The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-03-25

the start his new friend gave as his name
left his lips. Then he told in a child's
| simple language of his chase after the
rabbit and the departure of the train
without him.
"But why did you come to this house
when there are so many nearer the sta
tionP''
Because my mamma used to come
here once" replied Willie. "She said
it was seven years.
''Seven years since she came hereP
Tell me what your mamma is like,
Willie
Willie described his pretty mother as
well as he could, surprised that at the
end of his recital the stranger kissed him
again and again, and said he was very
! glad to have him as a guest.
What a time the two had in that big
| house! Roger Conway had come home
from abroad only that day, and there
had been no one to welcome him or ar
range for his comfort. But for nearly
seven years he had been used to CROUCH
| ing it, and did not mind a few incOn-
veniences. He left Willie in charge of
the house while he went after provisions,
and then they cooked their supper in
high glee; but before it was half eaten
Willie's head began TO nod, and his big
blue eyes to droop, for he had had a
| fatiguing day and was very sleepy.
Roger Conway unaressed the child as
| tenderly as a woman could have done,
and was about to layshi in bed when
| Willie spoke up
"I haven't said my prayers, Mr..
Roger, - in a very rebuking tone.
Roger smiled as the little boy knelt
down before him; but his eyes filed
with the first tears that had gathered
there since Lulu's death as he heard the
sweet, childish voice pray for " poor
mamma" and ask that God would bless
all his g fren's and 'lations.''
Meanwhile little Mrs. Dandy was
almost i'll with distress. Not until the
train had left Jarvis a mile behind did
she miss Willie, and then she could find
out nothing about him; no one could
explain his absence; no one had seen
him. When she reached Belden and
| found her father waiting for her she
threw herself into his arms with wild
sob.
"My Willie! I've lost him." she
said brokenly; and it was some time
before old Mr.. barley could arrive at
any explanation of her words. When
he at last understood, he went at once
to the telegraph Office and sent a dis
patch to Jarvis inquiring about the
! child.
" Now don't worry, Gertrude. Willie
will turn up all safe and sound to-mor-
row. I viii 90 to Jarvis on the very
| first train and see if l can't find him, if
we receive no answer to the telegram. :"
"There is no train until ten O'Clock
Tomorrow sobbed Gertrude. "I
shall die of suspense before Them
But when she has been driven home,
and welcomed by her two sisters, who
conforted and consoled her, she grew
calmer, and at last began to believe
that Willie would be cared for at Jarvis,
and that she should see his bright little
face on the morrow.
When the pleasant home supper was
over she went out on the wide, vine COW
cred porch and looked around on the
familiar scenes of her girlhood. Six
years had passed since she had left her
home with handsome VIII Dandy. and
now she returned dressed in widow $
weeds, and VIII was lying in his grave
in the Far West.
Yet nothing was changed about the
old home. There by the gate still stood
the old elm tree beneath which she and
Roger had plighted their first VOWS.
How wildly these familiar scenes
brought to her the recollection of her
first loveri Where was he nowp In all
these years she had heard nothing of
him, though her sisters had written of
Lulu's death. She wondered if he was
married, and where he lived, and what
his wife was Iike-if he had one, as OF
course he had, for men never remain
true to a first love. How well she re-
membered the quarrel which had caused
their separation. It had been principal
" her fault. She saw that when he1
anger had cooled sufficiently to let hel
see any thing; but she was too proud tC
ask her lovers pardon, and had made
haste to marry VIII Dandy "to show
Roger how little she cared" and had
gone to Kansas to live.
She had learned to love VIII very
dearly, but it was a very different love
from that she had given Roger. Still
they were happy together, and she hae
sincerely mourned Wills death. Aftel
a six months struggle to earn a living
in the West, she had consented to re
turn home to her father, expending he
last cent in the expenses of the journey
She intended to try for the position o
, teacher of the districtsschOol at Belden
, for she was too proud to be dependen
upon her old father. She felt that sh
must earn the bread she and her chill
ate.
) The next morning the barley famil
rose early so that Mr.. barley Nigh
? have ample time to prepare for his jour
3 ney to Jarvis, no telegram havin
reached them concerning the MISSING
: boy.
The old buggy was brought up to tn
gate under the shade of the elm-tre6
/ and Mary barley, who was to go int
e Belden with her father to see him of
/ came down the path drawing on he
n driving gloves.
''I shall die of grief if you come bac
q without my boy, father" said Gertrude
f as she handed the reins and whip to he
|. practical sister.
r "Never fear," said old Mr.. Darle1
you'll see him come home with m
+ safe and sound.'
, Just then cloud of dust came rollin
q up the road, and in the midst of it ai
o peared a gentleman on horseback, an
: before him sat a child frantically way
ing a small straw hat.
S A moment more and Gertrude Danb
e held her lost Willie in her arms, an
e was sobbing over him as if her heal
k would break.
d She did not notice the greetings he
sisters were giving the gentleman wh
e had brought back her treasure. 1t ws
h only when Willie sobbed out somethin
e about {" Mr.. Roger" that she looked u
and saw the lover of her youth, the ma
l. from whom she had parted in angt
d seven years before. Her face turne
scarlet, and she held out her hand, mul
10 muring some incoherent expressions
le gratitude.
y Mr.. barley insisted on Rogers pu
tino Nm his horse in the stahle saNin