The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-11-15
THE CRICKET ON THE
HEARTH
Continued from page eleven.)

life Of his daughter. had invented an
artificial world and an artificial Tackle
ton for her. He described the misera-
bic room which they made their liv-
ing room as an apartment as rye
and as comfortable as his imagination
would allow him, and when old Tackle
ton came growing and faultflndlng
about he told his daughter what a
Wag the toy merchant a When
he gave her little presents he always
said they came from TackletOn. Ac-
cording to Caleb the toy merchant
so it came about that Bertha wor-
shipped the old s~coundrel and fell
secretly in love with him.
Even now Caleb's visit to the car
rier was in furtherance Of one OF
the little strategems by which he
sought to keep poor, blin Bertha from
q knowledge Of the actual state OF
affairs. He had ordered a little potted
plant from the florist to take nome
to his daughter. telling her that old
Tackleton, the benevolent. sent it 20
her. And Caleb had bougM the plant
There it is" said John, land not q
leaf damaged; full Of buds. too
Bertha will be pleased with It, All
If my boy whd went to the golden
South Americas had lived. John!' said
the toymaker. you loved him like
a son, didn't you. john? AS they
talked the dog began to bark ~furiously,
and in came Tackieton himself. oh.
here you are" said he ito Caleb, wait
a bit, I'll tax you home. John Perry
bingle, my service to you. More OF
my service to your pretty wife. Pret-
tier every day-and younger-thats
the devil Of It. You know | am going
to be married ] SUPPOSE" L have
got myself to believe it" said Dot.
After a hard struggle, I suppose"
sneered Tackleton. very" retorted
Dot emphatically.
We'll. well, three weeks from to-
day-that's my wedding day" "Why.
it's our wedding day, too" said Dot,
"Ha! ha! Just such another couple
laughed the toy merchant. Il say,
you will come to the wedding" And
ne took John a little aside, continuing
in an undertone. W are In the same
boat, you know; a little disparity OF
years, you know. Come and spend an
evening beforehand. You are what
tea-drinking people call a comfortable
appearing couple when you are to-
gether: OF course. we know better,
you and /, but you ook we'll, and
would make a good impression on
Edith. You and l know it's all moon
shine; but it looks we'll" Il don't
know any such thing" said John,
What are you driving att" "Oh,
pretend if o want to, but We under
stand-say you'll come" I'VE had
arranged to keep our wedding day at
home" said John. .Home!" sneered
T~ackleton. "What's home but four
walls? And. as I live. you've got a
cricket here, too; hear him making
chat racket (for the Cricket had start
ed up again In spite Of Tackleton).
I kill crickets, run them, SO. But
say you'll come. There's q spirit Of
emulation among women, SO that If
your wife says to my Wife-that-is-to-
be, I'm the happiest woman in the
world my wife will say the same
and half believe it,"
so it was arranged. reluctantly. that
Dot and John should spend the day Of
the wedding not at Tackleton's but at
the house of his toy-maker, Caleb
Plummer-this was a compromise. Il
have the h%u1nor," 81 Tackleton. "to
marry a young wife; I am able to graf
ify tina humor, and I do. But now look
there" He pointed to where Dot was
sitting thoughtfully before the fire.
She honor and obeys you. of course
no doubt. And that as / am not 3
man Of sentiment, is nous for me
in my wife. But do you Imagine
there's anything more in it," II
think" said the carrier, slowly. that
I should chuck any man out Of the
window who said there wasn't Eek
actly. Good night. Come, Caleb"
And Tacfleton turned to go.
But Just at hat moment Dot CAV
q cry which attracted the attention Of
ala sudden cry that mad the room
ring like one transfixed by terror and
surprise. The Stranger had.a advanced
toward the fire to warm himself and
stood within a short stride Of her
chair, but quite still. DOT" cried the
carrier. MARY. darling, what's the
matter" She only answered by beat
ing her hands together and falling INTO
a fit Of wild laughter. Then she COW
cred her face with her apron and went
bitterly; the old man, the Stranger,
standing, as before, quite still. ooh,
I'm quite right, now, John" said Dot,
recovering herself somewhat. 81 had
a-a-snock; a-sOmething coming sud
denly before my eyes-that is all. I
am quite right, John-now-only a
fancy"
Was her brain wandering? John
nn,,l1 nnA rnLn IL ant ~