The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-29

there until Guy Weeks, the old fisher
man, should pass the Captains on his
way home late that night, and he was
to call for me and see me safe to the cot
tage door.
My needle was flying along as if spmn-
ing the snowy muslin under it, and Aorah
was making the buttonholes on Carries
new bodice, when the bell rang.
Out they focked into the tiny hall;
glad, loving voices were lifted in greet
ing; and few moments later they all
came back into the sitting room, bringing
with them Ned-curly-headed, brown
haired, sun-burned Ned. How handsome
he looked as he stood there; his pilot
jacket buttoned over his chest, and the
little cap perched wee bit on one side
of his bonnie head!
"Nellie, this is our Ned"
'1sn't he a darling"
"There, Nellie, that's something like a
young salt"
"My dear old Ned, how glad am to
get you home again!'
How many more loving words and
looks and greetings! And as he stood
there, with one hand on the Captains
shoulder and the other round his moth
er's waist, who could doubt him? He
looked SO well worthy of all their low
ing worship.
"Come and see your room, Ned,' cried
Carrie
"Did you see the big flag, my boy?'
inquired Mrs. Leigh.
"Come along, Ned; come alongW And
Carrie put her arm through his, and
dragged him, half unwiIlingly, up stairs.
Then they had private hugging and
kissing outside the door again; | heard
them; and then up went Ned, two stairs
at time, and Carrie after him.
"What do you think Of him, Nelly%
l said something stupid, | suppose
How foolish | was | absolutely felt left
out in the cold, with all this welcoming
and loving going on around me.
Norah evidently thought my praise
constrained and cold, for she laughed and
said, 80, Nelly, l am sure you are jeal-
Gus at not having him fora brother your
selfw
Presently Carrie and Ned came down !;
he, glorious in the new slippers | had
helped to make. Yes, / had helped,
though that was q secret between Carrie
and myself; for she had got the woods all
wrong, and helped her unpick the pat
tern and set it right again.
So he sat there and told them of all he
had done, of where he had been, of the
s;fr r., Of rn M
lands; and when old Guy Weeks called
for me, Ned and the Captain had begun
singing lot of old sea-songs; and as |
closed the door the last thing | heard
was something about "little Billyp And
| went with the old fisherman out into
the dark tempestuous night, with the
refrain of "little Silly" ringing in my
ears.
Mother was anxious enough when |
reached the cottage, and took many a
good look at me to assure herself there
was none of me blown away by the winds
or washed away by the rain.
Come in minute, Guy, won't your
"No, | thank You, missis; it be main
tempting, but I'll just 90 on home"
"Wcll, thank you for bringing Nelly;
goodnight"
Goodnight, neighbor."
We heard the plash, plash of the old
mans boots as he tramped on in the wet
mud. Mother took off my hat and cloak
and gave me a cup of tea; then she sat
down on the other side OF the fire to hear
the news.
as the Captains son come, Nelly?'
Mother has asked this question every
night for the past week.
"Yes, mother, he came this evening"
"What is he like, dearY'
"Oh, big and brown, and curly-haired
and sunburned.
Chats queer description, Nell"
"Well, mother, it's true"
Weren't they glad to see him2 I cal
Just imagine it.'
"Thcy Rugged him and kissed him
enough, anyway"
cone would think you had no one tc
hug and kiss you, Nell, from the way il
which you talk"
Dear me, what cross-grained grabbed
girl | was, to be sure! What could i
signify to me if they had all gone OF
kissing Ned from now till next Sunday
night?
"What did he talk about, child?"
Gle told them a lot Of stories abou
whales and sharks, and black people, ant
palm trees with dates on them-eve
such lot of stories; only | was -bus,
working, you know, and they took nj
notice Of me. Then he and the Captain
began to sing, and they were still in tn
midst of it all when old Guy came TO
me-"
Carrie did not go to her home mex
day; she wrote her letter instead, tell
ing her of Ned's return, and saying sh
could not leave him just yet; mentioning
all the little presents his boxes wer
found to contain, with flaming descril
ton of the munifcent donor.
| went up there every day to work
and the days seemed very short in spit
Of Carries and Ned's nischievous pranks
They were always teasing and torment
ing some one, and my scissors and cot
tons took to living in curtains, undo
sofa cushions, and in all kinds of cd
places
Then Ned would often on wet day
fetch out some amusing book from hi
fathers den, and read out to US as We a
sat at work. Sometimes we would laug
at Harry Lorrequer," sympathize wit
"Snarleyow," or get what that ridicl
lous Carrie called "NVikie Collin
creeps" over the "Moonstone."
He had a trick of settling himself in
folding-chair near the little table
worked by, and now and again he woul
look up at me, his brown eyes twinklin
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