Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-05-12

and swallowed her up, as in their amaze
ment the Andersons almost believed i
had
I'VE cannot wait here much longer
Myra," Mr.. Anderson said, uneasily, to hi,
wife; "these hotel bills run up terribly
and you know we've got barely enough
money now to buy the farm Tom has bar
gained for. l never did get in debt, and
don't like to begin by doing so in 9
strange place.
"But, Ben, it seems terrible to go OF
without knowing something about her,
she said, sadly.
"I wish we never had started" inter
rupted Ralph, impetuously, II am sure
shall never like out there, and / dom
want to 90 now she isn't to be with rs,
the franE, boyish face growing grave and
troubled.
ats my opinion that it's no use await
in here. it's hard thing to say, neigh
bors, but don't believe she's anywhere,
alios, now" Bradlee. said, his jovial face
1rayer than it ever was before. "Still, IL
you say 80, why we'll wait, if it's all
summer. l wouldn't vally every dollar l
have got-which amt many, to be sure
goin' into Gordon's pocket, If only there
was the slightest chance of her comm
back, or our findin' out anything about
her, poor little Hummin' Bird |"
There was two or three days more OF
dreary waiting and suspense, and then
the Journey was resumed, Mr.. Gordon
promising to inform them Immediately If
anything whatever concerning the lost
child came to light
The beautiful West" of which Tom
Arnold had written in such glowing terms
to his sister, seemed now to that sister
like some dreadful ignus jdtuus, growing
wilder and more fitful as they shot away
from the city where it still seemed to her
that the bright little face, which had crept
so into her heart, was yet somewhere hid
den. All, how desolate and gloomy look
ed the half-broken forest farms, scattered
here and there along the way! What Gu
riOus, squalid looking huts, with four
small panes of glass doing duty for win
dows, and never single or clapboard,
or bit Of white paint anywhere about
them. And how solemn and lonely
looked the great shadowy forests, in their
dead, unbrOken level; 80 little like the
airy hills of the East, where the leaves
toyed with the clouds, and caught the
sunshine in their green palms. But now
and then there glimmered through the
trees pretty white villages, as they hur-
ried on, and at last Chicago was reached,
Chicago, the Wicked, if all the news
papers say can be relied on. But l am
not inclined to believe all its traducers
say of it. remember some very pleasant
things Of it, and believe there could be
quite q respectable remnant found who
have "not bowed the knee unto Ban" "
even in these degenerate days.
Tom Arnold, little older, q little stout
er, but still the old, genial, true-hearted
Tom, grasped their hands the instant their
feet touched the platform.
"Oh, Ben p grasping his hand, and
Ned Bradlee, as live! Well, if this isn't
Jolly! And Myra, my dear girl" holding
her in his strong arms and kissing her
fondly, "and this is your boy this great
fellow /" holding Ralph's arm and looking
admiringly at him. Aren't you delight
ed to see your worthy uncle, whom, it is
said, you are so fortunate as to resemble
in certain fine traits of character :" he
cried, with laugh. "But where is the
wonderful little exotic you wrote me such
an extravagant account OF, Myra?' he
asked, looking round, and pausing to
take breath.
"She is lost, Tom," Mrs. Anderson an
swered, gravely, the smile fading from her
Not dead! p he exclaimed, his face 30
bering.
1--WE do not know !" and as they went
into the station she told him the story OF
Viola's strange disappearance.
Sand that is why you are SO Tar be-
hind? l have been here a week, waiting
Tor you, and yesterday wrote to find out
if you had left Massachusetts, l believe
| was getting rather nervous. But this is
an odd affair! Don't you believe the child
ran away on purpose? You say she
didn't like the idea of comingr'
IRAN away !-our Viola" cried Ralph,
Indignantly.
Il beg your pardon, my boy, but l hope
80, and do not think it SO very improba-
BILE, either. It's not very likely the child
is dead. She would have been found If
she had been. / suppose you were quite
attached to her ?" ne asked, carelessly.
90, Tom, loved her as if she had been
my own!" Myra Anderson cried, catching
her breath sharply.
"Ah! I'm very sorry, grille, he said,
gently, holding her hand in firm, warm
grasp. But 1 am SO glad TO see yoa
again that / can't look very sorry, am
afraid. Why, it's twelve years do you
know its Have l changed very much
Don't be afraid of hurting my vanity, but
tell me if look older and different from
what you expected"
"No, you have not changed as much as
I feared. o, Tom, / could never have
come, it was so hard at the last, il you
had not heen here"
"You're the best sister in the world
Myra, and we will be as happy as clans
see, I've not forgotten my native
similes!-- we win never be separated
again while God lets us live, my girl
he said, earnestly.
The new home in the West! How can
l make you who are natives understand
the aliens hearth How can / make you
realize the faint inconsistencies that aol
come, even amid the fsirest scenes and in
the most attractive land? The new may
be score of times more lovely, and you
may know that it is much the best fol-
your interests, but it lacks that indefna
BILE sonsething which the old held, and il
will lack it forevermore! You may fancy
you have outgrown and forgotten it, per
haps; but sometime it will start suddenly
to life, and mock your fancied dream Of
content with its old. vanished sweetness