The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-10-05


"Who fastened your clothes r she
asked, seeing that Amandas and Lucys
buttons began too soon and ended too
late ..t--.s.
"The woman we board with" i+-+i
/ you're big enough to fasten' them
for each other Come here, both Of you.
After having Strengthened their backs,
as Lucy afterward expressed it, she dis
missed Amanda with, "Now look after
your little sister, and turn your toes out
What's that on your dress ?" to the third
girl. who singularly enough, reminded her
of her own child-s9lf.
81 don't know ~
4 "It's shame to have that. pretty suit
spoiled l wonder if ammonia won't. take
it out ? What's your name?" 4~es7 tn5. ,ss
Melinda Denver Whittlesy." ~ v yf--
r Melinda senior actually flushed. 'My
names Melinda Denver; did you know it ?,
Keep your fingers out Of your mouth r and
the sharpness of the tones betrayed unusn-
al emotion Of sonlo sort. ~#--a h''s.
Very shortly the Oldest girls strayed
away Melinda said at once she must go,
but taking Winnie, who had got something
in her shoe, delayed her There proved to
be nothing in that tiny pink boot: A hole
in her stocking, through which pceped a
toe as pink, caused the difficulty. Miss
fo n-,I
long getting on the pink boot taat the
blonde, babh-head nodded against her
breast, and at length found Itself graded
there t..
While Melinda sat there with Tommy's
youngest ii her arms, and the man himself
opposite, there came upon her a feeling
that just such IL scene WAS enacted once
before 1t was like the turning back of a
leaf and finding the sane passage, word
for word, upon it. She was almost tempt
ed to speak to her companion, and ask him
about it, when all of a sudden there was a.
futter of pink dresses, and Amanda
and Lucy appeared before them, breath
less.
"Is Melinda here?'
Size was not, that was quite certain.
Tommy took hinself OF, listening to their
hurried expana ions AS he went, and the
only woman in the world hc ever loved was
left alone with his baby.
"Ihe trio returned without the missing
one. Thought thore WIS g chance of find
ing her there. Their united voices arous-
ing Winnie, Melinda gave her into Tom
my's arms.
"In go and see what I can do she
said, with the mien Of u conqueror. Chill
dren, you come right along with ME.
You're to tell me Just where you went, and
when you missed her Tommy, you stay
about here, there's probability Of her
finding her way back" -... , ...
Having issued her orders-short, sharp
decisive-Melinda hurried away; to be
met by Tommy half an hour later, COM
plctely creat-fallen. Her scarcn had fail
cd. Tommy Looked ready to drop; the
girls sobbed bitterly, declaring "0flin''
was drowned in the river; while Melinda
scanned the horizon for a guard whom she
had not already consulted.
Suddenly II voice: MADAM, there's a
little lost girl at tae mansion, dressed like
these is She yours p ,
"Yes, thank you, lsir,' replied Miss Dem
YER, promptly, and healed th' party that
went toward the place inlicated as fast as
feet could carry them. .. -...
1--WE all so the same way slid Melinda,
holding fast her name sake's hand, "and
may as well start home ut once"
zone word, Melinda. When the gen
tleman asked was this your little girl, you
said yes; is she p .t- E
"Of course" replied Miss Denver, her
checks in a blaze. "'Illese children need
somebody to take care of them, and I'm the
one to do it,
Melinda Denver - excuse me, Mrs
Whittlesy, I should say-Im surprised
completely so - and the light of the new
society shook her head sadly. "You told
me again and again you never meant to
marry that man, t r
81 haven't married him. I've married
the children that's all.
Still, Tommy looks as radiant as if it
were himself. .-....' .......