American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-01-29

Blessed Virgin she wore on her neck.
MAY 1 have that P" he asked.
flush rose to Nannie's cheek; could she
give up the precious object which had
been blessed in the church, and which
was sacred to her? Then came the
generous thought, "he needs it more
than |, poor bear man." and instantly
she took the scarlet ribbon from her
neck and held it out. The young man
bowed his tall head, and Mamie passed
the ribbon over the dark waving locks,
her eyes thus met his. and she was sur
prised to see that strange moisture in
them almost quenched their light
When she had settled the ribbon on his
neck he put out both hands and drew
the child close to him; the handsome
mouth no longer smiled, nor did he
speak, but pressed long, gentle KISS
on Nannies sweet baby mouth, gazed
in the clear eyes one minute, then
turned away with lingering step, and
Mamie was'aione in the sweet summer
twilight.
The neighbors in the court told q
wonderful tale of the bears and their
master. They said that the fiddler had
had two bears, and one having died, q
lad, the nephew of the fiddler, had
dressed in the bears skin and assumed
its part to the life. At first he had
done it for a frolic, but when he found
how well his antics were taking he kept
up the role for some time. The diff
Guilty they had found in concealing the
lad at night had been the means of dis
covering the deception, and being
found out, the fiddler felt bound to
leave those parts. Little Mamie be-
lieved nothing of this story. She knew
better, and carefully did she conceal
her knowledge and treasure the tiny
nut basket the bear man had given her,
She told no one the strange story,
though frank little creature generally.
because she could not bear to be scotfed
at, and grown-up people who had for
gotten the fairy tales of their childhood
would surely doubt the wonderful
story.
Years have gone by, and Mamie has
grown to be a woman, but somehow the
baby mouth and innocent eyes are not
very much changed, and though the
dark rich mass of her hair is now gath
cred up in heavy braids. the same little
fiossy curls wander over her ears and
forehead, half yelling, as with mist,
the splendor-of the dark eyes.
She is a shy. quiet maiden, the
prattline tongue of her childhood is
silenter and her heart feeds on the
brooding silence she habitually lives in.
One day-it is a summer day-she
sits sewing, this time it is bit of finery
for herself that she sews, when tap
comes at the door. Thinking it was
one of the children in the court, Oh
maybe old Rechette, the landlady, come
to look in for few minutes chat, she
said without looking up. ''Come in!'
The door opened. something drew Nan.
nette to look up, she started and
blushed, for there in the door stood 8
tall, handsome man. He did not speak,
and Mamie looked with a puzzled gaze
up into his eyes-they were not strange
eyes, surely. Presently her own fell to
the strangers hands. and she saw they
were great shaggy bears paws. Apro
is the bear man come back" she cried
blushing and trembling with mingled
delight and surprise and a remnant o
her old childish fear. The bears paw!
dropped to the ground and the stranger
caught Mamie in his arms, and thu
deep voice Mamie remembered so well
through all those years, said, Little
Mamie, have come back to claim my
pledge. If you disenchanted me il
those old days. you cast spell over mi
| too with your dear little medallion, ant
the spell has never been broken.
have worn the medallion always. See?
Mamie looked. and with a curious
dream-like remembrance of her child
hood, recognized the little talisman sh'
tarirv to SUI angcfns -irfylp 6, a ns;q
saw. around Nannie's throat, his nu
basket; he touched it with his fingers
and Mamie saw that his hands wer
long and smooth and not at all lik,
bears paws, but like a musicians sup
pie hands. Then she looked up in hi
face timidly, noting how the boy
bright face had changed to the man s
not less frank or handsome, but graver
more purposeful. Her lips moved t.
speak. but as his eyes met hers in :
tender gathering gaze the words dice
away, and blush rose to her cheel
dyeing it deeper and deeper with every
Tutoring throb of her heart. Lifting
the face up with one hand, the stranger
studied once more its youthful, bloom
ing grace, the dimpled mouth and chin
| the dewy dark eyes and sweet tanglt
of curls that fell over them, then he
said low and softly, ''Nannie, my sweet
little Mamie, you have not forgotten
me, nor the promise you made!. Viii
you still love me, will you continue the
good work done in your childhoodi
Mamie. the princess always marries
the prince she disenchantsr' Mamie
gave the same answer she had given,
SO unhesitatingly, long ago, in this same
quaint room. and as she hid her eyes
in sweet content, on the bearman'
broad shoulder. she murmured, 81 was
sure you would come back to me some
dayr'-M Y. Graphic.