kathie agreed slowly, but
do you really think grandpa would be
happy there?"
"Why, certainly" asserted Jennie.
There's the dearest little house back
Of ours that I'm sure you can get. 1t
has garden that your grandfather
will just love"
"Kathie!' Miss Rome, one of the
teachers, called. Here. my dear" she
said pleasantly when Kathe reached
her desk, lis a list of the stationery
we shall need through the term. Please
see to getting it,
kathie took the list and went out
She started mechanically for her grand
fathers shop, but after going few
blocks she suddenly stopped Then she
turned abruptly in the opposite direc-
ton and walked very fast to Sam
Green's large department store in the
far end of town.
"Mr. Green" she said, Miss Rome
wants these things for the college
Sam looked over the list.
"Why, Miss Kathie," he replied sur
prisedly, Il can fill the order, of course,
but | usually leave things of this sort
for your grandfathers trade"
We'll Mr.. Green"-Kathies heart
was beating rapidly with a new de-
termination she had made-"Fm not
working up grandpa's trade now" she
said. In fact, as soon as l graduate
In December I'm going to take the school
In Nestor and make him give up work
ing"
Reuben waited expectantly for the large
order Of stationery supplies for the COL
lege to come in. He was in the habit of
receiving this order every fall and he had
come to regard 1t as a regular source of
income After a week went by he men
toned the matter to Kathie. She evaded
his questioning eyes as she answered him
'"They got the supplies from Sam Green
this fall
Indeed" Reuben uttered a note of CON
sternation. "Ah, WELL" he said, cheerful
ly recovering himself. 81 mustn't expect
to get all the college trade"
my dear he said as Kathe was start
ing away next morning. "if the oppor-
tunity comes you might let the young
ladies know that I've an exceptionally
fine assortment of laces and wells this sea-
son."
The girls did not come to buy his wells.
Kathie carefully avoided speaking of
them. In fact, she diverted such bits of
trade as she knew of to the other stores.
AS the days went by Reuben's genial old
face took on a graveness new to it. He
was not selling his goods, and that meant
he was not supporting his household. The
little shop did not yield large enough prof
its to lay anything aside.
Don't worry. grandpa, If you do go q
little into debt" Kathie said one evening.
IF it seems best after all for me to take
the Nestor school 1 can easily save some
thing from my salary to pay up here"
Reuben gave little sigh Presently he
got up and took an old mariners compass
down from a shelf. The instrument was
closely associated with his days of vigor-
Gus manhood.
Kathie watched him. "Grandpa's fail
ing" she declared. And she told herself
that it was well that just at the right mo-
ment she had been able to take matters