The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-11-28

Dear me" said Say; 1 ought to have
known better than to stop here with him
viii YOU stop crying, or | shall take you
home now. Some day III buy you lot OF
candy, if you're good,
"Taint no use to be good said Will, dc
spsirincly. 4 has been good
Whats the matter with the little boy?
said a gentleman, who had been standing
near by for some time, strangely observant OF
Saws pretty, wistful face under the old red
| hood.
Wants candy said Will, speaking up for
himself
Say bushed, and tried 10 draw him away
from the spot, but ray of hope had crcptt in
to his greedy little mind, and nc refused to
stir an inch.
Will you tell me what your name is' SAID
tho gentleman coming nearer, and bending
over poor mortified Say. i
MY name IS Sarah Fairlee Harris, said
she, smiling up into his face.
4 like him. He looks good she thought
and he is 80 handsome He looks like the
picture of the good brave knight in my story
book
The gentleman changed color, and looked
down at the child's ragged old boots and fad
ed gown with an expression in his face that
troubled her very mucn.
And what's the name Of the little boy that
wants candy" he said, pinching Wills club
by cheek.
William he said, smiling with great amia-I
bility through his tears.
We'll, suppose he may as well have can
dy if he wants it And he rushed into the
store before Say could say word
%, Will! what will mamma say? You
Just the same as asked the gentleman 10 give
you candy"
Will could not be brnaght to feel his guilt,
but expressed himself rs being confident in,
his own goodness and was quite satisfied
with the world just then
In few moments the gentleman appeared
perfectly ladened with dainties. Sucha reck.
less profusion of chocolate cream drops,
caramels, cocOa-nut cakes and kisses had
never fallen to the lot Of either of the childrenI
before.
%, sir how very good you are" Say eX-l
claimed. But | am afraid mamma will not
like it,
As for Will, he could hardly believe his.
own senses; and his face shone as much with
wonder as delight.
DO you live near here" asked the gentle
man Il believe used to know your moth
err used to know her when she was little
pHl ~ ihI StI tlldl Iou az VCiSh y't
named for herr You are certainly very like
the little Say Fairlec | used to go to school
with
why, how nice, said Say, 'to think that
you used to know mamma when she was a
little girl! was named for her; papa nam
ed me-
There was a bit of cloud on her friends
face when she named papa that did not escape
Says notice
If you used to know mamma once p'raps
you'd like to know her again. And | wish
you'd come with Us, said she, artlessly. I'd
like to have you dine with us, and so would
I'm sure, only and she hesltated
we amt gong to have turkey or plum pud
ding; not nice dinner, at all. We are very
poor, you know, and mamma has had to work |,
very hard since papa died TO get US our din
ners'
Then your papa is dead"
Yes said Say, sorrOwfully, hes been dead
ever since Will was wee bit OF baby-a
very long time And she did not approve OF,
the gentleman rs highly as she had done, be
cause he really looked pleased that her papa
was dead.
1 should be delighted to 60 home with
you said he. I'm Il stranger in the village
and hotel Thanksgiving dinner isn't likely
W iHuhc OuC lcCi Ecly tudnhluI,
I'm afraid you won't like our dinner; it's
pretty bad but then, VIC can haze COCO8nut !
cakes for desert YOU have Dough! 80 many
of them
But before they reached home, her fears on
that score had entirely vanished and she .as
sure that Mr.. Marsh-he had told her VIVA, |
his name waS-was the very incest gentleman
she ever saw, as well as the handsomest. She
chatted with him necessarily until she reach.
ed the door of their house She confided 70
him all her little trials, all her little Joys and
al mammals grief and trouble, and no listen
I'd to h:r with such an interested, sympathetic
ace.
Wont mamma be spriscdH she said, lead
ng the way into the poor little kitchen, that
served them as dining room, and sitting room
,lse. And mamma was 'sprised' when she
,aw the tall stranger enter in such an uncerc-
nonious way.
1 invited some one to dinner explained
Say, triumphautly.
You surely haven't forgotten me entirely
SARAH SAID the stranger, approaching her,
md holding out his hand.
Frank" she exclaimed, and grew 80 white
hat Say febged she was ill.,
Then, 10 the Little girls utter amazcment,
What did Mr. Marsh do but put his arm about
itT anu $50 HcI, say = sense OF pTDpTlcty
vas dreadfully shocked, and she looked on
viii, severity.
But things grew worse and worse. Nam
ns put her hand on his shoulder, and cried,
nd he comsorted her with all sorts Of endear.
ng words and tender assurances And they
alked about things that she did not under
tsnd at all--something about a mistake and
osiug a letter; and'all the while they seemed
% forget that there was any one else but
hamselves in the world, Win, taking advan-
age Of their absorDeT state, had eaten all the
oCoa.nut cakes.
My dear little Say said Mr. Marsh at last,
ttcr they had said everything they had to
ay ten times over, according to Says idea,
md the forgotten dinner had grown quite cold
IN the table, you didn't know how dear
iour mamma was to mct Do you know she ,
promised to marry me long before she ever
Jaw your papa? Then something happened
"A mistake was made, and we were separat- ,
ID. She thought that had ceased to care