Smyrna times., 1882-11-15

tale"
"But, Dot" Miss Britman said,
after a long silence, "my dear little
ont, do YOU love this Mr.. Ferris?'
"Lovc him, auntie? I don't know.
1 haven't thought much about that yet;
but, if he's nice and kind and rich,
don't you think we might be very
happy? 1 do so want you to have lots
of pretty things-soft, dull satin, seal
skin mantle, real lace. Oh, dear! it
would be so nice! You'd look sweet
in seal coat, auntie."
Miss Britman sighed gently. The
time had long gone by when dress had
any charms for her-if, indeed, it ever
had-and Dots visions only made her |
more sad. Clearly, the child was slip
ping away from her. For eighteen
years she had cherished her, and now
the first person who passed by and
saw her fresh, fair young beauty, might
bear her away. 1t was all just and
natural-palpably and practically for
Dots goOd-still, it was bitterly hard
and Miss Dritman sat by the dying fire
thinking it all over, and weeping in
her unobtrusive way, long after the
child had laid her sunny head on her
pillow and fallen asleep. Far away in
the past Miss Britman's thoughts
wandered to IL hushed and darkened
chamber, where she bent down to catch
the last faint, futtering accents of one
who was lingering on the threshold of
eternity.
My child, Maggie-my poor baby
my almost-as-helpless husband-you
will not forsake them? Promise me,
Maggie, that you will take care of
them"
And Margaret Britman kissed her
dying sisters face and promised. All
the remembrance of the dreary, dread
full days that followed rushed upon her
Dot helpless infant, her father
stricken with blindness, both depend
ent on Maggie. Then in the midst of
it all came a still greater trial. The
gentleman Margaret was engaged to
was offered a lucrative appointment in
California, and he wished her to &C
with him. They had been engaged fol
three years, and now there was moth
ing further to wait for. Here was {
divided duty. Margaret loved The
man she had promised to marry; bu
how could she forsake the helpless
; baby and its equally helpless father
How could she keep her promise to he
dead sister if she went to California?
Her lover left her in anger. I" !
divided love such as hers was no
j." worth having" he said.
"But they are so helpless" sh
s pleaded. "Only let me stay wit
d them a little while"
V "You may stay with them fOreve
q for me-" was the angry reply; and tn
/, next day came little packet of letter
r and lock of golden hair, and Margart
a Britman's romance was hidden out
E. sight forever.
A few years, and Robert Derwel
ye died, leaving nothing but difficulti
s, behind him. Miss Britman took
lodging in a distant part of the cit
to and toiled for the child for long, wear
ne years, late and early, through tria
is that would have overwhelmed Il lie
Og resOlute and devoted woman; S
i'd tOiled on to give her Eiece a go
education, and enable her
ed earn her own bread when she shou
be called away. And now here W
d. some one stepping in-Philip Fer
to returned from CalifOrnia-Philip F.
,e- ris, who had said farewell to her
an anger eighteen years before--the o
ct, love and lover of her life was cOmi
lst to see her next day to ask for the chi
the motherless baby who had so |
I'D Willingly separated them eighte
iss years before. 1t certainly was passi
ite strange.
ly. The next day was gray and gloon
"" fog over head, damp under foot, G.
MT everywhere, but Dot was in high spir
l in spite of the atmosphere.
put 81 dare say Mr.. Ferris will be sho
wn ed at seeing what hideous house &
Dot street we live in, auntie. can imag
her him saying, "What Il distinctly DIRE
got full pIacer = In truth, l shan't be so
to leave berry street. Now, good b
aid, dear. Be very gracious to Mr.. Ferl
Dot and, oh, auntie darling, 1 do h
you'll like him, because, you KIN
ike we've got to live with him, perhaI
ght dot, my love, do you really tn
that you like this gentleman '
ght enough to marry him? He's
arl- enough to be your father"
you $50 he is, auntie, dear; but
don't matter much if he's nice
irst, kind and ever so rich-and he is"
anne Nice and kind and ever so !
nple That was Dots idea of a husband,
N it her aunt felt sad and sorry and s
erris way disappointed; she did not k
but where the child had got such id
to- And then came the awful though
yely, losing her, for she remembered v
me; Mr.. Ferris had said about d div
Mt to love. She would have but s
with place in Dots new home and new
OF Never did q day seem so long to
used, Britman, She had put on her
lime. black dress in the morning, and Il
p he q little extra care with the arrangeI
p ! of her still abundant hair; that wa
mite. the external preparation she had l
nent; for the visit, but her heart thro