The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-03-20

a friend for his little girl in me-"
Imagination can not picture any
! thing l~ovelier than the child was then.
l loved her at first sight, and have low
ed her always. I adopted, educated
her and brought her up as my own. l
! have the clothes she wore when she was
| found, but they furnish 10 clue TO her
~parentage, but on her arm, claSped
firmly above the elbow, was a bracelet;
it fits her slender wrist now; you see
sho wears it in the portrait; upon it is
a single word-the old fisherman took
it TO be her name; and so called her;
we never changed it. Avis was the
word, and Avis she is called--"
A CRY from Mrs. Grey interrupted
her; she sank upon her knees before
tho picture with outstretched arms.
"Avis!" she cried. MY child-it IS
my child! Fourteen years ago the cruel
sea washed her and her father from my
arms. The waves restored him dead,
but she was seen no more. Where Is
she ooh, where is she? And the
clothes she wore?"
She sank back in Roy's supporting
hEtlS SDGCGAll6SSy dlulOob Al4oClloAHAO'
Mrs. Livingstone fastened from the
room, but returned Immediately with
the little garments.
Weeping with love and Joy, the long
bereaved mother identified them all.
Blessed be the merciful heaven that
has kept her safely and restored her to
me after all these years. And you my
friend" turning to Mrs. Livingstone,
"how shall / thank you for your love
and care? Oh, bring her to me. Let
me clasp her once more in my arms.
Why do you hesitate2 1 am strong
enough Joy does not kill. What is it?
she continued wildly, gazing with grow
ing fear upon the pale averted faces of
both mother and son. HAS harm be-
fallen my child? Have | found her on
" to lose her? Avis. my daughter!
Where is she? :"
Rose Brandon rushed to her side.
BE calm" she cried. Avis is safe
and we'll. No harm has come to her.
Listen to ME. / can tell you where to
find her"
YOU" 1t was Roy who spoke.
"You know Ayis?'
II know her we'll, but l have never
known, until this moment, of her on
nection with this family. Why have
you kept your loss and grief a secret,
Roy? | could have helped you, had /
known your troubles, long ago."
at is nearly o year since she came to
us, in answer to an advertisement for a
music governess for little Ida. Mother
was sick when first she called and con-
seauently I received her. She was so
beautiful and innocent, and yet so sad
and friendless, that my whole heart
went out to her from the first. She
told me the simple story of her adop-
ton here and of Roy's love and hers,
but without mentioning a single name,
so that / never thought of you. She
| had left, she said, in order that he might
forget her. She gave ME as u reference
her own former music teacher, who,
while answering for Avis In every way,
declined to tell anything that the girl had
left concealed. So she came to us and
has dwelt with us ever since, quiet and
sad, poor child, but safe and kindly
cared for. / left her at home with Ida
and mother when ] came away. She is
there now"
Roy Livingstone caught her hands in
his and pressed them to his lips.
God bless you, Rose!" he cried hoarse
with emotion. "You have given me
back happiness and love. Mrs. Grey /
will bring your daughter to you. / go
by the train that leaves iii half an hour
before nightfall you shall fold her in
your arms. Adieu, ALL" and he was
gone.
The dusky gray of an Autumn twi-
light filled the lonely school room that
afternoon, but occasionally flashes OF
light from a small but cheerful fire
fell On the slender, girlish figure that
| sat before it In q low arm chair, her
soft, pale cheek supported by n lit
tie hand, her eyes fixed ON the glowing
Goals.
A world OF longing love and fond re-
greet was in those great dark eyes, that
saw not what they gazed upon, but
we're looking far away into the past.
Thinking of ~Roy-always thinking OF
Roy. Where was be? How Jared he Z
Had he forgotten Avis? Alas poor
Avis could not forget Harkl what was
that?
Al footstep in the hall outside the
door. Nothing in that to make The
eyes so bright and the pale cheek fusl
to vivid crimsoni All. but it had
sounded like Roy's footstep. Roy's
footstep hcre-what idle dreaming
What strange tricks fancy played hei
often-times.
She could close her eyes and hide hel
face IL her hands. as now-now psrsij
for shame at her own foIly-and fancy
oh, such thingsl Fancy The Laurell
her happy home once more, and Mrs
Livingstone her kind adopted mother
Eannr Rnu,n fandar emila AND lnuins