Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-30
seful
The Morning Story
OLD OAK 1ItlEE.
By Donald Allen.

had seen bankruptcy coming, and had
|sconlmitted suicide.
It's awful" said Deacon Graham.
|sss knot of the villagers were sol
EMMY discussing the tragedy. II can't
figure that therell be Il red cen! saved
out OF the wreck. and how's that gal
Irene going to get along"
She'll have TO get married" replied
1.-the village cooper.
ISL Warren. don't talk like a fool
was the rcproving exclamation I'm
the first place. the girl is handsome.
amt She"
YES. purity good looking
And she's been sent away TO school,
And always had good clothes"
WALL
We'll, 90 YOU s'pose she's going 10
fall in love with anybody in or around
this town OF Long HIM.
"Isut why not
"Why not" Can YOU make bari
out o straw" Can YOU make a gal
like Irene Stewart fall in love with
an old wdowcr with six children on
his hands"
But there are Young men" pro-
tested the cooper.
Yes. there is Dan Skeily. OF the
dairy. He's got one eye and pair
of ears that stick out like saucers
nailed to his head Dan haint TO
blame, but what gal is going 10 fall
in love with him? There's Pcte
Blakely. the young butcher They say
he can kill 4 calf. as we'll as another.
but he's bow-leRsed. half-dcaf, and
isn't making over a dollar day. There
Is Moso Ridder. who works in the saw
mill and knows jest nun that George
Washington hain't President of the
United States to-day. Do YOU mean TO
tell mo that John Stewards orphan gal
is going TO fall In love with him.
wall, what in creation is sho go
ing to do?"
who IS n widow. living over in Medina
County. and the gal ia going there to
live with her until
Until what?"
Until the right Teller comes along"
Miss Irene's Aunt Cynthia lived on
worker and strong -ininded woman,
and she had married almost without
love, and certainly without romance.
Her neighhors said she was hard heart
I'D and driver and seemed utterly
without pity. but they were mistaken
She had loved her brother John. and
when his only child drove UP TO the
gate she took her in her arms ana said:
You poor child. YOU hut YOU shall have
n home with mo for life, ANA | will be
L.
Much had been said about Aunt
Cynthias StimEineSs, but when she
learned that her niece Was coming to
live with her She had Dough, IL parlor
organ. music. 4 new carpet, and even
several hooks of fiction she had seen
advertised. She had gone so far az
20 use part Of The tax money sho
had laid away in the Kitchen clock to
send away for y brass he'd and n real
mattress, the first Thing OF their kind
? 4. -,
farmers ana rhc.r wives drove up ana
pame in ano asked to see the wonder
full exhibition, Aunt cynthia stood up
very straight.
They cost Sta. bu; I was bound to
have EN- il ] had to sell ~ cow she
said proudly.
And your niece is an orphan"
Yes Mother died five years ago and
her father only lately. Poor John. lie
was n merchant over ut Long llill. lie
sold calico so cheap that he busted
| Snp and hung himself and left this girl
sall alone"
"And YOU are going TO give her a
home?"
II just am that"
But can she do housewoil;"'
IF che can shau't let her. beyond
Smelling a few peas now and then. I
Ydon't take in orphans TO make hired
help OF them"
ITS very kind ~ YOU"
We'll, nchbo It's. and yet it's only
doing ones uuty. BESIDES. | aln grow
Ing old and am lonesome without any
body 10 talk to. .\ud. say don't YOU
! ask her anything about her father |
don't want her feelings hurt.
The lapse al time RS s.l.- remedy FOR
all our griefs. After three months had
passed, Miss Irene was Ike her old
SELF again. ana there WAS song and
daughter In the house.
A quarter OF mile below Aunt
Cynthia's farmhouse, and near the high
way, was giant oa}, tree. The farm
Ners spoke OF ii IS the old oak tree.
and It was a landmark 10 be seen for
miles and miles.
Miss Inc2 HAD sat and gazed at that
Towering tree for an hour NJ time,
but 1t had never occurred To her 10
make a closer acquaintance until one.
Afternoon whom she had u reply 10 in
dite to the letter OF a girl chum Sho
would do her writing 1t the foot or
the old GAL; tree.
Lookout for tramps ANA snakes"
was the caution from Aunt cynthia.
AZ the girl started down III, road.
Is there sentiment ana romance about
big trees" Does innu rs woman zee !
that there is IT not. why WAS it that
a farmers nircd man in the state OF
SOhio took his discharge sooner than put
the AK 10 inngniNclcnt ola elm. which
he could reIm.lnber back almost to his
babyhoodf
AS the girl drew nearer and nearer
TO the old oak tie more il Appealed 10
her and when - last she reached il
she stood with awe in her heart Nor.
than 100 years they saiG. and II had
been buffetcd hy hundreds OF gales
- Chatter Chatter chatter"
1t was q gray squirrel up the trunk
n few feet snd looking at the girl.
defying her 20 come nearer.
but I VIII she laughed. as she
plunged into the bushes.
The squirrel whislicd around 10 the
sother side OF tho tree.
BY this time she mad reached The
trunk and passed around 1t the SPUR
rel had MADE his WAY TO The highest
limb. The gin found something else
flowever-somcthsng that perhaps not
one in thousand VINO passed IL had
knowledge Of At the height Of her
chin was cup or hollow that would
hold a quart of water. II was q wound
f16 received N