Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-24
The landlord, who did not understand


city slang, stared.
The guests were all at supper-a savory
supper it was too, for the landlords wife
was, the crack cook of the neighborhood-
when in rushed snow-powdered vision
from the outer world, painting and breath
less.
'Have any of you seen anything of a
little girl in white plush dress and blue
ribbons?" said he. The squire's little
granddaughter is lost"
"Lostv shrieked the landlady, with the
coffee pot in her hand.
''Lostr' cried the company in chorus,
"A child lost in such a storm as this,
among these lonely woodsw
"Only four years old cried the messen-
ger, mutely accepting the glass of hot
spiced ale, which mine host made haste to
hand him. ''She ran out back of the wood
when the stage stopped to the squire's
to deliver the letter bag, and she amt
been seen since. And Mrs. Sedley, she's
in Mysteries and the squire's over toward
Lindleyville, and all the men are gone in
different directions to look for her,
SWELL, meyer" said the landlord.
"Poor little DEAR" said the landlady.
children are always in some scrape or
other" said the drummer, who was single
man.
eve never know what tribulation is in
store for u.s." said Sister Serenica, mildly.
''If We hear anything of the blessed
child, we'll certainly let you know" said
the landlady. "And Miggles will send the
stableman out just as soon as the late mail
is in"
But the messenger had scarcely disap-
peared when the housemaid came in and
whispered to Mrs. Miggles e4citedly:-
ooh, missus, I've had such turn!'
"a turn, you silly goose" said the land
lady, who tolerated no sentimental non
sense with her damsels-in-waiting. "What
on earth do you meanf"
"Was it a child in blue sash and white
frock as was losts" said belinda, wildly.
"Why, yes. Didn't you hear the man
say SOP"
"With blue eyes and hair as yellow as
buttercups?'
of its"
"Then, ma'am, it's been kidnappedp
said belinda, with hysterical whoop.
"And that there cruel, finty-hearted lum-
herman has got it in his room up stairs in
a bo-o-xw
"What?" cried the landlady.
"Pretty dear! I saw her myselfv
shrieked the maid. "Come and look,
ma'am, if you don't believe my Words
And in five minutes Peleg Pepper, sit
ting doing before the kitchen fire, with
his shaggy cap pulled over his eyes, was
seized by half dozen pair of hands.
"Ehf" he cried, starting out of his half
shaped dreams and mechanically putting
his hand on the pocket where, in the
woods, he usually carried his revolver.
"Vlllain"' roared Miggles.
"Wretchr' screamed Mrs. Migglee.
"Fiend in human shape"' roared the
damsel, while all the tavern help Joined in
the general hue and cry.
"What's the matter?" said Peleg Pepper.
What has happened?"
bring the poor little innocent down at
once" said Mrs. Miggles. She's been
drugged CT she'd never lie there so still
and peaceable. Confess your crime and
p'raps the squire'll let you off easy
Though what could have put such fiend-
ish idea into your head I'm sure 1 can't
imagine"
"Confessr' said Sister Serenica, mildly,
'and clear your soul of this dark stain.'
Peleg stared around him with eyes of
amazement.
"Be in lunatic asylum?'' he demand
ed. because if I amt, Pm blamed if 1
know what you all nean.''
X X * X * i: X X X + 4 4 X X X
Away in the snew-mantled cabin in the
Maine wilderness, little Bessie Pepper was
sound asleep in the home manufactured
crib, her curls as carefully tended as those
of Squire Sedley's heiress- granddaughter
floating like spun gold on the pillow, her
red-yarn stockings duly suspended from
hook in the huge chimney piece, her tiny
dreams wandering through an enchanted
land of toys and sweetmeats, while Mrs.
Pepper went ever and on to the window to
peer out into the driving snow and tenn
pest.
what can have become of him?'' she
said to herself, with troubled eyes. ''Be-
cause if he shouldn't come to-night,and
Bess should wake up, tomorrow morning,
and find her stockings empty"
''The possibility was too appalling! Mrs.
Pepper dared not follow the distracting
train of thought any further. And her
heart sank as the old clock in the corner
changed IL.
At that minute there was the sound of
heavy footsteps stamping off the snow on
COMPARATIVE WORTH