Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-02-29
CHAPTER III.


dead Let us have some warm fannels
Immediately, and tell Thomas to run
for DR.. Hunt.
It was long before the quivering
| lashes and feeble fluttering Of the heart
gave token that success would crown
the efforts of Eva's rescuers; but by
and-by the lids parted and revealed
two large, liquid, sky blue eyes, that
wandered from face to face in a bewil-
dered way, and then closed YEARLY.
81 fear she will not recover very rap
idly" said the doctor. She has a
delicate constitution and viii require
the best of care"
" Poor child - said Mrs. Turner, " I
do not wonder she is nearly dead but
who can she bel Some terrible acct
dent must have occurred at sea"
" You had better examine her cloth
ing" said the doctor - Perhaps you
may find some clue to her relations"
Mrs. Turner lifted the gossamerw white
dress, and turned it over and over -
/ The square and compass placed there
! by Mr.. Durant flashed upon the eyes Of
\ all at once The doctor and Mr.. Turn
/ or looked at each other, but neither
+ spoke and Mrs Turner did not notice
the tears that glistened in her husbands
eyes.
/ The doctors fears that Eva would
not recover rapidly proved to be well
/ founded days and weeks OF fever sue
coedcd in awakening her to life, during
which she talked incoherently of spa
pa and "poOr mamma, and of the
burning ship, and Of hunger. She
finally awoke to consciousness, and ask
ed many questions as to where she was
and how she came IN the dark room,
and who were those who attended her,
but DR.. Hunt forbade her beng ques-
toned till she was stronger
How interested We're all in tho little
conyalescent whom the elements bad
cast into the little seaboard town. The
/ ladies declared that never before
+ did child possess such lovely eyes, or
such beautiful curls, While the gentle
men seemed no less interested and
brought her gifts of everything that
might please her childish fancy.
"My dear little girl said DIR. Hunt
when Eva vas at length able to ride
out, "wiil you tell me your name"
" Eva, said the child. 8" thought
you knew it. y
"Yes, | know your name is Eva, but
want to know the rest of your name
your fathers name.
Eva Durant. Mr.. Durant is my
papa
ayes, but | want to know all you
can remember about your father and
mother
/ Eya's eyes nlled with tears. "Oh,
| sir my mmama died aud went to live
with the angels. And | do not know
whore papa is He said ii never saw
him again | must know he lad gone to
mamma.
"Where we're you when he told you
this 2"
"On the ship; and oh, the fire burn.
ed me so; and papa held me IN his
arms until strange wan took me and
tied something under my arms aad
I threw me into the water, and | have
not seen papa since. On, sir, can you
tell mo whore he IS p
No, dear child; but perhaps we
may yet find him.
And this was all that Eya's new friend
could discover. 1t was plain she had
come from the ship which had been
burned few weeks before TINT she
had been cast upon the sea, and tloated
TO tho shore; but where was her faith
cr} Had he been saved aud was be
searching FOR his childt Every posi-
bile effort was now made to lind him,
The circumstances Of the case with the
statement of the child, were published
fully in the newspapers OF the neigh
boring cities, but the grief stricken
father, achieving his child To he lost,
had sailed q week before for Europe
and it soon became settled in the minds
of Eya's protectors that he had perish
eli Bat the little one still pratted
about her papa, and said he would
come back by-and-by. Those who be-
heyed differently would not pain her by
contradiction
the square and compass that had
been found upon her clothing was re-
garled MS a powerful appeal from a
Mason To his brethren to care for his
child. So it came to pass that Eva be-
came. as it were, the special charge Of
Hiram Lodge No % Mr., Turner
would gladly have taken the entire care
Of the little waif, and tie wealthy Sen
ator " requested to lee allowed to
adopt her rs his daughter, but the
Brethren in Lodge assembled, declared
10y vote that Eva should be reared,
educated aud protected 10y the Ledge,
and thatas Providence had placed hen
in Brother Turner's house that should
be her home
And So years went by, and Eva be
came a healthy, Joyous child, fitting
here and there. and everywhere meet.
ing the warmest OF welcomes, The
Masonic HMll WIS hnt q few rods from