Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-03
"Yes, thank you; but where's FredP
" ~ 0N

| Wasn't Fred on the tralnE
Anybody here by the name of Fred?"
asked the conductor, who stood near.
Three or four gentlemen stepped for
ward, among them our Fred, who no
sooner looked at poor Quiz than he ex-
claimed:
why, bless you, it's my sister!
Dear Quiz, how did you come here?"'
and he caught her up in his arms and
kissed her before them all.
Her story was soon told, and several
of the gentlemen started off after the
Williams, who were found in the very
shed where Quiz had left them, and the
rest assisted the conductor getting the
bridge in place. Quiz was taken on
board with Fred, and when the bridge
had been fixed, the train moved down
to the station, where crowd OF anxious
citizens, who had receiveda a premonltlop
that something was wrong, had g''A
cred. -. o,,d
when he heard what a niue har n0t yerv
tenderly and was very thankful that ne
had kept and cared for the homeless
little girl whom the strange woman had
thrust so unceremoniously upon him.
But the strangest part of the story is
yet to come. Among the gentlemen who
came forward to thank Quiz and con-
gratulate papa on having such brave
little daughter, was the kind-faced man
who had first spoken to Quiz when she
had found herself lying on the ground
after the train had passed her. No
sooner did he speak than papa recog
nized him as his old friend and school
mate, Arthur Wilburton, whom he had
not seen for nearly twenty years. He
invited him to accompany him to our
home, and he did so.
We, at home, were still sitting around
the fire, wondering anxiously why papa
and Fred did not come and feeling
thankful that the storm had at last
abated, when we heard papa's night-key
in the door and in minute more they
came into the room, papa carrying Quiz,
who was weak and pale, while her
clothing was disordered and covered
with mud. Fred and Mr.. Wilburton
followed close behind him.
Nell uttered little scream as she saw
Quiz, and the rest of us stared in amaze
ment, for we supposed Quiz was safe in
her own room, and we could not account
for her disordered appearance. Papa
soon told us the story, and then we all
cried and kissed her and called her our
little heroine, and when mamma insisted
upon putting her to bed, fearing the ex-
posure might make her i'll, we all wanted
to sit up and help take care of her.
The next morning, while we were all
in the breakfast room visiting with Mr..
, Wilburton, and almost smotheripg
, Quiz with tender solicitude, the former
suddenly turned toward papa and said
You don't know, Frederic, how
much your little daughter, Orphie, re.
minds me of my lost wife. She has the
same soft eyes and quiet ways, and the
same tones in her voice"
"Why, Arthur" said papa; 81 die
: not know you had ever been marriedn
"Yes." answered Mr.. Wilburton
sadly; but did not long enjoy domes
: tic happiness. But a few years after
> Nettie and were married, became un
| fortunate in business speculations anC
! went to California in search of luck.
Il had been there two years and wa'
, beginning to look anXiously forward tC
the time when | could have Nettie will
t me, when | received letter informing
me of her death.
I'm those days it was sometime
= months after letter was sent before W.
r received it. l arranged my business q
soon as could, and returned to my OLE
= home in search of our child, and fount
4 that strange family who had been liv
ing in the house with Nettie had takel
2 her with them. Whittier this famil
; had gone | could not learn. They wer
d q strange wandering family, and had let
a for parts unknown in the night. | hav
travelled far and wide, and have spent
d good-sized fortune searching Tor my littl
G one, but fear l shall never see my littl
h Mamie again. Fortune has been kin
d to me; am rich now, but I'd give m
G whole fortune for my child if | coul
s but find her."
= There were tears in his eyes as h
e ceased speaking, and we all felt sad, fo
+ we were beginning to love the man {
l. whom papa had so often told us. Blu
/. Quiz was very much excited, her cheek
II were red, her eyes full of tears, Will
e her breast heaved with every breath a
IS she leaned forward with clasped hands
y "Did you learn the name of the famil
who took the childP" asked papa, afte
II pause.
1t Yes, they were called Sam and Lu
vt Brown"
,e At this Quiz uttered cry and spran
e. forward.
N Il know it now, I'm Mamie, II
Mamie, I'm Mamiew she exclaimed
s. passionately. falling at Mr.. Wilburton
p feet, and sobbing as hard as she coulG.
n "What does this meanP" faltered Nj
l. Wilburton. Frederic, is not this you
childP"
lie In as few words as possible papa tol
4 him the story of how Quiz came to be
Id member of our family.
is "But have you nothing, nothing, m
s. child, which you brought with you frol
m your old homer" asked Mr.. Wilburtol
to trembling between hope and fear.
ne "Only this" sobbed Quiz, taking
locket from her neck; 1.-THE sick woms
IS who called me Mamie gave it to me
IL keep always.
es With trembling hands Mr.. WilburtC
Id took the trinket and opened it, the
G, pressed it to his lips as he exclaime
oh Its Nettie herself, her own face!
remember the locket nowm
e, We young people slipped out of Il
n, room then, and when we returned Gu
he was leaning against Mr.. Wilburtor
hit chair with her hand in his, lookil
he brighter and happier than we had ev
seen her before.
n 1t was very hard for us to give her
ed Just as she had become the dearest sist
'er in all the world. but Mr.. Wilburton d
ter not take her far away. He bought
ak beautiful house not far from us, ov
he which Quiz presided in her swC
lite womanly way.
nd When she was eighteen Fred p,
me suaded her to become our sister-in-la
I'm and now she is the mother of his bal
Ter Nettie, but we still call her Quiz son
times, and her father agrees with
the that the name is quite appropriate,
she never seems tired of asking qu
tions about sher mother Nettie, VIII,
she can hardly remember.
w. ----