The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-12-24

Don q knOWs
s'Where is your father?"
'Don't know" gat
where do you live 2"
"Me's doin' to live with 90"
with me
"Es-my nanny teIl'd me so."
'Your NANNY told you SO? ? Where
is your nanny 7"
"Her's dOn'd of"
whats your mamRy's name ?"
He looked at me from head to foot
mentally gauging the extent of my
idiOcy, and then answered scornfully,
"Mammy name nanny, don't 90
know dat ?"
"And she said you were to live with
me ?1
''Es, her said if me would, oo'd get
me lots of pretty things"
felt like the man who drew the ell
ephant at the lottery "It's most
deuced COOL" said. Hi So
''Es, it's awful tool" said the young
man, rising, "Ets do in de house,,
In the house, and divested of his
wraps, he was as much at homa as If
he had always lived there. The first
thing he did was to harness chair to
the head of the lounge with an old
pair OF saspenders, and then to get on
to it himself and commence' driving,
stalking horse most uproariousiy.Goi
tGet ape now, wOn'tyou? Get ape
Whoa, panuaryl Do long dsre, darn
old fool"
He was evidently all right but
what sert of fix was in ? Well, to
condense the matter, / gave him in
charge of the lamdlady, aud went out
to see if could find his mother. 1t
was no use; [ advertised him in
every possible way, Nobody ciaimed
him, and 1 concluded that. he had
dropped from the clouds for my es-
pecial benefit. Perhaps the bread l
had thrown upon the water had been
metamorphosed into meat, and IN this
shape had been returned to me sooner
than expected. l would be careful
how made another 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 s. szEo9
was sitting one evening with Dot
ty by the fire, some six weeks alter his
advent, when there was slight shut
! fling in the hall, and soon a tiny rap
upon my door. | opened it and a
little girl came in with her finger in
her mouth. AT first the light dazzled
her, but she soon peered round the
| ia BILE and then espied Dottv. He, too
| had seen her, and with little scream
he rushed toward her, and then COM
menced the most extravagant demon
strations of joy eyer Witnessed in
my life. OF course, | was anxious to
know what it all meant, but they did
| i 4
not seem to hear them. 1T was 80,
Dotty," and go, Lily I" kiss-kiss-
kiss and t'tum up 10 de FIRE, Lily : eft
me snake de snow off oor cloak :" and
"where did you get dat pity horsey,
Dotty p and then more exclamations
and more kissing. | was utterly be-
brains to an extent undreamed of in
all my previous years, gave it up as
hopeless for that night at least, and
concluded to sleep on it as soon as
they got done kissing. In the succeed
ing days found out partly by ques-
tioning and partly by guessing, that
these children were twins. Who they
were, and what the object of palming
them off upon me, remained q pro-
found mystery for years. l will just
| Sdys I'll ludb ltttlC re-
sentfuI at first at what seemed an un-
pardonable liberty in thus forcing a
great responsibility upon me, soon
became not only reconciled, but inf
nitely happier than evor expected to
be. My darlings grew in grace and
beauty, and became the very life of
my life. But from the moment of
their entering my house 7 was haunt
| nlA N, in oUnitn of nll
nv efforts, baffied every sttempt to
see her plainly. One summer evening
as sat in my little sitting room, with
the childred at dinner, became con-
scious of some strange influence near
me, and glancing around saw her
through the open window, just melt
| ing out of sight in the dim darkness.
! And many times afterwards l caught
partial glimpses of a thin, wasted
form, but never once was Lin position
to catch or detain her. At last, moved
| by compassion for what / knew TO be
in that poor mothers heart, | posted
an advertisement on all The conspicn-
GUS places near my dwelling, which
was something like this:
''If the mother of DOtty aud Lily
will come to me openly, she shall see
her children without reserve. But in
case she shall have reasons of her own
for not coming, l would like to let
her know that ne to whom she gave
them thanks her with a happy and
humble heart for her rprecious gift, and
will pledge himself never to prove re-
creant to SO sacred Il trust" sii5
Now, so far from this producing the
effect had desired, it seemed to ban
ish the mother entirely away and il
was nearly twelve years after the chill
| dren came to me that the next event
happened to US. oi I',5 l.irA
There was an exhibition in Lily 1
! school. anu she was to have the lead
ing character in some amateur theat.
rical performance. She was pleased
and excited quite beyond her natural
self. She studied her part with avidi-
ty, and with the most thrilling and
brilliant action she rehearsed it again
and again TO me. When the night
came, she appeared oD the stage il
character, eXquisitely dressed with
court train and jewels 1t was thG
first time had seen her out of shor
dresses. Who was it she reminded
me of? Surely, 1 had known some
one at some time in my life just like
my splendid darling. [ listened tC
Il her and watched her, with what pride
who can tell until the last act whel
the curtain falls upon her in tableaT
with hands crossed upon her breast
her tender eyes appraised, the whole
wealth of her. pale golden hair falling
in one curling misty cataract down tC
her waist, the innocence of angels ra
dating from her, and yelling her girl
ish form with a gentle grace. so ten
derby touching. Through the happ!
tears that filled my eyes saw hall
encircle her like a rrinbow; and theI
t the curtain fell aud heard a scream
from some woman in the audience
The scream pierced my heart. like {
; knife, for, lifted out of myself as
was by the intensity OF my feelings
3 there csmc to me a perfect revelation
, of all the inexplicable events of tn
last few years--so iull of quiet con
t tent TO me, so full of agony to Others
. In vain, Tor some moments, | strug