Middletown transcript., 1906-08-18
GRANDFATHER RUNS AWAY
BY EDWIN i. sABIN


nany with Mr.. Trenche, hls host;
AIRS. Trenche, hostess, had re-.
tired upstairs; and Grandfather
Pierce was sitting BY himself in
his accustomed place by the front
window, presumably for his reg
ulation noon nap. Anybody see
ing him, white-haired, twinkly
eyed, spare yet sturdy, bolt up,
right in his straight backed
cushioned rocker, would have
concluded:
Contented, peaceful age, biding.
its calm sunset!
But grandfather. alas, was not,
at the moment, an example war
ranting such an assertion. He
was neither contented nor peace
full. Instead, he was much per-.
turbed. His feelings had been
hurt.
His daughter, jealous. of his
honor and the honor of her house
had reprovingly cautioned him
twice at the table, and once in
the parlor.
His wrinkled jaws munched
ruminatively. His brain had
seized upon an idea, and was re-
volving it into shape an opera
ton attended by increasing an
guish of spirit.
Humiliated yes, actually hui
inflated before company By. my
little sweetie birdie, he moaned.
/ never would have believed it of
her! Me, an old man, and her
father, too, and he shook his head
mournfully. Jes' as though I
didn't know better than to eat
with my knife, he continued, in
dignation asserting itself. Jes'
as though / didn't know better,
and wasn't only trying to get
enough pesLy stuff into me to
keep me goin'! I guess if she
was nigh ninety year old she'd
come to asing her knife, well as
me! Now tears approached the
surface, as in imagination his
plight waxed more pitiable. Hu-
inflated before the minister by
my own daughter by my own
sweetie bird, he lamented over
and over, with the back of one
uncertain hand wiping his watery
eyes.
His reflections led him further.
And there was that business of
the spoon, he mumbled, testify.
What did it matter that tux my
spoon for my tea to my sass? |
wasn't hnrtin anybody, and I'm
an old man, and ought TO be al
lowed to do as I like. | sha'n't
trouble folks long with my ways.
Should think / might eat what
little I do eat in peace.
The handkerchief transaction
began to rankle.
Honey bird said it Was dis
graceful, he whimpered. Yes,
that's exactly what she said dis
graceful! She was ashamed Of
me! She was sittin there, all
the time, ashamed of her old
father. My honey bird! Inever
thought I'D live to make my
daughter ashamed of me. Of
Tended dignity came to the fore.
Treated like child! he remon-
strated. No sense in it! Jes'
about a handkerchief mite crum
pied that I've been carryin' only
sense Friday-no, les see-Sat-
urday-- Sunday yes, that's it,
only sense Sunday morning shaw
ing time! triumphantly That's
when I got it, sweetie bird, he
appealed, addressing the absent
Mrs. Trenche, daughter: Sunday
morning shaving time, and now
it's only Thursday!
Mrs. Trenche not being present
to answer, grandfather's troubled
soliloquy flowed on in manner as
the mood moved him.
Like child! he repeated, with |
peevish insistence. And ! don't
deserve it; ! say ] don't deserved
it. T ought to be shown more
respect in my daughters house
I won't stand it. don't have to
stand it! / guess can take keer
of myself, if I am old. MebbeI
they think / ,m So old that / don T.
notice, but I'll let ,en know diff
ferent III let EN- know differ
ent.
Grandfather placed his twoi
hands upon the arms of his chair,
and planting his feet firmly.
raised himself to q standing posi- /
ton. Then he energeticaiIy shut
fed into his bedroom, adjoining
I'll let 'em know, he nuttered,
with threatening wags of his
1. .