Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-11-21

fee hurried away with Il to tho lumber
yarl
Great was the Joy of Zin;ha. Her
employer opened il himself, AID seemed
greatly pleased when the young girl
took ont two pretty dresses, made with
''tucks 10 let down as Zintha grew" Gas
the accompanying letter stately, and
all manner of pretty presents from
Vesta, Hal. and the dear, kind lady.
"Now, Zintha," said her employer
that afternoon, II have little pan for
YOU. My foreman has spare room in
his cottage, and his wife, who is good,
motherly soul, will board YOU until we
hear from your father. II Is not n nice
place for you at Hansen's, since he
drinks SO much, and is too far for you
TO go to your evening lessons. Now
that your kind friends have sent you
these gifts, think you had better send
them at once to your new room, and
will see Mrs. Hansen for you"
"Ah, | can never thank YOU" said
Zintha, "and these kind friends. who do
so much for me.
"Neyer mind the thanks he replied,
briskly. "I've girl of my own, and
!
your father when he comes"
So the boxful of pretty presents went
to Mr., Gordon's house that night, and,
before Zintha slept, she wrote this letter
to her friends in California:
"MOST DEAR AND KIND PEOPLE: The beau
tiful box came to me this day, and could cry,
my heart is 80 happy. am writing now every
day in the Office, and every week my KIM
master pays me for IL. | learned 10 write, as
| you told mo to do, and twice every week say
.kol;sons to young lady who teaches In one OF
IHhe schools. IL IS very beautiful and thank
| the dear God and you. The sweet words you
wrote me have made my fortune. copied
them day after day on the boards, until my
kind friend gave me book. How pleased my
dear father would be- | hear not II word from
him yet. And am tired waiting. My master
says he will come some day when | am not
thinking of him. All dear lady, that is neverl
1 always think OF him aud pray for his return.
pray for you, too, dear lady, for can not
thank you. The books, tine dresses and all the
pretty clothing made me too happy to sleep.
some time we may meet again, and then may
hc wiser and better able 70 tell tho beautiful
thoughts ] have of you aud the pretty children.
IINTHA DIERKE."
Why Aunt Sue cried over that little
letter no one could tell, and even Gen
eral Perkins, her BROTHER, sat very still
for n long time after he had read it.
Six months after the box reached Tin
thu, General Perkins himself walked in
to the Office ut the lunber-yard, and
there he found tall, slender girl, bend
ing over some writing. He chatted
some time before he made himself
known, and then Zintha's happy face
made him ample return for 1.-THE bother
of stopping over to humor Sue swhim.
He tried in vain to persuade her to leave
her position and go with him TO Los
Angeles, when he should return from
the East but she only answered:
II thank all your kind family. Gcncr-
al, but my dear father must find me
here when he returns Her refusal
did not prevent the General from stop
ping again on his way back to the
orange groves, to leave n large bundle
of books and some presents from New
York friends to whom he had told Tin
tha's story.
Thus two years passed, with frequent
letters between Los Angeles and FREE
mont, and at each Christmas u box for
Iintha. Aunt Sue still fingered in Cal
ifornia. She had grown stronger, her
brother thought, and the children could
not spare her.
One bright May day, Aunt Sue drove
up the avenue leading to Roselawn, rs
General Perkins, place at Los Angeles
was called. She had been out with
Vesta, and was just returning with the
mail.
1T is strange that Zintha does not
write said she; II positively find my
self worried if the child misses one
month.
Perhaps she is i'll or very tired" said
Ncsta. But see, Aunt Sue, we have
company: Papa is talking with young
lady, and there is n gentleman in the
hammock
Aunt Sue did look. There WAS no
installing those brown eyes, and, rs the
ponies halted, she sprang out and
caught Intha in her arms.
''Ah, dear, dear lady. have come ut
last, and here l. my dear father with
met said the girl, holding the lady's
hand tightly in her own.
yes, madam, | am here said
linc-looking man, advancing, "and all
my life shall thank YOU for the love
you have given my little girl. y
What a happy party Rosclawn held
that night! What a long, long story il
was which Zintha's father told--how he
found work at once, and aftcrward went
into business for himself ut Salt Lake
CITY; how he had often written to Han
sen, sending money and letters TO his
darling little girl; how Hansen wrote
that the child was well, and learning fast
III school. Then he was i'll, very i'll, for
long time. When he began 10 recover, his
first thought was for Iintha, but no
word came. One day, when he grew
stronger he went down the road to build
new store-housc. While the men
were ut work one of them picked up
board with u little verse on it, He car
ried il to the boss (who was no other
than himselO, who read il rs II hungry
man eats bread. There was hi, dar-
ling's name, with his own, beneath the
poets words He laughed aloud for Joy,
and the men said: "Ah, his head Is not
quite right since the fever" But his
head was right, and his heart, too. lie
wrote mt once to his child, and heard all
the long, sad story. 1.-The words of the
poet, dear friends said he, as he con-
cluded his long story, ''proved better
than the telegraph; it was a message
from my own loved one when | was
anxious about her. Then maic haste
to get to her as soon as could, and here
we are together at last, and trying TO
thank you for all you have done. ="
Here Zintha's hand rested lovingly on
his arm, and Zintha's voice, quayering
with love and joy, said when. the
dear father builds his house, the words
which brought us together shall be
carved over the door, to commemorate
the happy fortune they have brought 10
me.
brave little ZinthaW said the Gen
eral. 1T was not the words alone, but
your patient, earnest work which won
the good fortune. But come, Sue, LET
us have some music"
| Then Aunt Sue took down her guitar
and they sang the evening hymn, which
lloated on and through the fragrant air.
1t CHANGED that the music fitted the verse
| - g/...l,'.. -