Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-10-02

A pink-dressed brood, each one triae
overgrown, like their father, staring at
her with his eyes, and making not the
slightest pretence of manners.
"Who fastened your clothes ?" she
asked, seeing that Amanda's and Lucy's
buttons began too soon and ended too
late.
"The woman we board with
you're big enough to fasten them
for each other. Come here, both Of. you"
After having Strengthened their backs,
as Lucy afterward expressed it, she dis
missed Amanda with, CHOW look after
your little sister, and turn your toes out.
What's that on your dress?" to the third
girl, who singularly enough, reminded her
of her own child-sef.
81 don't know
"It's shame to have that pretty suit
| spoiled. l wonder if ammonia won't take
it out +? What's your name?"
melinda Denver Whittlesy."
Melinda senior actually flushed. "My
names Melinda Denver; did you know it
Keep your fingers out of your mouth l''' and
the sharpness of the tones betrayed unusu-
al emotion of some sort.
Very shortly the oldest girls strayed
away. Melinda said at once she must go,
but taking Winnie, who had got something
in her shoe, delayed her. There proved to
be nothing in that tiny pink boot. A hole
in her stocking, through which peeped a
toe as pink, caused the difficulty. Miss
Denver rubbed the little foot, and was so
long getting on the pink boot that the
blonde, baby-head nodded against her
breast, and at length found itself Graded
there.
While Melinda sat there with Tommy's
youngest in her arms, and the man himself
opposite, there came upon her a feeling
that just such a scene was enacted once
before. 1t was like the turning back of
leaf and finding the same passage, word
for word, upon it. She was almost tempt
ed to speak to her companion, and ask him
about it, when all of sudden there was a
futter of pink dresses, and Amanda
and Lucy appeared before them, breath
less.
"Is Melinda here %
She was not, that was quite certain.
Tommy took himself of listening to their
hurried explanations as he went, and the
only woman in the world he ever loved was
left alone with his baby.
''The trio returned without the missing
one Thought there VIZ chance of find
ing her there. Their united voices arous-
ing Winnie, Melinda gave her, into Tom
my's arms.
"I'n go and see what I can do,' she
said, with the mien of conqueror. "Chil-
dren, you come right along with me.
You're to tell me Just where you went, and
when you missed her. Tommy, you stay
about here, there's probability of her
finding her way back"
Having issued her orders-short, sharp
Observation-Disclosures hurried away; to be
met by Tommy half an hour later, COM
pletely crest-fallen. Her search had fail
ed. Tommy looked ready to drop; the
girls sobbed bitterly, declaring "M'lin''
was drowned in the river; while Melinda
scanned the horizon for a guard whom she
had not already consulted.
Suddenly voice: Madam, there's
little lost girl at the mansion, dressed like
these; is she yours %
eyes, thank you, SIR replied Miss Den
yer, promptly, and headed the party that
went toward the place indicated as fast as
feet could carry them.
owe all go the same way" said Melinda,
holding fast her namesake's hand, 'tand
may as well start home at once"
zone word, Melinda. When the gen.
tleman asked was this your little girl, you
said yes; is she?
"Of course" replied Miss Denver, her
cheeks in blaze. "These children need
somebody to take care of them, and Pm the
one to do it,
Melinda Denver - excuse me, Mrs.
Whittlesy, 1 should say-I'm surprised;
completely so!' and the light of the new
society shook her head sadly. "You told
me again and again you never meant to
marry that man.
81 haven't married him. I've married
the children that's ALL
Still, Tommy looks as radiant as if it
were himself.