The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-20

yer. and oh. such lovely things to eatp'
sTurkeyr asked the child, eagerty.
"sYes. and chicken, and roast beef,
brown and juicy; aud bread as Waite %
snow, and - .
And pudden,' asked the little girl,
getting very white about her thin lips.
Pudding and pies both,' answered
the nurse; 'plum pudding with big tat
raisins in 1t, and sweet, white sauce to
eat ON it, and lots Of apples, and raisins
and nuts, and toys to Pity with, and
pretty little dolls, with pink cheeks and
curly hair, and one real big wax one,
with eyes that open and shut, and -
"But the poor little hospital starveling
had tainted from excess of happiness,
and the nurse laid her on the little bed,
and put few spoonsful Of hospital soup
between her lips, and then went away to
look after other patients.
0And in the middle Of the night the lit.
tie girl woke up very weak and stiff, and
oh. SO hot and parched. The moon sh0ne
in bright and clear as day, and the child
grew nghtheaded as she thought OF all
| the things the nurse had told her, and
/ she made up her mind to go away and
| find the big, tlne home. with all its splen.
did things; SO she slipped out OF bed
very softly, and passed the white beds
ana sleeping nurses, and opened one of
| the great doors, and the guard was so
frightened at what he thought was q
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 agfand party
at the residence OF the American Consul
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, clinging to the
railing, and the good consul took her in,
and his kind wife was mother to her
during the long weeks of illness and de-
! lirium that followed; when she became
well again she found herself in a lovely
room. all white and lrose-red, with a
kind, motherly face bending over her,
/ and on stand near, all the wax dolls
i she had raved about in her delirium.
4 Well, the good consul and his vile
1 adopted her, and gave her home and
money, but she Will have no fortune
4 when she marries, beyond an humble
competence. Now, who do you think
the good consul was?
"Your, your-Mr. Van Dusenw an.
sweped the colonel IN tfemuious
lYoice.
"And the adopted child" and Clara
bent forward for an answer. ...,
"Was yourself? Yes-yes; l under
lstand, dear Miss-Miss-Clara mean
j pathize-d-d-dear me, )" loooking
at his watch hurriedly. "Your charm
ing story has kept me whole hour.
realIy must 60 at once, hate to leave you
4 Hooking 50 lovely, but important bust.
|ness-engaged to dinner at the Letting
wells-An, my dear Miss Clara, mus
tear my self away; au revoir." and the
gallant colonel kissed the tips OF the fail
hand extended to him, and nearly fei
over Harry Westervelt as he bowed him
sell out.
Harry found Clara in Mysteries on the
hearth rug, while Bertha was shaking il
. commissions of laughter above her; al
! the coherent words he could obtain from
Ieither Of them was the reiteration. "On
lit is too good! it is too goodV until the,
grew more composed, when Clara tol(
him the story she had told the colonel
the story OF her pretty, black eyed Wait
Ling maid, Maria. "That accounts for hi
muttered Thanksgiving as ne passed b.
me-" said Harry Il heard him mutte
'deuced thankful; SO he jumped at the
conclusion you intended
Il knew ne We lid. On, Harry, he ii
so mercenary it must be sore blow t,
him. can almost lind 1t in my heart t.
lbe sorry Tor him."
..Can you, dearest" whispered Har
ry, as Bertha discreetly withdrew
/, .ifhen dismiss him from your thoughts
here is something to help you to forge
: nim," and Harry displayed diamond
solitaire Of marvellous dimensions an,
color. 1t just fitted the pretty inde:
finger of the bIushing Clara, and was til
. seal of their betrothal.
y That night the announcement wa
: made after the dinner had been dis
: cussed. Among the guests was a frien
= of Colonel Ingersoll, to whom the beam
= ing and mischievous Bertha had JUS
vouchsafed promise Of her own charm
!, ing self in the future; he learned tn
! story OF Miss Van Dusen's ru,e, and di
not let it lose i'll the telling; but the co
= onel bears his defeat we'll, only Il
wishes he had not made that rapid d,
nouement just as the artful girl intehde
he should.
1 =