Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-01

he'll be suited, and we're suited, and I
dare say NamPll be suited into the bar
gain, and nobody need never be no
wiser"
With which astounding succession of
double negatives the matter terminated.
Naomi was pretty, blue eyed girl of
seventeen, who was to have been ''boUnd
OUT the very next week to the clergy
mans family.
Ruth was a dimpled, smiling brunette,
whom all the little children instinctively
sought in times of trouble, and who was
Mrs. Griggs' right hand woman! And
the two solitary young things had always
loved each other like twin sisters.
SCI wish papa would take us bothW
sobbed Naomi, with her arms around
Ruth's neck. re- go a ga2 aHa
..'sDon't hint at such thing said
| Mrs. Griggs, Indignantly. s"s 7al
Sand after all, said Ruth, who
always saw the consoling side of things
'Fwe can see each other often And
isn't it exactly like a novel that your
father should come to claim you after all
these years?" a9 a ~ auaata .s
So Naomi went to the pretty, old
brick house which Demas Dodd, who
had contrived to make fortune out of
his ''Oriental Cough Cure" had pur-
hased-a picturesque old place, all
mantled with ivy, where there was an
ancient garden, full of sweet williams
and lilac bushes, and wandering tendrils
of clematis; where monster pear trees
flung their pennons of shade across the
box bordered paths.
What change it was after the toll
and drudgery of the town poor house,
this life of easy comfort, with the softly
carpeted floors, the curtains of snowy
muslin Topped with ribbon, the books,
the flowers, the atmosphere of re-
pose. t#.ua ...r..-.... -l....F
Naomi's young life seemed to expand
within it, like daffodil In the sunshine.
And Demas Dodd, himself scarcely forty,
was so gentle, so refined, and SO COM
paniOnable.
"Papa," cried Naomi, who was an
impetuous little creature, and always
spoke out her thoughts and feelings,
you are so nice! / don't think [
ever loved any one as much as l love
you"
And yet there was a certain shad-
ow of awe in the girls manner toward
| him.
"What is it?" Naomi asked herself.
| 81 am not afraid of him. Do all girls
feel SO toward their father? But then
1 haven't known papa all my life. OF
| course that accounts for 1t, It's SIM
pie enough when one comes to think of
it.. -
Demas Dodd's daughter had scarcely
| dwelt IN her new home a month when
greasy, in-spelt note arrived from Mr..
Grigg, the superintendent of the Poor
! House.
"He wants me to come down there"
said Mr. Dodd. GO wonder what
for?"
Papa, cant I go too ?" said Mao
mi.
''Not this time, " Mr.. Dodd responded,
gently. "But perhaps I viii bring Ruth
back with me to spend the day-if Mrs.
Griggs can spare her"
The superintendent was sitting up in
state before his Iedgers and account
books, when Mr.. Dodd was shown into
the reception room.
''Mrs. Bib has come home," said the
superintendent. ''Mrs Bibb is our
matron."
ssHas she 90 said Mr.. Dodd. ''But 1
am at loss to know how that fact can
possibly affect us ?"
"She has opened our eyes," said Mr..
Griggs, with flourish of his left hand.
"Ob," said Mr.. Dodd.
FfPrepare yourself, said the sBperin-
tendent. "We've been mistook. Ma
omi's the wrong one. Ruth was your
darter all along. Mrs. Bibb knows.
She brung 'em both up, by hand.
Naomi belongs to the old brickmaker,
who fell into the kiln and broke his neck,
six, cen years ago. Truth is truth! And
I amt the man willingly to deceive my
fellow creeters, not if it was law to.
Naomi's the wrong one, and Ruth is
your daughter, Mr.. Dodd."
Mrs. Bibb, an elderly female, with
! bottle nose, and a succession of double
chins, was called to give testimony, and
it was incontrovertible,
81 am sorry for this said Mr.. Dodd,
gravely; 81 have grown very fond of
Naomi"
"Ruth's deal handler about the
house" interposed Mrs. Griggs. ''Na-
omi always was feather-headed cree
tur. She's got a pretty face, and that's
all"
/ Little Ruth came in, trembling and
pale. Was the fairy story about to be
revived? Was she the disguised prin-
cess, after all? And Naomi only an in
ebriated brickmaker's daughter? She
would rather have drudged on at the
poor house all her days, than to have
Mrs. Bibb divulge her identity thus.
| But, as Mrs. Griggs declared, ''truth
was truth Naomi returned to the
poor house, and Ruth took possession
of the pretty, old red brick house,
where the China roses smelled so sweet
~, and the canaries sang in the bay
window.
6" My DEAR" sad Mr.. Dodd, strok1ng
the pretty head, 81 hope you will be
very happy here"
+" Papa" said Ruth, plucking up
courage, ST can't be happy without Ma
omi"
Mr.. Dodd smiled. A tender softness
came into his eyes.
50 That's what was thinking myself,
| Ruth - said he FtSha1I T co offer hnr %