The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-28
in the evening with her nervous headache.

'Where are you going tomorrow
boys?" she said, gently. sits holiday
you know
aYou bet we know!'' They nudged
each other and giggled. 'sBig goings on
10 morrow. Never you mind
What will you do, Aiice?"
folloW the parades, reckon tc ssine
her head.
her mothers daughter tramping about
the streets IN a crowd of half drunken
men Nelly looked at the boys with a
searching gaze, They had honest manly
faces, but hard and defiant lines were al
ready coming into them.
She sat silent long time. The drive
on the Wissahickon and the dance It
was not easy to shut the door on that
dream of delight. At last she looked nm
chee1fully.
'What do you say, children, to pic
mic! Early start, big basket, boat to
Rockland, fishing all kinds of fun
"Nellyw
''Do you mean it9''
The children started up. "We never
did such thingw cried Alice. II never
was farther out of town than the water
works in my lite!"
ooh, Ally, that cannot be truer'
"Yes, 1t IS true. You don't take any
care OF me, or you would know. Nobody
does-since mamma died. The chiId;s
lips tremble.
II will take care of you, now. little
sister," said Nelly, putting her arm
around her. "Weli, what do you say,
boys?"
Thad and Joe looked at each other.
awe made sort of engagement" said
Thad; 'but we'd rather 20 with you. and
we will co." he added, resolutely.
Mr.. Bigelow had left the table and
wandered aimlessly to the window. Mel
ly ran after him and caught his hand. It
was like caressing wooden statue
"Papa,-you will go with us?"
IL, Nelly, on party of pleasurer'
He stared down at her. The color &C
tually rose into his withered cheek. "Yeu
don't think I could, my child? You do
not want poor old man like mel''
Something in his look revealed to Mel
ly the truth, THE utter loneliness of the
old mans life, the hungry craving for
love and companionship, she had new
a moment, stroking it, and then kissed
is. She could not speak
II will go, my child
Her fathers voice was strangely alter
ed He went into his own room, and
did not come out again.
Nellie wa. busy until late in the night.
There was tongue to boil. and a certain
kind of cookies to bake. The boys how
cred over her, happy, meddiing at every
turn, but singularly gentle and affec-
tionate.
another used to make these kind of
cakes. Amt they nice2'
Alice had her sleeves rolled up and her
apron on. Never was anybody more
busy or more important. Nellie ioked
and laughed, and made more fun out of
the packing Of basket than was ever
made since time began. But her heart
was sore within her. What trife was
needed to make these children happy,
and to bind them to home! How solitary
and cherries her fathers life had been
these many years A little out spoken
love, little cheerfulness, was all that
was needed, and she had been blind to
it all these years!
The picnic was very simple matter.
People who can afford pleasure every day
would have laughed at it. They went
they sailed up the broad, right river to
Kockland. Then Mr.. Bigelow found a
dark pool, and rugged his old rods, and
taught the boys how to fish. They found
out he had been famous fisherman in
his day. He told wonderful stories of
old exploits, brought up old jokes, and
was not a little vain Of the boys shouts
of applause.
The children actually never heard their
father talk before. They felt they knew
him for the first time. Thad was moved
to confde his scrapes with the Latin
teacher to him, and little Joe fell asleep
with his head on his knee.
':Don't take him away, Nellie said
the old man, when she would have re-
moved him. eff only my children
would come closer to me In this vaFl
Perhaps they will"
Nellie left Alice to preside over the
dinner. She spread it on a big rock.
Her father and the boys kindled fire,
and Mr.. Bigelow cooked the three fish
they had caught.
You never heard such jokes and laugh
ing-you never saw people with such
ravenous appetits. After dinner Thad,
who had 3 very sweet little pipe OF 3
voice, sang some songs; and then ny.
Bigelow asked them if they knew ''lhe
Bay OF Biscay, OH! and sang it.
It was moonlight when they eIme
home, floating down the river between
the dark, wooded banks. Nelly sst with \
Alice cEnging to her. "You are tie best
sister in the world =; said the chil9..
Her father took her hand in Ills. Ut
has been one of the happiest dsys OF my
life, Nelly. I thought my chill sren cared
nothing for me, but I shall never be alone
again"
Years have passed since that dag. Thad
and Joe are now sturdy young fellows,
and engaged in business. Affects gen.
tie, bright-faced girl. Nelly y happy
wife and mother. Her old faher sits by
her freside, and her childrenare his pets
and darlings. There has lot been an
hour in which she has not stiven IN little
ways to make others happy. But she
never forgets that first tay when she
learned the lesson of self acrlflce, nor tne
ha