The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-06-01
LITTLE LESLIE.


"Try some Of these broiled oysters
Luke" said Miss Celestial; sahu II
Good gracious mel what's the Inntterr
For Luke's closed hand had descended
heavily upon the painted edge of"his
tea-plate.
"ih matter?' he returned. "Mattel
etough Leslie Poyntz is deadw % p
HLesie Poyntx is deady VINO is that
| Oh. L remember, now" said Miss Celes
TIA, "IL's That man that married 0ul
| cousin, Francesca, and took her away
down South to live. wonder. noW''-ir
Eaccehts Uf mild, reflective fegret-A"i
golden cement wotlld hlenu that plate?
dun't see how men can be SO careless
And it belongs to a set OF sixteenv'
uStx, eenw cried out Mr.. GOldiland
"Not SO bad as that, hOpel Only oneP'
"Now, Luxe, as il l didn't Know" ex
poslulated Miss Ctlestla, ''when
counted them over myself, only night be.
fore laslv'
uCeleslia, what under the sun are you
talking about?" demanded her brother.
"Ab1ut the 10 ,ebud plates to be sure?'
Sand | am talking about Leslie
Poynlz's child. Sne is coming here"
"Then is it II girly'
$50 the letter says"
"But uear mel" cried out Miss Celes,
tia, in some CONSERVATION, "what can we
do with girlT'
.Nothing at ALL" answered Luke
Go .dllaud. ~ WON'T nave her here, that's
the long and snort OF it. Pll write at
once and tell 'em so. Is this an orphan
asylum, Pd like to know? or a refuge tor
lorsaken Juveniles? Leslie Poyntz
never was iacking IN assurance during
his lifetime, but this posthurious lni-
pudenee really eXGeis anything that
Matilda, l thought you understood we
never We're to be Interrupted at our
meals"
"Please, sir, can't help it," pleaded
the middle-aged maid-seryant. she tcilt
come in."
WHO will come IMP"
"rne young lady, Mr.. Goldiland
And before the words had fairly passed
NJ atilda's lips, tall, fair-ifaired girl, OF
fifteen or sixteen, bounced into the room,
dres sed in black.
"Are you my cousin Luke 2" said she.
.'A'm SO giad to see youP'
And she threw her arms around Mr..
Goldilana's neck, almost strangting him
with the vehemenee OF her greeting.
"rell 'em wnere 10 put my trunks"
said she. II came through by express.
in my head yeti What's that marble
image in the window? H. looks exactly
like graveyard, don't it? And is this
my cousin Celestia? Won't you Mss
smeW
And thus rafting on, the newcomer de
liberately seated herself i'll Mr.. Goldi.
LANDS own particular easy-chair, in front
of the fire, spreading out her little black
kiddea hands to warm them, and looking
all around the room, as ii it were a pub
lie gallery. @
"Why don't you speak to mew de
mandeu she.
"But perhaps you don't know me.
am Leslie Poyntz. Papa named me af
ter him, just the same as ii L were thu
boy he wanted. Papa told me to come
here. He saId YOU were a. Jolly old brick
and cousin Ceiestia the incest old mait
going!"
"Very kind of himp ironically re
marked Mr.. Goldlland; while Miss ,Ce
les Tia cleared her throat, neryousiy.
And-and the creditors took all the
money" falteied Leslie POyntz; 1ant
there was nowhere else l could go! Ant
and your not bit glad to see me, ant
I'm so lenesomep
The big eyes brimmed over with a Tor
rent OF sparkling tears; the coral under
lip trem6ied.
Miss Celestia's ind heart melted like
an icicte in burst of March sunshine.
''Don't cry, dearP said she. "Haye {
cup OF tea!' -tr. .sH
And MIR. Goldiland uttered the mono
syllable "HumphF' and walked out o
the room. a.,
s'What are we to do with her, LukePs
piteously asked Miss Celesti the ne *
morning, when Leslie Poyntz was snow.
balling the Cat, in the back yard, her
merry, girlish laughter coming up, with
strange, unwonted sound, 10 The ears o.
the old bachelor and his sister.
"Do? Send her somewhere, ofncourse.'
"But whereof
elbow do l knowa cart have her
here, that's certain. A greatnoisy roIHp.
Why, she broke OH the Psyches finger
this morning, upset the pot Of similax
let out The canary bird, and took my iii.
ty dollar edition OF Beaumont and
FLETCHER to stand upon, SO that she
could reach down my case OF pressed
any Oneto touchp #
',pm AFRAID she is rOmpl" said Mics
Celestia, regetful,y.
Al ;sho uld be in the lunatic ASYLUM in
a week II she stayed hereW Enumerated
her brother. ssa. ttt
''Bnt she'sapretty."
"Pretty? 30 is q tiyer-cat--sO is a
six.weeks-old kitten!" 4s
"Weil, Ill write to Mrs. Prettyman,"
said Mtss Celestia. "M RS. Preltyman ls
the very one 10 advise me upon such
SUBJECTS"
Ia about a month, back came letter
from Mrs. Pfettyman announcing that
she bad found an excellent poait.On l0r
the orphan daughter .ot poor Major
Poyntz. Mrs. Peck buckingham want
ed nursery goyerness for four little
Peck Puddinyhans.
"Capita. y said Miss Celestia.
"Nunseneel' said her brother.
"Why, Luke" cried Miss Celestia, 81
thought YOU wanted TO get rid OF Leslie
Poyntz, and this is certainly most
excellent opportunity for"
"A most excellent hidllest tickW IN
tremendously interrupted her brother.
'iLesGe Is only Child herself, and what
could she do With four babies? Besides,
her education does not til her for any
such post. IL has beeu superficial liz
the extreme. 4 am giving her lessons
now, in thorough bass aud the Latin
grammar, every day" -
"Weii," said Mise dollilpnd. douEt-