Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-08-21

DottNt uC SAUL
Where is your mothcr?
Don't know
Where is your father?
Don't know
Where do you liver
Mes doin to live with oo?
with meY
'Es-my nanny told me So.
Your nanny told you so? Where is
your mammyT
Her don'd off,
what Is your mammy's name2'
lie looked me over from head 10 foot,
mentally gauging the extent of my idiocy,
and then answered scornfully:
Nanny named nanny; don't 90
know dat p
And she said you were TO live with mc?'
'Es; she said il me would, oo'd div me
lots of pretty sings
felt like the man who drew the Gle
plant by lottery. ITS most deuced COOL
said.
rs, it awiuy tool, said the young man,
rising, 'et's do in the house.
In the house and Invested of his wraps,
he was as much at home as if he had al
ways lived there. The first thing he did
was TO harness a chair to the head of the
lounge with an old pair of suspendors and
then TO get on himself and commenced
driving, "talking horse" most upruariuus-
ly.
Get ape now, won't oo?' Get ape. Whoa,
Danuary! DO long dere, won't 500? Darn
| 90 fool.
Ia oil riorl,t h,,f lao.
sort of a fix was inn Well, TO cundense
the matter, gave him in charge of the
| landlady, and went out to see if could
| find his mother. II was Of no use. adj
vertised him in every possible. way. No
body claimed him, and l concluded that
he had dropped out of the clouds for my
especial benefit. Perhaps The bread had
thrown upon the waters had been meta
morphosed into meat, and in this shape
| had returned to me sooner than ] expect
| ed. / would be careful how l made anolh-
er compact with my spirit friends. But
even yet it seemed that they had not fully
recompensed me for my kindness to the
children OF the past Christmas.
was sitting one evening with Dotty by
the fire, some six weeks amer his advent,
when there was a shuffing in the hail. 'and
soon tiny rap at the door. l opened ii,
and little girl came In timidy with her
finger in her mouth. At first the light
dazzled her, but she soon peered round the
table and espied Dotty. He, too, had seen
her, and with a little scream he rushed
towards her, and then commenced the
most extravagant demonstrations of joy
| mi in I
curious to know what it all meant, but
they did not answer my questions. They
did not seem to hear them. 1t was "Oh,
Dotty," and sob, Lily" kss-kiss-kiss,
and "Tum up to de fire Lily, Ell me shake
de snow off DOR cloak - and Where did
90 dit dat pretty horsey, Dottyf' and then
more EXPLANATIONS and more kissing. ]
was utterly bewildered and, AFTER cudgel-
ing my brain to an extent undreamed OF
in all my previous years, l gave it up as
hopeless for that night at least, and con-
cluded 10 sleep on 1t as soon as they go
done kissing. In the succeeding days ]
found out partly by questioning and part
ly by guessing, that these children were
twins. Who they were, or what the oh.
ject IN palming them off upon me, remain
cd profound mystery for years. l will
just say, in passing, that though a little re-
sentful at first at what seemed an unpar.
donaSle liberty in thus forcing great re
sponsibility upon me, l soon became no
only reconciled, but infinitely happier
than ever expected to be. MY darling,
, grew in grace and beauty, and became the
very life OF my life. But from the momen
IF hai 7
, by woman, who in spite OF all my effort
baftied every attempt TO see her plainly
, One summer eve, as sat In my little sit
ting-room with the children at dinner,
became conscious OF some strange influenc,
| near me, and glanclng around l saw he
3 through the open window, just melting on
r of sight in the dim darkness. And man,
r time after l caught partial glimpses of
thin, wasted form, but never once was il
2 a position to catch or detain her. At las
. moved by compassion for what knew Il
be in that poor mothers heart, posted al
! advertisement on all conspicuous place
= near my dwelling which was something
, like this
I IF the mother of Dotty and Lily will
come TO me openly she shall see her chill
I dren without reserve. But in case sh
shall have reasons of her own for not com
} ing, would like TO let her know that he L
: whom she gave them thanks her with
humble and happy heart for her preciou
gift, and will pledge himself never TO prov,
: recreant TO so sacred trust
f Now, so far from this producing the ef
] feet had desired, II seemed TO Danish tn
a mother entirely away, and 1t was nearly
, twelve years after the children came to me
Q that the next event happened.
5 There was an exhibition in Lily's school
? and she was TO have the leading characte
in some theatrical performance. She wa,
Q pleased and excited quite beyond her natu
5 raj self. She studied her part with avidity
: and with the most thrilling and brlllian
action rehearsed 1t again and again befor,
D me. When the night came, she appeared
, on the stage In character, exquisltely dress
( cd in court train and jewels. 1t was IN,
t first time had ever seen her out of shor
3 dresses. Who was It she reminded me Of