The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-10-29

long fringed eyes. | wondered at nv
self, but it was 50.
81 should like to see the child again,
| said; and as | spoke I spied erowe
about tavern door upon the road.
" What has happened, friend p asked
Of tinker near by.
"Only blind fiddler dropped dead,
he said "But. theresa girl there wild
about it"
And then l passed him and went in
An old man lay upon the floor, and
across his body girl had flung her
self l knew the gypsy hair and the
brown neck, the scant cotton dress, and
the bonnet, hung with d handful Of
wild flowers upon the floor. and | ben,
head
"My child" l SAID, ssas i. happier thar
we are" si =
And she looked up.
He was all l had, s,she said call
allw
SO l had thought when Aletta gave
me back my betrothal ring My heart
ached for her. / said no other word, but
led her to another room, while two men
bore The body up stairs, She wept wild.
ly, but my presence seemed to comfort
her.
After while she drew closer to me,
and, sitting on stool, leaned her fore
head on my knee. Soon my hand res
ted on it, and in an hour she had sobbed
herself to sleep.
| said few words to the landlady
when l arose to leave, and she promised
to attend to my orders, enforced by the
contents of my pocket-book.
1.-The girl shan't go until l hear from
you, SIR she said. Indeed | don't
know where she would go. She seems
friendless; and such a child for her age
Thank you, sir"
And | went on my way again, think.
ing not Of Aletta, but Of the dead fid-
dler's grandchild-the sun-browned waif,
so simple aud ignorant aud friendless and
alone.
l was young yet-not five and twenty
"A bachelor, and likely to be one my
life long. | had no proper place to take
her to, and no friend to aid me, At last,
in my extremity, thought of Betty
old Betty, who had once been my nurse,
and who loved me as she might her own
son-and In the cleaning ] made my
way to her poor home. l found her
trimming her vines in the bit of garden
ground, and had my usual kiss acorss the
garden fence even before the gate was
opened
"Pve been thinking of YOU" she
said, 81 knew it was you as soon as
heard some one coming. 'Tisn't every
young gentleman wouM weary himself
down, honey and rest"
"Just came to ask a favor, Bet
ty."
"Just name ii, Master BERTHE"
Will you take boarder, Bet
tie %
Bless me 4! in my two rooms2"
"Only child, Betty"
"A child, Master Albert? p
| told her of the fddler's death, and
of the girl
81 have money enough" said. "but
no female relative. can only come to
you"
You always were kind hearted from n
boy" she said. on take the little girl,
Master Berthe"
Then she put both hands on my shout
ders.
" You haven't fretted, have yau?" she
asked
Fretted? Why? ~ l asked
Nay, why indeed ?" said old Betty
=" Better fish in the sea than ever were
caught yet" Then, in moment more,
she added, "rve been to see the swed-
ding
/ felt my face flush
"Shall ! bring the girl to morrow
after her granjfather's funeral !?
asked.
when you please said old Betty
" But, Master Albert, what do you mean
to do with her >" You are doing all this
In hurry. just think a hit"
90 am going to adopt the child"
said 1t will make me happy to have q
young thing to care for
Betty laughed.
You'll have young thinga of you,
own, please God, some day." she said
"Why, at your age. life is before
you
I" / shall never marry, Betty l said
She caught my fingers in clos,
grasp with her horny, hard working
hand.
81 wish you was back again baby
on my knee, Master Berthe" she said.
Z" I'd like to sing you to sleep as l did
then. All it's grief to US old women
to see the young we've nursed grow III
so tall and old, with their troubles &c
shut up in their own hearts that we can't
comfort them Going? Well, then,
goodnight I'm ready for anything that
will cheer you, Master BERTHE. ought
to say Master Albert always, now,
suppose, but the old times do come bach
so -
! left her leaning over her gate look
ing wistfully at me, knowing as a mother
might have known the grief which haC
buried in my heart. And if her words
had given me pain, it was like some oint
ment which makes the wound smart il
its very healing 1t was something t.
be loved so well, even by the old
nurse.
Late the next day | led my young
charge from he grandfather's grave tt
Bettys cottage. She kept my hand up
on the road as a little child might | hac
no thought but that she was one, unit
II