Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-09-09

skies. Jest see. father, we couldn't
a made out that winder this fur at
all eff the sun hadn't struck 1t jest So
l declar' II seems almost as eff we
could see the rocker, tew. It's tew bad,
Abe, that we had ter let yer old rocker
90. D. yew remember" she laid
her hand on his arm, and lifted her
gaze, growing clouded and wistful. to
his face. When we bought the chair.
we thought mebbe some day I'd be
rocking a leetle baby in it. Twas
then, yew ricollec', we sorter got in
the habit of calm each other father
an mother ! wonder eff the young
, 'uns had come
Les hurry" interrupted Abe. al
most gruffly Les hurry"
They stumbled forward with bowed
heads in silence, until OF a sudden
they were startled by a surprised hail
of recognition. and looked up to find
themselves confronted by bent and
gray old man. a village character.
harmless. slightly demented public
charge known as "Ishmael" or Cap
tain Rover"
"Whar yew goin', Cap'n Rose?"
The old couple had drawn back at
the sight OF the gentle vagabond, and
Angy clutched at her husbands arm.
her heart contracting at the thought
that he. too. had become a pauper
I'm a-takin' my wife ter jine the
old ladies over thar ter the hum" Abe
answered. and would have passed on,
shrinking from the sight of himself
as reflected in poor Ishmael
But the innocent" placed himself in
their path
"Yew amt a-goin' ter jine EN- tew?"
he bantered
Abe forced a laugh to his lips in re-
Spouse.
NO, no; I'm goin' over ter Yaphank
ter board on the county"
Again the couple would have passed
on, their faces flushed, their eyes low
cred, had not Ishmael flung out one
hand to detain them While he plunged
the other hurriedly into his pocket.
Here" He drew out a meager hand
full of nickels and pennies, his vacant
smile grown wistful Here, take it.
Cap'n Rose. It's all l got can't
count 1t myself. but yew can. Don't
yew think it's enough ter set yew up
in business, so yew won't have ter
go ter the poorhOuse? The poorhouse
is bad place. | was there last win
ter. | don't like the poorhouse"
He rambled on of the poorhouse.
Angy, painting for breath, one hand
against the smothering pain at her
heart, was trying, with the other, to
drag father" along. Father" was
shaking his head at Ishmael, at the
proffered nickels and pennies shak-
ing his head and choking. At length
he found his voice, and was able to
smile at his would-be benefactor with
even the ghost of a twinkle in his eye
Much obliged. Cap'n Rover; but
yew keep yer money for terbaccy.
amt so heightened as yew I'll take
real comfort at the poorhouse. Slong;
thank yer. Slong."
Ishmael went on his way muttering
to himself. unhappily jingling his re-
jected aims; while Angy and Abe re-
sumed their journey.
AS they came to the gate of the Old
Ladies home Angy seized hold of her
husbands arm, and looking up into his
face pleaded earnestly:
Father, let's take the hunderd dol
lars fer family tombstun an 20 ter
the poOrhOuse tergether!"
He shook her off almost roughly and
lifted the latch of the gate
Folks d say we was crazy. mother"
There was no one in sight as he
dragged in the express cart and laid
down the handle. Before him was a
long. clean-swept path ending appar-
emily in a mass of shrubbery; to the
left was field of sweet corn reaching
to the hedge; to the right a strong and
sturdy growth OF pole lima beans: and
just within the entrance. beneath the
sweeping plumes OF a weeping willow
tree, was a shabby but inviting green
bench
Abe's glance wandered from the
bench 10 his wife's face Angy could
not lift her eyes to him: with bowed
head she was latching and unlatching
the gate through which he must pass
He looked at the sun and thoughtfuUy
made reckon OF the time There we're
still two hours before he could take
the train which
Let's go set deowu q spell afore-"
he faltered "afOre we say eood-by."
She made no answer She told her
self over and over that she must
simply must stop that "allofatrem-
BILE feeling which was going on inside
OF her She stepped from the gate TO
the bench bliudly, with Abes hand ON
her arm. though. still blindly with
exaggerated care She placed bis car.
petbag ON the grass beside her
lie laid down bis cane. took off his
high hat and wiped his brow. lie
looked at her anxiously Still She
could not Hft her blurred eyes nor