The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-17

y y
got for Dckey."
; He turned and hobbled painfully
across his shop He put on his spec
! taclas and opened a drawer in his work
! bench, and in It's depths he found a
stick of horehound candy. Dick stood
with one pudgy hand resting on the
door frame peering into the shop with
wide eyes.
Candy" announced Uncle Luther
expressively.
Dick drew n little nearer, glancing
from the candy to his grandfather's
wrinkled face. Uncle Luther waved
the stick like wizards wand and
! lured Dick nearer and nearer until n
dirty little hand closed over the candy.
Then he reached out slyly and eau
tiously and gathered Dick In his arms.
"Ain't you goin' to kiss gran'paT' he
asked eagerly.
But the little boy wriggled away and
ran out of the door. Uncle Luther
watched him lettering up the lane in
the sunshine, sucking his candy, until
the vision blurred in his dim old eyes.
Then he returned to his brazier. He
sat down and drew his chair almost
over it, He bent double, with his ell
bows on his knees and his head rest
ing on his hands, and there he sat
alone for a long time. Finally he
Strengthened up The subtle warmth
of the fire had stolen through all his
body. He leaned back in his chair,
his head dropped over to one side and
his work worn old hands lay palm up
ward on his knees. He was fast
asleep.
The brazier under him continued to
glow and send its CHEEKY comfort steal
ing up around his chair 1t had a
friendliness and hearty warmth that
were more than the kindness of many
of the old mans friends.
The dusk of evening came down and
filled the corners with shadows, and
presently a glow that was not all in
the brazier began to illumine the cen
ter of the room. A thin, wavering mist
of smoke curled up around the old man
and crept silently along the dingy cell
ing. \ moment later there was
sharp burst of flame that disappeared
as suddenly as it came. The old mans
trouser leg rested against the hot bra
zier and the fine fire gnawed and
sparkled in the heavy cloth. a few
shavings on the Uttered floor of the
shop were crisping with sudden wisps
of flame, and the chair legs We're on
fire. But Uncle Luther slept on, Who'll
ly unconscious of his danger.
Jonathan Dowell, returning from the
village, saw sinister glare in the shop
windows. He rushed into the room.
seized the old man and lifted him swift
ly to one side. Then he beat out the
fire with gunny sack.
Uncle Luther sat up, trembling and
terrified. His wooden leg was gone.
1t had burned almost to the stump,
and the charred remains were still
smoking.
Jonathan Dowelrs voice rang with
anger.
What won't you do next, father?'
he said. you've set yourself on fire
and nearly burned up the shop. That
wooden leg of yours cost me just $50,
and it'll be long time before l can
afford another"
And then he saw dimly the agony
in his fathers face, and he softened.
He was not a bad man nor even a
harsh man-only thoughtless. You
must learn to be more careful, father"
he said gently and yet insistently, as
If he talked to child.
Uncle Luther was glad when his son
went away. He crept to his little back
room like wounded dog and lay
down on the bed.
"Too bad to trouble Jonathan an
his wife," he muttered. Cory is so
thrifty an partic'lar. I'm careless; l
know it. I'm gettin' old" And then
after a time his mind reverted to the
earlier interests of the day, and he said
aloud, 81 wish Tommy'd got it,"
News travels quickly in a small
town, and the next morning the sym
pathetic and the curious came TO con
sole with Uncle Luther and to exam
inc the remains of the $50 leg and to
point out where the fire had charred
the chair.
Among the very first to call was
Captain Enoch Bradley, who was a
hearty, warm blooded, irascible old fel.
low, and his bluff sympathy went far
toward solacing Uncle Luther in his
affiiction.
. "'Twan't so bad as If you hadn't
. lost it before" he comforted.
But Uncle Luther had no mind fol-
treating his loss frivolously. The
years had crushed all of the humoI
out Of him and left him only tragedy.
II was thinkin'," he said, that now
| can't march. P'raps Amery-mEht
t let Tommy have it,
Captain Enoch frowned darkly, but
t Uncle Luther hurried on:
/ He's more commandin' than l be
er ever was, er ever will be, an he,
+ had practice
] "Oh, you'll be ready to march by
? Memorial day." Interrupted Captain
: EnOch.
ITS good of you to say So" sale