The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-05-03

A squirrel ran
down tree trunk
and barked sauclly at Grandpa Ath-
orton there in the mellow glow of the
May morning. The patriarch shook
his cane and the nimble jackanapes
turned tail and scampered to the
crotch of the catalpa tree where he
stuck his head through the fork and
scolded vehemently.
you young rascal" retorted Grand
pa Atherton, waving his stick feebly
in the air you are making sport of
me with your lusty antic5-of me, an
old. dried up yellow leaf that almost
any spring zephyr might blow awayl"
The squirrel responded in staccato.
like tones, clever imitation OF boy
with a discordant watchmans rattle.
Old Man Atherton did not reply.
lie was MISUNDERSTANDING of the
days of his youth. the days of fire
and manhood's heat, the days of ac.
tlon and Of dreams, when his guild.
ing star was Mercury, and Venus
thrilled him with rosy nushes of love.
And then she camel
A tear trickled out of Grandpa Ath
erton's eye and ran precipitately down
his nose as he fnmbled in the inner
pocket OF his waistcoat. About him
the birds sang their matin songs, the
breezes toyed with the corymbs OF the
elders and the laden bees hummed dill.
igently by with a song of the honey
harvest
And then the patriarch's vision
shifted TO a cottage in valley of
contentment. TO broad acres blooming
In tho sunlight and a baby's crib at
home with her lowering above It.
How happy they were! How the
meadowlarks caroed to them in the
early morning-and the soil was
springing sweet beneath his willing
feet
Grandpa Atherton was weeping
softly now. Down the road he saw
again the slowly winding cortege, the
quiet churchyard, His deafened ears
heard as with the keenness of the
hunter, the falling clods upon his
hope, his all
With little cry of pain, Grandpa
Atherton clutched his cane, straight
ened a bit in his chair and relaxed A
catblrd from the deutzla bush called
sweetly to her mate, the bees hummed
on in monotone above the budding
phlox, the squirrel ventured down
from his emerald heights and sat
peerlng wonderingly at the silent
figure in tho great arm chair. Grow.
ing bolder he came nearer the form
OF his cid friend, ran lightly up his
trousers leg and peered into the ca
pacious pocket OF his coat Suddenly
the squirrels head darted into the
aperture and appeared with nut
Slipping backward down the arm OF
the coat. the plunderer struck the
hand lying upon the cane. and as
the stick fell clattering to the ground,
the squirrel chartered in triumphant
alarm But Grandpa Atherton made
no answer. His head was resting
peacefully upon his breast, his life.
less hand was hanging Imply on his
knee.
They found him there in his chair.
the sunlight gllnting on his withered
locks. In his lap, face up, lay the pic
lure of beautiful girl, young and
fair, with the glory of her hair about
her temples and her brow.
when he's forsaken,
Mltbered and shaken.
What can an old man do but dle!'
O O o.
Tickle Grass.
Swearing TO the truth does not make
truth any stronger.
Reformers should not be too particu-
. lar about their bedfelows.
81 Awoman may be too young to marry,
Ebut she is never too old to repent.
j have always wanted to be rich
long enough to wear out my old
clothes.
tme s. q 4 .s. MI,
A bridal veil often comes in handy
as a mosquito bar to keep the flies OF
of baby
Progress is a chain in which every
man who does his best is an impor.
tant link.
The man without money who tries
to be an aristocrat is apt to become
Joke instead.
o o o Y
SO They AreI
some men are bound to have the upper
hand, even though they deal II from the
bottom OF the deck,-Chlna, Glass and
BYRON WILLIAMS.
HEsTER:
Cold Medal Flour makes the llghtesi
Hpnnge cake ever saw RACHEL.