Year: 1878

One time there was an old man whose back
was bent and bis step was slow. Men who
gazed upon bis snowy hair aud wrinklod
face shook their heads and Whispered TO
9 e,ch other, He is q good old man, who
has not long to liveW The old man had
been well off in bis day Tut when he found
himself on the shady side of life, wife deao
and home broken up, he said to bis only
son, Here William, take all I have, aud
let your home be my home until I die"
The son took the papers-you bet be did
and the father was given cosy corner, q
big chair, and corn cob pipe.


All went well for year or 60, and then
the son, and the sons wife began to make
It uncomi iortable for the nice old man IN
the corner. They threw out hints, deprived
him of his comforts, and one cold day 10
winter he was told that he had better 60 to
Halifax-Nova Scotia.
The old mans heart was sore as he went
out into the world to battle against hunger
and cold; and when night came he cow
cred into doorway and wept like little
child. .


''What is making that chin music up
there 2" called areporter, whose steps had
been arrested by the sobs, and he went up
the steps, patted the old man On the back,
and sat patiently by him unit! his story
was told.


"Come down to the station with me-"
said tie reporter, taking the old mans
| arm.


Your son ,s first cousin TO the man who
preferred buzzard to lamb, and I'll help you
| fix him."


Next morning one of the daily papers
| contained an account TO the effect that an
| old gentleman named Goodheart had been
found wandering the streets at night, and
when taken to the station, ten thousand
dollars worth Of United States bonds wer Q
found upon him. The old man read 1t
over three times, slapping his leg as he saw
the point and beautiful smile covered his
face and climbed up through bis hair. In
about an hour his son William rushed into
| the station and called out:


Father dear father come homeW
We were crying all night long, and my wife
is now lying In comatose state on your
account"


The old man went home with him, wink
Ing at the lamp>posts, and smiling as he
turned the corners. He had all of his COM
forts back, and his son bought him costly
pipe and pair Of box toed shoes that very
day.


Well, as time went on, the son ventured
to suggest that the bonds had better be
turned over to him and every time he said
'bonds," the old man would smile and turn
the subject.


The other day the father went to bed to
die, and he smiled oitener than before, as
he lay waiting for the summons. The son
said his heart was breaking, and then he
went through the old mans clothes to find
the bonds. He didn't and any. He searched
the barn, the garret. and the cellar and
finally, when he saw that death was near,
he leaned over the bed and softly whis-
|pered


Father, do 20 know me9"


oh, yes,I know you like book, replied
the dying man.


"And father, don't you see this thing is
killing me?"


Yes, William, see itW


"And, father, those-those bonds, you
know. suppose you want them used to
purchase monument ~


" Yes, correct, William" whispered the
father, winking ghsstly wink, and as the
same old smile covered his face, death came
to take him to better home.


When evening fell, the son and the sons
wife were wildly searching the straw beds
TO get their hands on those bonds. q.