The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-12

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flee where places were found for teachers,
and teachers for places, and, hopeless of
any great good coming to her, put some
questions to the proprietor. Musicg Yes.
and no doubt she understood it very well.
But there are so many teachers. How
ever, would she give her name and her
address? If anything offered he would
send her word.
"My name is Lily Vme," said Lilly.
Gan odd name," said the man. ''How
do you spell it?-Vain or VaneT'
And then lady whom she had never
seen--a plump, pretty little woman, with
black ours and blacker eyes-ran for
ward from seat near the stove, and,
with smile at Lily, spelled it for her.
Right" she asked.
Lily, astonished, assented; she could
do no more, for the name was not SO very
odd, after all.
"And if you are Lily Vane," said the
lady, "and if you viii come to me,
there's permanent place for you and
two good little pupils who will love you
dearly. Oh, don't say no! Eve been look
ing for you Tor months, and Pm so glad
Eve found youE
"Some Of my old pupils, I suppose
faltered Lily. ..0.....
But at that the lady shook her head.
''No matter how know you," she
said, "only come"
And Lily was glad enough to take the
sugar-plum fate had dropped in her
mouth without more questions. She was
too weary, too worn, even to feel great
astonishment. She had been careful
teacher, and some one had recommended
her, that was all.
But when Lily Vane was actually in
stalled in her new position-governess to
the docile children, their mother her
kindest friend, pretty room at her SER
vice, books, music, pictures and pleasant
company about her--she began to won
der about many things, most of all why
the black-eyed lady's face was so familiar
to her, when she knew she had never be-
fore seen it. What was the secret, too
q kind one, surely--that they kept from
her? Why were there so many smiles
and dimples, and sly looks, especially
when they spoke Of Uncle Tom? Why
when certain letters came with great red
seals and strange postmarks, did the lit
tie lady catch Lily's face between her
two small palms, and dance about her
and say:
ooh, Lily Vane, Pmso glad I found
your
There was a mystery in all this, but a
very pleasant one.
So, summer past, and autumn and
winter came, and with it one of those
red-sealed letters, which black-eyed Mrs
Anderson read more merrily than usual,
and then cried out that Tom was coming
home; and her hush md, merry as she
was herself, said something in an under
tone; and the children, dancing with
glee, called to the cook in the Kitchen
that Uncle Tom was coming home; and
the cook came from the depths, ladle and
all, and said:
"Bless my heart. is that trueTS
And the little wife and mother ended
all by dancing round Lily, and singing
half dozen times:
ooh, Lily Vane, how glad l am I
found you!'
"And what had that to do with Uncle
Toms coming?' Lily Vane asked her
self.
But finally the eventful day came; and
Lily, with her dress on---not the pale
Lily of a year before, but rosy and come
ly-stood before the mirror in her own
room, brushing her brown hair, when
down below she heard shout: '"rom's
come! Tom has come" and a bow-wow-
WOW from the dog, that said as plain as
the voices did, "TOm has comew And,
why she did not know, the brush fell out
of Lily's hands, and she began to tremble
as before the dawning of some mystery,
and not a step could she stir, but stood
quite still, her heart beating fast and
furious, when the door opened and Mrs.
Anderson rushed in and seized her about
the waist and pushed her and hustled her
down the stairsand into the parlor, where,
under the gaslieht, stood man, black
haired, black-eycd, with a seafaring look
about him, who turned and held both
hands toward her.
'It is your Lily Vane" cried Mrs
Anderson.
And then he said, "It is my Lily
Vane, and no one elsew
And Lily knew the man she had met
and parted with year before that night
1 s'Sbe don't look IKE it, does she%' said
the sailor. "a little craft like that To
board the pirates and frighten them
away from great hulk like me; but she
did it better than troop of marines.
| And if she hadn't tied her handkerchief
about my head, and if her name hadn't
been on it, I'd never have known she
was my Lily Vane, and you'd never have
found her for me, Sister jimmy"
"But / found her." said Jenny Ander.
son. 81 found your Lily Vane, and here
she is" ..
And in a moment more the two were
alone together, Lily and Captain Tom.
So the wedding bells soon rang out q
merry chime; and she who one year be-
fore had starved, body and heart alike
was the happiest woman the sun shone
On.