The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-05-04

The God-send Box.
One miserable, rainy day, Bob and
viii put on their rubber boots and went
a-fishing. I wanted dreadfully to 60
but they wouldn't let me. ] meant tC
have some fun though, and asked grand
pa if I might go into the east attic and
rummage. He said yes." And then
was glad I had not gone. Trouting is
fun, I know, but to pull over nice, old
musty things is just splendid So / ran
at once to a great red chest. that filed
almost one end of the room, to see what
[ could find in it. I always wanted to
get a chance at it, for it made me think
of the "Mistletoe box" and thought
there must be something strange shut up
inside. On top, there was pile of old
papers and things that didn' I. care any
thing for, but pretty soon / found fun
ny little red box, with queer gilt pictures
all over it, and on the top this funny in
scription 'sFor Percilla, mye little
.God-sende." pulled off the cover, and
there was the dearest little tea-set you
ever saw, or what was left of one. For
the spout Of the teapot was gone, the
cover of the sugar-bowl was broken, and
only two cups and three saucers were left.
On one side was the picture of China
man sowing tea. He was all In blue, the
ground under his feet was pink, and the
sky over his head was green. Then on
the other side there was a gilt wreath
with blue vine and leaves, and inside of
that some gilt letters, but they were all
twisted together SO couldn't make them
out. But took the box and ran to the
shop, where grandpa was at work, and
asked him to tell me all about them.
Poor grandpa he almost cried when he
saw what I had, and took up little cup
and put it on his finger, which it fitted
just like thimble. Then he said
'I'm sure I didn't know there was one
piece of the set left; they belonged to
nv sister Percilla. Don't you see her
initials here-sP. BIZ" and he pointed
to the twisted lettars.
stWhy, grandpa didn't know you
ever had sister. Do tell us about her,
and how she came to have a real china
tea-set with her name on it like wo-
MANS"
"Well," said grandpa, "perhaps you
didn't know that my 1ather (your great
grandfather was sea captain, and M de
many long voyages to the East. lie had
three boys, Johnny, Stevie and myself,
AMI though he loved us dearly, he al
ways longed for little daughter. When
he came home from voyage and brought
q gi to each of us boys, there was al
ways mysterious box or bundle which
was never opened, but put carefully away
to await the coming of the little girl
whom father felt sure God would, some
day, send us. When he was about to
make his last trip, mother begged him
not to go, but stay at home and take care
of the boys, who she said were getting
too big for her to manage. He laughed
and said well, wife, dry up your
tears, and [ give you my word that after
this trip I'll stay at home all my life and
thrash the boys until they are forty, if
you say So" Then mother laughed and
father went away, to be gone at least
three years.
"Before the first year was gone, God
did send the little girl, and you can't
think how glad we were, nor how we
longed to have father hear the good
news. To be sure we wrote many times,
but in the few letters we got from him
he always complained of not having
heard one word from us since he sailed.
So 1t went on, until he had been gone
more than three years, and he neither
came nor wrote, and we all began TO feel
anxious and worried about him, while
mother never smiled, and got thin and
white, Prilly was our one comfort In
those days. Father had said that when
ever she came she must be called Percilla
in memory of his mother, AMI we made
it into PrillY, for Percilla seemed too
stately for our little sunbeam, as we
called her. We used to make her say,
Dear father, welcome home over and
over, to keep up mothers courage, as
well as our .ewn, Which was fast oozinq
away.
Finally there came, one day, q letter
from a woman Ill Nantucket, saying thai
father was sick at her house that bel
husband, who was captain of a whaling
vessel, had picked him up, In mid-ocean
in an open boat, and that his mind was
gone, and thoagh he had had, since
then, good care and good doctor, hs
was no better, and she thought mothe.
had better come as soon as she could. i
seems the captain had known father year,
before, and that was the way they knew
where to send for his wife. Well
mother went, of course, and 1 can tel
you it was pretty long summer for u
boys, for she was gone long time. Bu
at last she came home, one night, Will
father, SO thin and pale, and with such
dull, vacan5 look In his eyes we nevel
should have known him if mother haC
not been by his side. Prilly heard III
say mother and she came out to th'
doorstep, in her white nightgown 60
she was in bed), and with her blue eye
and beautiful yellow hair, all lit up will
the last red sunbeams of the setting sun
looked just like the picture of one o
Gods angels. And ] guess fathe
IL