The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-10-08

rOugn ulrL ROAD GLAD
well strewn with 0dbONs
projecting boulders. @uaAM@
The cold Septem- SHONB
Der light h a d
brought a drizzling SEOKV
rain with it, and
Nancy's thoughts were as dismal
as the night; dismal in spite Of thir-
ty dollars tucked in little wad in
her jacket pocket, and the store of
provisions that lay under protec-
tive oilcloth in the back of the
truck, together with the extra treat
for the children-a cake of milk
chocolate for each, a drawing pad
that Nonnie had asked for wistfully,
when there's money enough, moth
err; for Dick miniature taxi,
whose brave red color gave lie to
the fact that it had cost but ten
cents; cuddly baby doll for Elsie,
whose family of battered dolls were
so dear to her three-year-old heart.
She was so engrossed in her
thoughts that she nearly ran over
something ahead of her in the road.
Her brakes damned with unmerci-
full haste and she jumped out to in
vestigate. Her lights showed the
huddled figure of little old man in
the blue suit of a Union soldier,
asleep in the rain. Nancy shook
him.
you'll catch your death of cold
here. Where are you going?"
Faded blue eyes peered sadly up
at her from under mist, laden eye.
brows.
mo place, ma'am."
"But where's your homer"
"Got no home, ma am"
"Oh, nonsense" scolded Nancy.
I,er hand touched his forehead and
found it unnaturally hot. "Get in
beside me, here. I'll put you up
for the night" She half showed him
into the spare seat and banged the
door.
"Here we are," said Nancy, and
genuine kindness rang in her voice
as she helped the tottering old fig
ure down. "You stop the night
here"
But she was not wholly right. Be-
fore morning a high fever had de-
veloped and for three nights she
stood faithful watch over her I'M
wanted guest, lest the little spark OF
life be extinguished forever. When
the fight was over there was no need
to ask him who he was and where
he was going. In his delirium he
had poured out his pitiful story:
How, after he had decided his home
and savings to his married daugh-
ter, she had made him see too
plainly that the proper thing for him
to do was to die. Unwanted. Nancy
marveled that with his feeble
strength he had been able to wan
der so far.
It was an irony of fate, she
unused, that he had been delivered
into her hands. Maybe the Lord
had sent him to take the place of
Dick, the elder, whom she had mar
ried in spite of everybody's pro-
tests, and with whom she had gone
into the hills of New England to
overcome his lung weakness. Dick
had been gassed in the World war.
Peculiarly enough, it hadn't been
his lungs, but his heart, that had
taken him a year ago.
Casually she laid her plans before
the old soldier the first day he sat
up.
eff you want to stay with u.s."
she smiled, II guess we can find
plenty for you to do. Harvesting
times coming on and I'll be busy
I won't have much time for
indoors, and there should be some
one indoors to keep an eye on the
children. In fact" she lied (but
the old soldier never suspected the
lie), 81 was thinking of advertising
for a grandpa just like you"
In the rush of work that followed
for the next few weeks, hard, body
wrenching work that left her ia
tigued beyond belief at the end of
the long days, Nancy was conscious
of one outstanding thing, the chill
dren loved grandpa
Dollars accumulated slowly but
surely in the bank. She had wrest-
ed from the land the interest money
and little on the principal of the
mortgage. After this was paid there
would be but little left for the bare
winter months, but Nancy was I'M
daunted.
One night in early December she
finished up her chores and dashed
into the bright, warm kitchen. Nom
ME and Dick were busy with their
school books at the table, and Elsie
was rapturously putting her babies
to bed. Grandpa had just accepted
a fat cigar from stranger who
sat beside him, his feet propped
Familiarity on the kitchen stove. He
arose as she came in and she rec
ognized him. 1t wNs Bestwick, who
held the mortgage on the place. She
started hurriedly for her check book
and pen.
"Well, Mrs. Thorne," Bestwick
4