The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-12-27

pew and hid my eyes. felt the child
creep close beside me. ....
Poor thing he's tired ! I heard her
whisper and put her little hand and pat
ted me softly by stealth.
Soon looked down into the church
again, and saw Grant Scranton kiss the
bride.
1T is all over ! said the girl.
'Yes child 1 said 'all over
- Then 1 must 60 she said. Thank
you for being so kind to me, sir. Good
bye"
Goodbye I said, and her little
leather shoes pattered over the aisle,
and down the stairs, and 1 had seen, as
| thought the last of her. When she
had gole, missed fer strongly
l went home when the church was
quite empty. 1t had not been as hard
to bear as l had feared, and, odd enough
1 found myself thinking Of that child's
gipsey head, and those beautiful long
fringod eyes. I wondered at myself but
| it was so. .''..
L should like to see that child again
said, and as l spoke l spied crowd
about tavern upon the road.
1t was & poor place, and poor, rough
people male up the group. But it was
plainly no common quarrel or drinking
about had brought Them there, for theil
faces were grave and their voice suppress
ed. crossed the road. 81, 81 .''.
What has happened, friend? L in
CURED of a tinker. ' ,'.. '.
'Only Blind fiddler dropped dead
he said. But there is a gal there wilC
about it.
And then l passed him and went in
An old man lay upon the floor, ant
across his body girl had flung herself
I knew the gipsey hair and brown neck
the scant cotton dress and the sunbon
net flung with a handful of wild flower
upon the floor, and 1 bent over her lii
tie despairing head.
My child I said, he is happie
than we are.
And she looked up.
He was all 1 had,' she said, a
all t. .&H.
So had 1 thought when Allcttc CAV
me back our betrothal ring. Ny heal
ached for her. I said no other wore
but led her to an inner room, while tw
men bore the dead up stairs, She wei
wildly, but my presence seemed to con
fort her. r' TO-
After while she drew closer to me
and sitting on low stool leaned he
forhead on my knee. Soon my han
rested on it, and in an hour she ha
so5bei herself to sleep.
said few words to the landlat
t when l arose to leave; and she promi
. ed to attend to my orders enforced
= the contents of my pocket~book
The girl shun't 60 until I hear fro
you SIR she said Indeed don't kno
where she would 60. She seems iien
e less, and such child for her age
Thank you sir ! '.n
c And l went on my way again, thin
= ing not OF Aletta, but of the dead fiddler
n grandchild. This Drowned wal
o so simple, so ignorant, so friendless al
:, alone. ... .H.
IS I was young yet-uot fve.and TWEEN
r. "a bachelor, and likely to be my Ii
d long l had no proper home to ia
n her to, and no friend to aid me. i
d last, in my extremity, l thought OF BC
ty, old Betty who had once been II
= nurse, and who loved me as she mig
|. her own son-and in the gloamiu
n made my way to her poor home. fou
a her trimming her vines in the hit
y garden ground, and had my usual k
across the garden fence even before t
Is gate was opened.
N I've been thinking of you,' she sa
Ell / know it was you as soon as l hea
r. some one coming, Tisn't every you
gentleman would weary himself to S
le au old body like me, Sit down hon
al and rest. ... IF
W Ieame to ask a favor, Betty
! said" 70 .-"
IN Just name ii Master Berthe
k Will you take boarder, Betty 2
8 Bless me in my twOrooms 2