Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-13
SOLD OUT
By the Sheriff

but he had learned of her misfortune. and quietly responded: Why, heard of your bad luck. Is 1 it as bad as reported?' Yes. I haven't a cent in my pock- 1 et.'
 Then you are without a homer Yes. But you don't suppose Fred l and Thomas will see me want " T have talked with them." replied Ed. not aware that Miss Jane had also | talked with them on the subject, and | they seem to think they are too much | hamDered. I see they are not disposed in fact. l have come to offer you a home with me-
 But you have no room for me wen manage that. Alice and I 1 have talked it over, and it's all fixed. l l You are to take the room the children l have been sleeping in, and for the l present they can sleep in the room with |
 The old lady tried to speak again, and burst into tears.
 Why! What's the matter, Aunt | | Jane?' asked Ed. in surprise. Without replying Miss Jane threw l herself into an old-fashioned arm i chair, bowed her gray head upon her hands. and cried like a child.
 Aunt Jane, don't take on so about 1 your lossesI You shall be as com | fortable with us as though you were rich. You will have more cheerful company and less care than of late.'' Tt isn't that Edward said the old | lady. Its to think that you and Alice 1 who have so little to thank me for, l should be the only ones to offer my gray hairs a refuge. Your very faults 1 look brighter to me now than the steady virtues of those two favorites. | last!"
 The end of it all was that Miss Jane accepted Ed Smiths offer and in al few days went to live with him. 1 The time passeH pleasantly. away. All went on smoothly and she found i that her new friends were sincere. Fred and Thomas lived near each l other and both at no great distance from the old homestead and they never i met without cursing their aUnt's folly ! They spoke of her as an "old imbe- cile' and "a simpleton.'' and wondered how Ed Smith could afford to harbor her.
 It would be sad if the story ended here, and it does not
 One beautiful morning Thomas l Brown started to drive into Hartford i As he neared his brothers house he stopped and asked him if he would not like to go along, too. And in a few minutes Fred was seated in the buggy beside his brother
 The road to Hartford took them by the old homestead and as they ap- preached they saw signs of life there
 Why, somebody's moved in at last!' said Fred
 the place.
 As they arrived opposite the house they observed that a man stood by the fence. idly whiting q bit of wood 1 with a pocket knife.
 When he looked up, they recognized their impecunious brotherin-law, Ed Smith.
 Why, Ed! Is that you?" said Tom. stepping his horse.
 They now observed that several pretty children were playing on the
 You have moved here?" said Fred. coolly
 Why, you're not able to rent so
 "T haven't rented it."
 What then? ?"
 Its been given to me"
 Who would give it to you%' asked Fred turning slightly pale.
 Aunt Jane"
 And Ed continued to vhittIe as l coolly as a, statue could have done if it could have handled a pocket knife Whats the use of telling us that :? 1 The place was sold.'' l T thought so, too" said Ed, calmly
 And wasn't it?" gasped Fred, as a 1 fearful suspicion came into his brain "No, it was all a sham" replied l EISu ana - nOIndS looked at each other in wonder, and just then Miss Jane came out onto the lawn.
 Yes, Fred and Thomas" said she l it was all a sham. I was not eaten up by sharps, and instead of my pit
 iful fortune of S60,oG0. am now worth $360, ,600. all of which with the exception of a few dollars, will go to Ed and Alice.7
 ''Why-why have you acted so? fal- tered Fred.
 ! vT-III roJy A. the sincerity of your affection, or that 1 Of Thomas. l had never thought of 1 douDtng you But I wanted some thing to occupy my mind and I con
 cluded to play stupendous joke, and pretend to be bankrupt I thought it would then give me so much pleas Ire to find you overwhelming me with . kindness and Vielng with each other in offering me a home; but it turned l out so differently. You were cold 1 toward me in my supposed diversity ! and it nearly broke my heart had , | expected soon to treat you to a de- lishtful surprise by informing you of
 the true state of things; but now my
 wealth seemed useless.
 But a new joy came to me unex- . ] pectedly. When caIne home, after 1 asking both of you in vain for refuge l I found Edward here-whom I had l sighted and almost hated, and he with 7 all his poverty, with all his struggles
 for existence, with no 1zindnesses to 7 remember, and forgetting all his wrongs-yes, he had come to offer me
 a share in his poor ilou1e-to offer to : toll for me, and bear the burdens of my life; and all with no hope of re- ward
 F T thank God have played this practical joke. It has brought to me
 truer friends than those on whom I have levished my favors.' Fred and Thomas could not utter a ! word in reply, but drove on toward
 Hartford, with downcast looks, think t ing of their loss.
 And they have since lived through
 lcng years, bitterly regTetting that to , their kind old aunt they had not proved Good SamaritaRs.' 4 STAFFORD DAISY.