Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-04-01
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father he would take her on his knee most
tenderly,
She loved them all, but oh. she wanted
him No child who had shared the love OF
MANY in a wide home-circle could have
remembered one dear face and longed for
the sight of 1t and the sound of the old
familiar voice as did this little foreigner,
who had never owned brothers or sisters.
who had known of her mother so little
before she lost her. to whom that father
had been friend and nurse and playfellow.
So Aimee's roses faded from her cheeks,
and her great eyes filed with tears some
times, when she would suddenly break off
in her playing. She ceased. too, bringing
or saving any of her toys for her father.
but it was not because she was forgetting
him. On the second Sunday in March
Aimee and Katie went hand in hand, and.
as their custom was, sat one on each size
of Mrs. Nave by the harmonium.
The service was too long. as all our
morning services are, for young children,
and. moreover. very uninterestng to the
foreign child, who could scarcely eaten
word familiar to her. The music delight
ed her; but when that was over and Mr..
Nave was preaching her attention slack
ened and her weary little head dropped
upon Mrs. Maye's shoulder.
She looking lovingly on the little pale
face and gathering the slight figure closer
10 her side. sat wondering whether the
fathers arms would ever clasp his child
again, and, spite of her desire to listen to
the sermon, her mind perversely occupied
itself with conjecturing as to NJ. Banch-
ards fate.
The sudden lifting of two or three heads
among the choir who sat to the right drew
her attention, and she could see that their
gaze was directed towards one of the
windows near.
Leaning little forward to see if posi-
BILE what attracted their notice, she saw
standing by the window, but outside in
the chnrchyard, the figure of a man, tall.
but leaning as if for support on the iron
ratings of tomb. His face was so ghast-
" pale that he seemed almost fainting
his features, imperfectly as she could see
them, were unknown to her.
Not so Aimee, though!
The child woke as Mrs. Maye softly
drew back, and opening her eyes looked
straight out of the window then, with
sudden spring down from her raised seat,
she almost screamed out, "Mon pere, mon
pere y and pushing open the door with all
her childish force, darted out OF the church.
Mrs. Maye followed, and the sermon for
tunately near its conclusion, was hurried
ly ended.
Every eve turned towards the window,
where could be seen the child in her faith
er's passionate embrace. Few who saw
the intense joy of their meeting will ever
forget it. The man, worn and enfeebled
by long illness and privation, wept over
his darling like the weakest woman would
have done: while she, absolutely radiant
with Joy held to him. carressed him, re-
stored in moment to perfect content
ment.
His tale. as he told it to their friend that
evening, when the days work was done
and his own hands had put his tired child
to bed, was much the same as that OF hun
dreds more had been in the beleagured
city his sutferings had been no greater
or his work harder that he could have cas-
lily have borne had there not been always
with him an overwhelming craving to see
his child-to have herwith him.
Till he sent her away he did not know
how he should long after her, nor how ill |
he could spare his girl companion.
Then after doing his best he could the
duty before him all those long weeks,
sharing his food with others weaker or
poorer than himself, doing the most
wearisome part of a soldiers work, know
ing all the time what the end must be-
then, when the end came, and when at
last he was free to go forth and seek his
child once more, he was stricken with fe-
yer and for another month lay almost I'M
conscious, doing battle for his life.
But then, thank God, his troubles were
over now, and he had come to claim his
own, pouring out thanks and blessings on
the hearts and the home that had sheltered |
her with expressions SO warm, so over
flowing, that no Englishmen could ever
have uttered them, however much he
night have felt.
And there he still is. staying with these
English friends till the quiet life and
sweet spring days shall have brought
back to him his wasted strength. They
make many plans fer the future; foremost
and fayorite is one which shall keep him
in this country and give Aimee much to
the tender care of Mrs. Maye Tor it w uld |
seem pity to break off the friendship be-
gun by such strange chance years ago,
cemented so lately by the fortunes OF
war.-Betgraria.