Smyrna times., 1883-04-18
A Little Queen.

And heard her baby sghS
You would have been her firing maid
As jOyfully as l.
Content to deck your little queen,
And let the world go by.
They used to go past our house
every fine day, Summer and Winter
the man shabby, emaciated as with a
long sickness, and with a feeble, hest
tating step, and an old-yOung face that
was far from prepossessing; the child,
beautiful, regally dressed, seated in
Summer in pretty carriage tastefully
decOrated-in Winter wrapped in soft
fur robes in her little sleigh that was
hung with musical bells, and drawn
always by the faithful servitor, who,
from much practice, seemed to have
managed the difficulty of going two
ways at once at least, he walked for
ward and looked backward. and never
fell over anything or endangered the
life OF his precious charge.
l do not remember who it was told
us that the man was a servant, or
whether we gathered it ourselves from
him as we stopped to notice the beau
tiful child We were two old maids,
sisters, and with enough of an income
to enable us to live in a genteel neigh
borhood but not rich enough to be able
to associate with the owners of the
more splendid dwellings around us.
We were, however, quite too rich to be
be patronized, so the good people left
, US severely alone. This explanation is
necessary to account for our interest in
all that passed our door. We had
little else to do but to speculate on
people, not in general gOssipy way,
but in that semi-romantic strain of eX-
preston which people are apt to
acquire who live much alone.
So we made history of our own fol
I. the little queen, as we called her, and
it certainly seemed to fit her. She was
we decided, the only child of very rich
parents, and this faithful man, who
was not exactly a servant, not being il
livery, or as we'll dressed as servant!
in such families usually are-was a sor
! of attache to the little queen, and KEEP
to attend her because he was so yer,
fond of her-maids not being trust
worthy out of sight. We felt sure tha
she came of long line of heroic ances
try-there was no ditch water in thOs
blue veins that traced her pearly skin
and the fearless blue of her lovely eye
> was that of a conqueror. Then tn
small, shapely ears, the dainty hand
and feet-oh! yes, blood will tell Th
very fact that NO ladies ever appeare
on the street with her told the story {
select humanity by right of birth. W
were just enough tainted with inheri
ed aristOcracy ourselves to approve (
the baby's lineage.
But, strange to say, we never becam
we'll acquainted. The man had quit
way of going right on with his littl
. mistress, and whenever we saw OF
bright bird she was on the wing. ST
ur. would smile and throw us kisses an
iiPt toss her fine, richly dressed doll in h,
m. arms for us to see, and then her patiel
ed: steed would start into a gentle trC
sst and the little equipage would be gon
and it would seem to us two lone
women as if cloud had shut off Il
sun.
1t went on this way for years, al
=. the baby could walk and was quite
ing large child, with long, curling, gold,
Jar hair, and the fairest complexion ! eV
me me saw, with the color of a rose on
. cheeks, and just brimming with heal
RIO and happiness. The man was alwa
with her, seedy, detected looking, b
absorbed in the child, often looking
her with sort of rapture in his face
-, if he imagined she might vanish in
Heaven while he watched her, a
when he touched her to arrange
RM wrappings, doing it in a deprecati
way as if he were not halfgood enoul
l never saw such devotion, even il
lover, and but this is not of myst
Three Summers and Winters we s
these two go past our door, in tn
little, happy journeys where one v
blest in giving and the other in rece
ing, when they both disappear
IN Days went by, and they did not con
the trees which were bare and leaf
M blossomed out in living green; bi
sang-where was our little quee
Sister and took turns in watching
her, but we were disappointed Vi
and one morning early, when looked
uii" the street, saw, not the little carri
with its pretty burden, but the man
j.. tendant running distractedly tow
/0rE me. As he came near l saw that
face was white and haggard, his {
:. lids red, lips compressed. He wo
:" have passed directly along, but ca
to him:
orse "How is the little one?"
"Very sick" he called back,
sped on his way
Aft He had reluctantly told me G
that her home was on the corne
certain streets above US. Now cat
up wrap, threw something on
head, and hurried away, determine
~ know if the beautiful child was
l u danger, and feeling no fear of in
sion, for to those people would
be of the slightest importance; b
hoped some of the domestics W.
-. kindly relieve my anxiety, for 1,
loved the child, and I was devO1
with o secret fear that l should N
see her again.
ldS, 1t was long way there. l wa
and walked, and at last stood at
number. And then felt sure of
had begun to suspect as soon
saw to what part of the city my
n. steps teAded-the man had give
his own address, not that of his
charge; this humble cottage wal
doubt, his own home.
rom Yes. Even while stood at the
red debating as to the necessity of
going in at all, he brushed hastil
me and entered. He had bot
:, on, his hand, and did not notice me !;
as he left the door open, foil
iTY. him, in my great anxiety te knC
---- the sick child's welfare.
20 to Good heavensl had stepped
Post room in the centre of which was {
drapsd in white, and beside whiol