The Opelousas courier., 1883-11-17
awful stormy night as that

at wasn't him; it was old Miss
Dudgick, his wife's aunt" explained
the Superintendent of the Town Poor,
"You see he was awful down in the
world, and he had gone to the Azores
to gather YARDS to make a cough cure
as should knock everybody's colds into
the middle of next year. An when he
heard the child was dead he hadn't
no heart to come back. And he never
know'd she was Twin until old Miss
Dudgick made an afferdavy on her
death.bed, and it was sent to him by
the lawyers. And here he is now"
"And here's a grown-up darter for
him." said Mrs. Griggs, CURLY. "And
he'll be suited, and we're suited, and |
dare say Naomi'H be suited into the
bargain, and nobody need never be no
wiser"
With which astounding succession
of double negatives the matter termi-
mated.
Naomi vas a pretty, blue-eyed gill
of seventeen, who was to have been
"bound out" the very next week to
the clergyman's family.
Ruth was a dimpled, smiling bru-
nette. whom all the little children
instinctively sought in times of trou-
BILE, and who was Mrs. Griggs' right
hand woman. And the two solitary
young things had always loved each
other like twin sisters.
II wish papa could take us both!"
sobbed Naomi, with her arms around
Ruth's neck.
"Don't hint at such a thing" said
Mrs. Griggs, Indignantly.
"And after ALL" said Ruth, who al
ways saw the ~consoling side of things,
eve can see each other often. And
isn't it exactly like a novel, that your
father should come to claim you after
all these yearsY'
So Naomi went to the pretty old
brick house which Demas Dodd, who
had contrived to make a fortune out OF
his Oriental Cough Cure" had pur-
chased-a picturesque old place, all
mantled with ivy, where there was an
ancient garden, full of sweet williams
and lilac bushes, and wandering ten
drills of clematis; where monster pear
trees flung their. pennons of shade
across the bo%x-bordered paths.
What a 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 repose!
Naomi's young life eem to expand
within it, like a daffodil in the sum
shine. And Demas Dodd, himself
scarcely forty, was SO gentle, so refined,
SC companionable.
Papa cried Naomi. who was an
impetuous little creature, and always
spoke out her thoughts and feelings,
'ssyou are so NIGEL I don't think | even
loved any n as much as I love
you"
And yet there was a certain shadow
of awe in the girls manner toward
him.
"What is it?" Naomi asked herself.
81 am not afraid of him. Do all girls
feel sotoward their father? But then
/ haven't known papa all my life. OF
course that accounts for it. It's SIM
pie enough when n comes to think
of it,"
Demas Dodd's daughter had scarcely
dwelt in her new home a month when
a greasy, ill-spened note arrived from
Mr.. Grigg, the superintendent of the
Poor House.
HE wants me to come down there"
said Mr.. Dodd. al wonder what
for?'
Papa, can't I go, tooq' asked
Naomi.
Not this time Mr. Dodd responded
gently, s'but perhaps / will bring Ruth
back with me to spend the day-if Mrs.
a spare her"
The superintendent was sitting up
in state before his ledgers and account
when Mr.. Dodd was shown into
the reception-room.
"Mrs. Bib has come home" said
the superintendent. Mrs. Bibb is
our matron.'
'Has She" said Mr.. Dodd. But i
at a loss to know how that fact
can possibly affect us"
she has opened q eyes," said Mr..
Griggs, with d flourish Of his left
hand.
"Oh!' said Mr.. Dodd.
prepare yourself" said the super
"We've been mistook. Ma
omi's the wrong one. Ruth vas your
darter all along. Mrs. Bibb knows.