The Hickman courier., 1878-07-12

| pcdCSJ tuOuSu AOI tuo HOIlu ne WOul(
not have owned to anything of the kind
One day he was riding in the suburb
of London, and came upon little chile
sitting by the wayside, sobbing bitterly
She had her apron full of primroses anC
violets, and black-and-white kitten wa
cuddled up in her arms. Moved by
some impulse which he could not have
explained, Arkwright stopped his horse
and accosted her. She sobbed out hel
little story with all a ehild's ingenious
ness. Her mamma had gone somewhere
to carry work, and she and Spot had
gone to walk by themselves, and they
had walked, oh, so far and now they
were lost.
Her name was Lily, and the kittens
name was Spottie, and that was all she
could tell to prove her identity. Sur
Prised at himself for doing SO, Ark
wright took her into his carriage kitten
and all-and carried her to his own home.
He advertised her, and for the first
two or three days made some effort to
discover her relatives. After that he did
not want to discover them. Into his cold,
closed heart Lily had crept, and made
her home there and the desolate, cyni-
cal man found himself loving her as
| little before he had not dreamed of low
ing anything again. After the lapse 'of
a fortnight. the idea of her leaving him
became absolutely unbearable. He got
so nervous that he started at every
sound of the bell-fearful that some one
was coming to claim her.
She and the kitten had it all their own
way in ArkwTight House. They strayed
in the library and upset the books and
papers TO their mutual satisfaction. Lily
sat on Arkwright's knee a great deal of
the time, amusing herself with braiding
and curling his hair into the most gro
tesque shapes; and Spot, with feline au-
dacity, mounted on his shoulder, and
nibbled the top of his pen, or thrust her
inquisitive little nose into his face, all
unrebuked.
But one day, just as Arkwright was
beginning to feel sure of the child, a lady
came for her. This lady was tall and
slight, and wore black, and had her face
covered by thick veil. Something in
her low, sweet voice stirred the inner
most depths of Mark Arkwright's ma
ture, but fierce pang shot through him
when he saw with what eagerness Lily
flew towards her
" Mamma darling mammal she
cried, covering her with kisses. "I so
dad 90 tum Now 90 and !, and Spot, |
and papa are all togedder %
Arkwright redeemed. He had been
weak enough to teach this child to call |
him papa. He wondered what the lady !
thought OF his presumption but she
seemed unwilling to linger. She thanked |
him for the care he had given Lily
offered to pay him for his trouble from
a very slender>looking purse; and, being
Indignantly refused, she turned to 90.
step toward them, 7 and hiy hkET1Ehs ghfsE spa5 a
arm around his neck, drawing him up
close, and face to face with the lady.
Through the thick folds Of the veil their
eyes met. He started back, pallid and
trembling.
"Augustap p' he faltered, in a checked
voice.
'Mr. Arkwrightr' ~
She was the calmer of the two. A
woman alwaysis in cases of emergency.
All the old love, fierce and ungovernable
rose up within him.
"This child Whose is it ?'' he asked.
''Mine and yours" she answered,
quietly. "She was born four months
after our separation. I wish you good
morning."
He caught her arm in an iron grasp.
"Stopl my child minep' he cried,
as if it were an effort for him
to realize it.
"No, not yours new," she said, steadi>
ly. "You forfeited the right to claim
her when'yeu drove her mother from her
home Mark, at this time-the last time
1 shall gee you in this world will tell
you the truth. You were jealous of my
brotherw
Your brother 1 never knew you
had one p'
''That was where l erred. Arthur
was two years my Junior, and cruel
misfortune placed him in a position
where he was suspected of forgery. He
was unable to prove his innocence, and
he fed from mistaken justice. / was
too proud to tell yen that l was the sis
ter of one whom the world looked upon
as a felon. In that / sinned. l had a
secret from you, and upon that rock our
happiness was wrecked. Thank heaven
Arthur is free now-the guilty party has
confessed, and my brother is a man once
more"
Arkwright snatched her to his breast,
and would not let her 60. She tried her
best to escape, but he held her fast.
suppose he won her pardon some way,
for she remained at Arkwright House,
and Lily and Spot remained likewise.
Go there to-day, and you will see the
nappiest family this side of paradise