The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-05-15
2uiecellaneous.
Found q Uife.

are nowhere stepped forth into the frosty
winter night amid a crowd of play goers, d
man of about four and twerty and about the
middle height, broad shouIdered, dark hair, and
with black eyes, very handsome man, and
dressed in style which was costly and elegant,
ard became him wonderfully well.
There came little wall upon his cara cry
almost like that of an iuiant-and looking
down, Harry Bolton upon the pavement,
close beside him, little girl not more than five
wears old. She was what appeared to be a
handful of rags, and her tiny feet and curly
head were bare. more miserable object the
moon never looked upon, and the moan she
made touched the young mans heart he
knelt down and caught her as she passed by.
"Stop, little one," he said, "what brings you
out this night? Where do you live? And where
is your mother?
The child struggled to escape, but when the
last question came, stood still and answered
with sobs:
"In heaven | want to GO there
"You are on the right road, then, this winter
night; half naked and starving, too, fancy"
said Harry to himself. He began to question
her again.
"Where do you live?'
81 don't know"
"Who takes care of your
"Nobody."
at looks like it. Have you any supper"
ma" and the child began to cry.
Harry Bolton endeavored to remember some
portion of his childish education
"You want to go to heaven, do you?" he ask
ed. ait appears to me ] remember being told
that children who cry never went to heaven,
and am sure that children who do not mind
never do; remember that"
The child understood, and the effect of this
doubtful moral teaching was, at least, to silence
her. Then the moon witnessed a phenomenon.
Harry Bolton, the dandy, the dashing gambler,
the man OF betting books, shouldering ragged
child and walking away with her in the most
self possessed fashion.
"We must have some supper" he hastily said.
owe must not be too fashionable under the
circumstances And so saying he descended
into cellar eating house, where, at the late
hour, the few guests were too much intoxicated
to notice the singular pair, and only the pro-
prietor and few OF his employees remained to
be astonished.
Marching down the room with perfect sang
froid, Harry Bolton perched the child upon one
of the chairs, and seating himself at the table
ordered beefsteak, and brandy and water for
two and the order being filled, ordered his COM
panion to ego ahead" and watched to see the
mandate obeyed in vain; the child stared at
the viands in establishment, but made no at.
tempt to eat.
Harry remained in a puzzled condition for
e,
made him his confdant in this wise:
"You look like family man, waiter, do you
know any way ofmaking child take its feed ?"
"Not such feed as that, sir, replied the waiter.
"Milk and water is what they like, and bread
and butter, CT if meat, chopped up into bits
like. Bless ye, look at her tiny teeth, SIR"
"To be sure" said Harry. "Well, cut the
meat up, then bring her some bread and butter
but milk and water-youd make the poor thing
sick won't you2 IT wolld me-"
"You and her is constructed different, sir"
said the waiter. Harry nodded.
Food being prepared to suit her appetite, the
child ate greedily, to Harry's satisfaction, and
after sufficing her to his hearts content and
stripping himself of his overcoat, wrapped the
waif in it and started for home.
He had splendid set ofbachelor apartments,
and there he found glowing fire awaiting him.
The child, when he opened the coat, was sound
asleep; so tucking her into bed in a grimy
state, which would have shocked any good
housewives heart, Harry composed himself in
great arm chair, and lighting cigar began
to smoke.
All night he sat smoking and thinking and
by dawn his plans were formed. A consulta-
ton with the landlady ended with the consign-
ment of the child to the care of an elderly wo-
man, warranted conscientious and amiable.-
Harry Bolton found himself the guardian of an
adopted child. From that moment change
| object to think of and care for. He said to him
self:
al will bring up daughter for my old age y
| and set to work to become fitting parent for
| the wonderful woman he had proposed to make
her. He quilted his habits of dissipation, half
his time was spent in visiting his charge, who,
| we'll cared for, grew every day more lovely and
engaging. He taught her to call him Uncle
Harry, and it was strange to see the young man
devoting himself, as some old grandfather
| might, to all the whims and pleasure OF little
child.
As she grew older he placed her in board
ing school, and there, of course, saw less of her,
yet still as much as the rules of the establish
| ment would allow, until the child was some
what past twelve years old, when violent ill
| ness Frustrated her guardian upon what came
near being his death bed, and the doctor order
ed him Immediately on his recovery to 60 to
Europe.
So they were separated, though regular cor
| respondence was maintained. Delicate health
detained Harry from his native land five years
At the end Of that time Harry Bolton return.
ed from Europe, improved in health and anxi-
GUS to see his adopted daughter. He knew she
had grown older, but SO little do we reflect on
the changes that time must bring, that when
inquiring for Miss Estella Gray, (this was the
name the child had lisped when questioned) as
he waited in the parlorof the seminary, a love
ly girl of seventeen opened the door and enter
ed the room, he could scarcely believe his eyes.
| Yet it was she indeed-the child he had left
grown into womanhood. Estella was seven
teen, and Harry Bolton-thirty FIVE. He was
young yet in look and thought. There seemed
after all, but little difference between them
| Both felt this, and their manner toward each
other was more reserved in consequence. But
Harry was charmed as well as surprised. A
| lovlier creature never met his eyes. AS he
| walked homeward, he said to himself:
"What if after all, have been rearing wife
for myself"
| Then with half laugh he muttered:
"No am too old for her-it is all folly"
Folly or not, the thought remained. He paid
| Estella such delicate attentions as suitors do.
| He anticipated her every wish and did his best
to appear in an agreeable light Whether she
understood him or not, he could not tell. She
might regard him as an indulgent guardian
and the thought ohafed him sorely. At times
| he hoped, at times he feared, until calling one
afternoon Ia holiday unexpectedly, he found
Estella tete-G tete with young friend, Ernest
| Clark. 1t was good excuse for intimacy, but
the knowledge that Estella had another male
friend SO much nearer her own age than him
SELF annoyed and angered Harry, And when,
time after time, he saw them together, his sus'
picion strengthened. They loved each other
She would wed young Ernest, and he would
only be the middle aged guardian to give her
| away with his blessing. The tnougnt once III
his mind rooted itself there, and at last drove
him beside himself.
~ will 60 back to Europe" said he, "I will
forget her. Love end wedlock are not for me. .
| And on the impulse of the moment, he order
ed his baggage to be packed, took passage in the
next steamer for Europe, and went to the SEM
mary to bid Estella goodbye.
She came in smiling, but his moody looks
made her grave at once. She put her hand IN
his and he shook it coldly, and sat down beside
her. For moment he was silent and then he
| said.