Milford chronicle., 1885-03-06

I
THE STORY OF A BRAVE GIRL
One cloudy winter morning. not lest
than twenty years ago, there was an un
usual commotion about a certain little
old house standing far up on the St
( John River.
Within, Mrs. Grace sat before the
great fireplace in the forenoon, so bun.
| died up in shaWls and blankets and
hoods that she could scarcely stir. In q
warm corner of the hearth lay three OF
four hot bricks, well wrapped in news
papers, and two homemade robes were
hanging across a chair to warm-everv.
thing indicating preparations for a long.
cold journey. Without, Mr.. Grace was
hitching the old red mare into the thills
OF the still older red pung, that looked
as II It might have come over in the
'MayhoWer." His round, good.
natured face wore a troubled ex-
preston, and he jerked at old Dolly's
bit once or twice in an ungentle wav
which wasn't like himself
The small part of Mrs. Grace's face
that was visible among the folds of her
home-knit hood showed the same look
OF anxiety, and her voice trembled q
good deal whom she spoke to the chill
dren and gave Cbarly her last directions.
There were four of the children-Dean
and Emma, and Joe and Charlv-though
Charly was not one of the Grace chill
dren. Mrs. Grace had taken her-a
wee, lame mite-when there was no one
else to take her, and she often declared
she couldn't and didn't love one of her
own little ones better than she could and |
did love Oharly. Emma and Dean and |
Joe were round, rosy little bodies of |
three and five and seven years, blue
eyed and yellow-haired. Charly was
eleven, and she was neither round nor
rosy. Her face was thin and her ewes
we're big and shadowy. And Charlv
was lame. There was a pair of tiny
3rutches always by her chair.
81 couldn't think of going" said Mrs.
Trace, 'if Charly wasn't the wise.
patient little mother know she is. /
lever was so worried in my life. But
What can do?"
| It was a hard question to answer. in
lenoA For the night before had come a
etter TO Mrs. Grace from her sister in
istant town, saying that her mother
he children's dear old grandmother
7as very, very Ill. "COme at once"
he letter read; and it was a week old
lhen Mr.. Ringgold, who lived two miles
bove the was yet their nearest
eighbor in the T.. Arsely settled region.
rought it from the post-ofiice, five
tiles below. 1t was little to be won I /
cred at that the tears filed poor Mrs.
races eyes, that her lips quivered and !
er voice shook. I
'I couldn't do it if it was not for !
usting in Charly So" she repeated .
me and again, in tones that brought a Y
-etty glow to Charly's thin little face. Z
know you'll take good care of them. u
,ar. There's bread enough baked, and g
re left the jar Of doughnuts in the II
Oset.
ooh, good again I" cried Joe. "Can el
have all we want? Won't it be fun, c'
larly ?"
''You must have what Charly gives p
u, said Mrs. Grace, "and attend to le
Iat Oharly says. I've locked the pan. W
door so you can't bother her by run u
lg in and out. Now"
She looked at Charly as the outer al n
)r opened. th
IN do just the best I can," said az az
arly, bravely. "a
4 know you will, dear. Be good ne H
ldren, all of you. III
There's wood enough piled up in the
ry TO last you" said Mr.. Grace, AZ
le huskily. ''We shall be back day su
sr tomorrow night, sure. All ready,
e. no
md a few moments later old Dolly acl
jogging at her best pace down the o1
wy level of the river. It was thirty =
3 miles to Dunbar Corner.
wish they were home again, said '"S
They will be before you know it," ,
yhed Charly. "Now I'll tell you a pI
y"
o the three little ones cuddled around io3
rly's chair before the open fire, -
le she told them the wonderful tale ''t'
le "Ihree Tiny Pigs" and from the che
to last they listened breathlessly. 0iAT
lgh they had heard the same story s,.il
y times before, no doubt. Charly ;uli ;uai
a wonderful gift for telling stories, 2
Grace often declared. An,
I'd Charly had a gift for something dIs, E
ie storytelling. When the stories coli
to an end she smiled. The
'ring me my box, will you, Joey, bre,
Ie ?" Charly asked. g
II poor little limbs were so weak dro,
that it was with difficulty Sen
ould move about, even with the aid cold
I erutches. 1oes' -.
oGsgeu, ~ eilll9lng up on the vide cold
,'sIu sI,S 81 -, ~ We . corner ana taxing heaV
,,;ts s-isii .i;s; IoGxe !. Z SQUARE wooden my
y knew what was coming then. aEoo