Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-03-28

I come to London; traced you to the pub
Lie house where you had first lived, but
there 1 lost the clue. After much weary
search, put the matter in the hands Oi
the police, and went back to Berkshire, where
this very morning 1 got letter, saying
girl answering your descriptson lived in this
street, with a small linen-draper of the
name of Quilcher. They are said to b
coarse and cruel people, and from the close
ness with which they kept you, caution
would be necessary in making sure if thu
girl were really you. I therefore set of
at once, neighbOr Deacon driving me in his
cart to the station, and the good Smiths
and Corters, and others filed this basket
with pies and other niceties for you. 81
when 1 got to this street, and inquired at 9
hair dresser's, where"
"Oh, father" she interrupts, "that rnust
have been Rasper's. They are stch nice
good people. They learnt fom Samson
how hardly was used, and so they sent
me many little thing, or must have been
starved. Once got away and spoke to
them, and they bid me give Mrs. Quilcher
warning; but she wOuld't take it, and
So"
"Sbe'n take it nOw," he replies firmly,
sand tonight, too. Well, En-! when you've
had few days holiday amongst our old
friends, I shall put you to good school for
six months, for 1 am going to stay that
time in England. 1 have to buy my plows
and seeds, and carpenters tools, and many
other things, and to look about me, to see
if 1 can find a good honest fellow or two
who will be willing if 1 pay their passage
money to the colony, to help me year OF
two with the farm"
Something has already crossed her quick
mind; and it is on her lips now, but fear
and prudence restrain it.
"NOw, Emmy" he adds, after mo-
ment's pause, "Open the basket, and see
what's there for supper"
She has risen to obey him, first drawing
the little rickety table near, when there
comes,
KNOCK TWO ON QUILCHER's DOOR.
Father" she says, quickly, ats Sam
son, Mrs. Quilcher's assistant. Please don't
be angry if he comes down here. You will
like him, he's so good; and he has been
such friend to me-"
She does not wait for assent or dissent ;
but hurrying away with sole scrapOf can
die, goes up stairs The father smiles, but
not in her sight, for he wishes to make his
own observations first. For some minutes
there is great whispering in the narrow
passage, where some one says he had bet
ter go up to bed: in reply are little. soft
dissents, till at last heavy feet come down
the stairs, following little, hesitating. trip
ping ones. Then Emmy comes in; and her
father sees before him the stalwart, large
handed stranger he answered so eurtly on
the railway platform. At once he arises,
and, with plain, honest, manly straightfor-
ward frankness, holds out his hand to Sam
son.
I'm sorry, stranger" he says, "at hav-
ing been so rude to you, but men who've
had to rough the world as 1 have had, are
apt to get currish in their humOr. Forgive
me; 1 did not then know you were my lit
tie Emma's friend"
Samson is of couse, thunderstruck at all
he now learns, and listens with bated breath.
Then in reply he has much to tell of little
Emma and the Quilchers, and what both
suffer at the hands of the latter. By-and-
by, when Samson is warm beside the fire,
and Emma's father has begun his talk
about New Zealand, the little maid opens
the basket and brings forth a wonderful
pork pie, apple and jam pufs, and other
country dainties. Placing these forthwith
on the table, with knives and forks and
plates, she next opens the oven, and from
thence comes the delicate piggy-wiggy and
currant sauce, and plumb pudding, she has
boarded for Samson. She would have CIV
en- portion of it to her father, but he, say
ing that he dined well to-day before he
started, insists that the hungrier man shall
have it.
"FOr suspect" he adds, still speaking
to Samson, "that you've had little Christ
mas cheer to-day, for you looked so cold
and hungry when 1 saw you on the plat
form IfnOt too bold, may 1 ask you where
you'd teeh?"
Samson bushes red like a young girl;
his gaze has already been fixed on little
Emma as she already places the
succulent dainty before him; now it droOps
away like one brought to confession of a f,
sin.
"Why, why" he falters, Emma, in the
little talks we've had, often told me of that
old Berkshire farm where she was born and
reared; and how, on Christmas Ewes, she
had often trudged with you to get holly
from a rare old tree growing on an upland
about mile from where you loved. She
had said day or two ago, 'oh! that she
had spray of holly from that tree So,
as wanted country air, and country walk, J
and wished to please one 50 kind to me,
and one whose pleasures are SO few, set
off by the earliest train this morning to the
place Emma had described A long and
weary walk it was, for was wholly igno-
rant of the LEGALITY; but at last finding the
farm, 1 pilOted my way thence more
easily to the bleak upland where stood the