The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-04-04

over. The square and compass placed
there by Mr.. Durant flashed upon the
eyes of all. The doctor and Mr.. Tur-
ner looked at each other, but neither
spoke, and Mrs. Turner did not notice
the tear that glistened in her hus-
bands eyes.
The doctors fears that Eva would not
recover proved not to be well found
ed days and weeks of fever succeed
ed in awakening her 10 life during
which she talked incoherentIy OF
s'papa. and sspoor mamma" and of the
''burning ship" and of ''nunger." She
finally awoke TO consciousness, and
asked many questions as TO where she
was and how she came in the dark
room, and who were those who at
tended her, but DIR. Hunt forbade her
being questioned until stronger.
How interested were all i'll the lit
tie convalescent, whom the elements
had cast into the little seaboard town
The ladies declared that never before
did child possess such beautiful
eurls, while the gentlemen seemed no
less interested, and brought her gifts
of everything that might please her
childish fancy.
"My dear little girl" said DR.. Hunt
when Eva was at length able to ride
out, Twill you tell me your name y
Eva said the child, Il thought
you knew it,
eyes, i know your name is Eva, but
want to know the rest of your name
your fathers name"
ssEva Durant. Mr.. Durant is my
papa. .
"Yes, L want you to tell me all you
can remember about your father and
mother"
Eva's eyes flied with tears. "Oh,
sir, my mamma died and went to live
with the angels. And 1 do not know
where papa is. He said if never saw
him again must know he had gone
to mamma
"Where were you when he told you
this p
"On the ship; and oh, the fire burn
ed me so : and papa held me in his
arms until strange man took me and
tied something under my arms and
threw me into the water, and | have
not seen papa since. o, sir, can you
tell me where he is ~
mo, dear child; but perhaps we
may yet find him."
And this was all that Eva's new
friend could discover. 1t was plain
she had come from the ship which
had been burned few weeks before /;
that she had been cast upon the sea,
and foated to the shore; but where
was her father? Had he been saved,
and was he searching for his child
Every possible effort was now made
to find him. The circumstances of the
case, with the statement of the child,
were published in the newspapers of
the neighboring cities, but the grief
stricken father, believing his child to
be lost, had sailed a week before for
Europe, and it soon became settled in
the minds of Eva's protectors. that he
had perished. But the little one still
prattled about her 'spapa," and said he
would come by and by,and those who
believed differently would not pain
her by contradiction.
The square and compass that had
been found upon her clothing was re-
garded as a powerful appeal from a
Mason to his bl ethren to care for his
child. So it came to pass that Eva be-
came as it were the special charge of
Hiram Lodge, No. SO. Mr., Turner
would gladly haye taken the entire
care of the little waif, and the wealthy
Senator W--requested to be al
lowed to adopt her as his daughter, but
the Brethren in the Lodge assembled,
declared by vote that Eva should be
reared, educated and protected by the
Lodge, and that as Providence had
placed her in Brother Turner's house,
that should be her home.
And so years went by, and Eva be-
came healthy, joyous child, fitting
here and there, and everywhere meet
ing the warmest of welcomes. The
Masonic Hall was but few rods from
Mr.. Turner's residence, and Eva often
went with him as far as the door, and
then returned alone always bidding
the,Tiler sstake good care of pa Tur-
ney, and send him home early