Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-12-06
GaIts zrlo Sketfkts.
sY xARY CECIL HAY.

tempting to rise carelessly, but pulling
his hat little over his face.
Il mean home-to my fafher.r
"What unnatural whims little girls
do sometimes take" be said stroking her
hair softly. Come. you said it was tea
time"
Graham. really mean it," she cried.
in hurried, trembling tones. 20. listen.
please"
Twill not believe you mean it. Nettie. "
he said, huskily MIR Dunkayne has
made no effort to recall you. You know
how little like father he has ever been to
YOU. How can you set him before Us, who
love you SO dearlv ? 1t is cruel to US. if it
is not cruel TO yourself"
"Oh. bush,'' she crled. covering her
face suddenly. II thought you would
help me to see what was right"
'.If you let me help you. dear, il is
plain to see," said Graham. 1T is right
for you to stay here. to be a dear little
helpful daughter To your mothers sister.
and be-oh, it would take me along time
to say what to someone else. whose claim
| hope to make stronger than "A fathers
stronger hundred-fold than that Of such
father as yours"
''i seem To know only three people in
The world said Nettie with piieous sad
ness. land YOU make me cast off one of
them-or two"
Not |, dear" returned Graham eager
ly. '.He it was who did it first. Let US
talk no more of him. Here is your flow
er; il will brighten up that wistful little
face"
Those words we sang to-day haunt
~ h. aaiA xvolE clnxv lv-
beside him, and looking on before her
with eyes he could not iathom; Il feel as
if hid been told to go tn my father "
THAT prodigals father was a loving
and generous one. dear" answered Gra-
ham, gently. "else he would not have not
gone back to him Here is mother. How
she would laugh at this new notion, il she
knew it. Neitie."
The restfu Sunday twilight fingered.
with dropping wings. above the quiet val
ley, but the shadow of those soothing
wings Tell heavily and sadly into the plea
ant room, through the open windows
OF which the summer evening fragrance
crept in wooingly; heavily and sadly too,
it fell upon the three who talked together
there.
Mrs Lyttleton looked hurt and dIsap-
pointed as her gentle arguments failed to
convince Nettie that her notion OF duty
was childish and mistaken one tina. it
was even sinful in her to banker after
that miserable life from which she had
been rescued. Graham-speaking fret
fully as he leaned against the window
opposite her-rebuked her tor having
seemed happy with them when she
had been discontented. He told
her il was selfish and ungratful to
leave her mothers friends; even wicked
to 90 back of her own accord to sin
shadowed life and told her it would have
been kinder never to have come to them
at all. Then suddenly breaking off in his
reproaches he pleaded their love for her.
their loneliness in her absence.
their disappointment in her. Bul
while the girls soft, child-like tace paled
and quivered. her voice kept firm and res
olute; and he turned away from her and
paced the room with hot and angry words,
which pierced the little breaking heart in
which this love of his had wakened new
life. and brought sharp tears of agony
into the eyes that were looking out amid
the deep shadows with their old search
ing gaze.
plttuiSu W SVibS Otth W
old stagnant. comfortless life after these
months of perfect sympathy ana compau-
ionship. But the answer was all one,
though the little fingers were knit tightly
in each other, and the young lips puckered
with pain. Following his words, she
could not help her thoughts pieturing the
change that had been wrought in her-an
uncared Tor little girl. with worn face and
shabby dress-since she had been wei
coined into this easeful. abundant home.
She remembered how impossible she had
found it then to add at all to- her father's
happiness; yet how she seemed to have it
in her power here to add to her aunt's and
to Graham's. She asked her own heart
was it not really wicked. as he had said
to go back to a -shadowed life? Then
her head dropped against the window.
and her eyes grew bewildered in thai
search OF theirs among the shadows.
You will have forgotten these silly
feelings in the morning, Nette. dear"
said Mrs. Lyttleton. rising and kissing
her with sudden pity; iii not. | shall
have recourse to a little wholesome author
ity. and forbid you to speak of it again
As for giving you permission to go back
to the life took you from. that I shall
never do. Now go to your bed. dear
am quite sure you will have forgotten
this to morrow"
But on the morrow when Graham came
in from his morning ride round the farm.
and sought his little love, he could no.
where find her. Nettie and her little
shabby clothes were gone, and in the sun
ny chamber nothing was found but the
pretty dresses they had chosen tor her.
and tender, little penitent letter. that
quaint. resolute bravery in all its pathos.
and ended by few words blotted by
tears, II will arise and go to my father =
IL loved her as my own child, Graham" :"
said his mother with swimming eyes; -.bu,
she has cast off the love We gave her. and
the home we offered her. 1t was cruel
thing to do"
YES" said Graham. covering his eye.
with his shaking hand. 'thougn brave
and tender heart has done it. it is a cruel
thing TO do"
Dismissed like an errand-
boy After twenty years OF
service, dismissed like q common
errand-boy! OF what use to me were their
regrets and advice? am too old to be-
gin life anew. Ii could, l don't sup
pose should care to do so; it shall run
itself down now in the readiest way can