The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-10-24
LITERARY
ny ADOPTED CHILD.

y
you please, sir?"
A girl spoke to me. I turned and look
cd at her There are women Of sixteen
and children of sixteen This was a
child. She wore the scanticst Of cotton
dresses, bAlted at the waist, pair of
leather boots and a white apron. In her
hand she carried a sun bonnet, and her
hair cropped close like boys, curled in
black rings about her head. The face
was q baby's face in sweetness and inno-
cence, the little brown hands the hands
Of toll. No young lady this, yet there
was nothing coarse and vulgar about her
unless 1t was her hands.
'''That is Oldtown Church, nv dear" /
said, ''are you going there2"
Eyes sir, to see the wedding, Are
you?'
was, more fool l, though I did not
say 50 TO this child. The bride for whom
the bells were ringing was to be mine
oncc--would have been but for the acci-
dent which mad crippled me and changed
her heart. She had done nothing !reach-
erously, but | saw the truth and set her
free. She took her freedom gladly and
we we're two. She had quite forgotten
me, no doubt. believe that l never
could forget her.
/ knew exactly how she would look in
SNOWY silk and lace and coronet of pearls.
had dreamed of her in bridal robes 90
often.
nodded to the little thing beside me,
trudging over the meadow path with the
tall grass almost to her waist, and look
ing at me so wisttully.
u never saw 4 wedding" she said.
"No?"
"No, sir. Grandfather said | might
come. He didn't care himself. It's a
long walk too, from the tavern, and he's
very Old.
docs your granderfather keep the tav-
ern?" | asked.
mo sir-I wish he did :" said the child
"He has only his fiddle, and people half
the time don't care for tunes. What can
he do thought Tonight there's dance,
and he's to play for them. That's Why
We stopped
poor tiddler's untaught grandchild-
rs poor as decent poverty could be-yet
her presence somehow cheered me, halt
child half woman, and all child at heart.
Innocent, beautiful and kindly, encour
aged her to linger at my side. said to
her:
Il will show you place where you
can see the bride we'll 1t is in the gal
lcry. Will you like h
Il don't know" she said. g haven't
often been to church. We pray together
in lonely places, grandfather and l. viii
you be there, sir2"
Yes
II know l should like it."
"Come with me them" l said and she
followed.
had meant to hide myself in the gsl-
lery. AMI see my lost love married
quite unseen. This companion had nd
been on my roll at all. But liked it.
No friend no relation, not my own sister
would have had beside me; but this
elflsh thing was to innocent TO fear. led
the way up the dark old stairs, and to-
ward = spot quite sheltered from general
view. Then l sat down and she stood
le ming over the balustrade.
The church was full OF bonnets. Here
md fhn1e only masculine head. The
nkinisscf Nas in his seat reading, In po-
siton akun for effect. He was hand
so.ae nan sn1he knew it perfectly we'll.
Girl whllElsd and giggled, matrons
fAnned tkrn31Sl6es and men yawned
6osh tie & -<9H Il carriages on the gray
elves kelfu,n11&A - bridal party entered.
saw h4r1k 49, Axta.
als that II lrid1E half sobbed the
On, how rf<lS BEAUTIFUL. Look
I6okin sfsTk 80
3hsetou1k 1lltn11riAk - little brown
Ind ssd kp sae, her eyes spark
SDu xs6 4eer see her beforea" she
aGAexi sshe like that in everyday
rl6thur1 c. how Getty, how pretty
- I've no right to weep. put my
kee1 - npon the cushion of the pew
eyes. l felt the child creep |
~ lGe me.
man, he's tired!n heard her |
and she put her little hand out |
he'd me softly BIZ stealth.
al OVERT asked the girl.
=, child,,' l aid, al e-sr.'