The daily gazette., 1875-12-18

u
tai with white wall and iron gates, and
inside were long halls or wards with
rows OF small, narrow beds, on which
poor sick and dying people Law. Well.
it was one cold winters day that a
woman died there; she was thin and
emaciated, and oh, so wretched-they
had found her in the poorest section
OF the city, ,and brought her there with
a Wretched, wan, sickly child clipgiug
to her skirts, and she had lain and
coughed on that narrow bed for long.
weary weeks, and then died without a
single look or word for the miserable
little child. When the bed was empty.
and the mother gone to the potter's
field, the poor child cried alone and
neglected until one of the nurses,
younger and more gentle than the
others, noticed the little thing and
saw that her checks were burning with
lever, and that she was famished for q
KIND word, so the nurse sat down and
took the little girl in her lap and did
just what am mdoing-she told a story.
"Once upon time, began the nurse
I-you know story is never told IN
less it begins that way there was
great, big, fine house with lots of nice
things in it; beautiful pictures, and
rooms full of flowers and birds
Real flowers and real birds?' asked
the child.
=" Yes. all real; and fountains of clear
shining water, and orange trees all in
bloom, and tables set with glistening
silver, and oh, such lovely things to
eat'
" Turkey asked the child, eager
ly.
Yes, and chicken, and roast beef,
brown and juicy; and bread as white
a. snow, and -
{" 'Pudden, asked the little girl,
getting very white about her th;u
lips.
" Pudding and pies both, answered
the nurse; plum pudding with big fas
raisins in it, and sweet white sauce to
eat in it, and lots Ofapples, and raisina
and nuts, and toys to play with, and
pretty little dolls, with pink cheek
and curly hair, and one real big wax
one, With eyes that open and shut,
and
"But the poor little hospital starvc-
ling had tainted from excess of happi-
ness, and the nurse laid her on the
little bed, and put few spoonfuls Of
hospital soup between her lips, and
went away to look after other pa
tients.
And in the middle of the night, the
little girl woke up very weak and sti1
and oh, so hot and patched. The
moon shone in bright and clear as day
and the child grew lightheaded as she
though of all the things the nurse had
told her, and she made up her mind to
go away and find the big; fine home,
with all its splendid things; SO she
slipped ont of bed very softly, and
passed the white beds and sleeping nur-
ses, and opened one of the great doors
and the guard was so frightened at
what he thought was small ghost
that he ran away. Then the child
went out on the wide street and ran
on and on, as fast as her poor little
feet could carry her, but she knew not
where.
That night there was grand party
at the residence of the American Goa
sui and it was past midnight before the
last guests departed, and as the lights
fell on the great stone steps they saw
a child that looked like spirit cling
ing to the railing, and the good consul
took her in, and his kind wife was a
mother to her during the long weeks
of illness and delirlum that followed;
when she became well again she found
herself in lovely room, all white and
rose red, with kind, motherly face
bending over her, and on stand near
all the wax dolls she had raved about
in her delirium. Well, the good con
sui and his wife adopted her, but she
will have no fortune when she marries,
beyond an humble competence. Now
who do you think the good consul
waS?'
Your, your-Mr. Van Dusenf" an
swered the colonel in Il tremulous voice
And the adopted child" and Clara
bent forward for an answer.
Was yourself? Ies-yes l under
stand, dear Miss Miss-Clara | mean,
ssymPathize-d-d-,dear me-" looking at
his watch hurriedly. Your charming
story has kept me whole hour real
~ must so at once, hate to leave you
looking so lovely, but important business
engaged to dinner at the Letfingwells-
All, my dear Mis- Clara, must tear ny
self away an r,roir,' and the gallant
Colonel kissed the tips of tine fair hand
exteHded TO him, and nearly fell over
| Harry Westeryelt as he bowed himself
out.
Harry found Clara il Mysteries on the
| lStrlu rug, Willie bSTIutl Wis SAAhlnR IL
| couvulsions of laughter bove her; all the.
coherent words he could obtain from
either of item was the reiteration. "Oh,
it is too good it Is too good " until they
grew more composed, when Clara told
him the story she had told the colonel,
| the story or her pretty, black-eyed wait
ing maid, Maria.
That accounts for his muttered
thanksgiving as he passed by me-" said
Harry; Il heard him mutter 'deuced
thankful, SO he jumped at the conclusion
you intended
Il knew he would. oh, Harry, he is So
mercenary it must be sore blow to him
l can almost find it in my heart to be
sorry for him
Can you, dearest:" whispered Harry.
as Bertha discreetly withdrew. Then
dismiss him from your thoughts; here is
something to help you to forget him."
and Harry displayed a diamond solitaire
of marvellous dimensions and color. 1t