Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-10-21

I
her invariable custom OF spending Sab
bath afternoons
But Mr.. Dale's sermon and his appeal
for the children would mngle in hel
mind, else why should her memory
seem so full of troublesome texts thi,
afternoon; texts which apparently had
no bearing on the sermon, but rather on
the appendix
Miss Winchester prided herself, and
with reason, upon her familiarity with
the Bible. But just now she did not
care to recall, II was an hungored, and
We gave Me no meat; 81 was q
stranger and ye took Nc not i'm; 'In'
asmuch as ye did IL not to one of the
least of these, We did IL not to Me-"
Some way, the offer of the carriage
made entirely without the meaning tho
good pastor attached TO it, began to
lose the satisfaction 1t had given earlier
In the day. The brown thrushes and
flame-tinted orioles fitted here and
there, and sang their clear carols
among the lindens. The sweet summer
air lifted the leaves and stole through
| the open windows of the library; the
afternoon shadows crept longer and
longer over the smoothly cut grass and
gay flower borders, but Miss Win
chester. with her Bible on her lap, lean,
ing back in her easy chair and looking
out upon her beautiful grounds with
the calm and settled stiffness brooding
over all, felt unsettled and i'll at ease.
"You will take the carriage to the
station, john" said Miss Winchester
to her coachman, on Tuesday after
noon. "And take any of the children
where Mr.. Dale tells you"
"Yes'm," answered John, turning
toward the stables, and not at all re-
GREETING an errand which would take
him from wedding the beds within sight
of Miss Winchester's seat near the win
dow.
An hour or two later there was q
sound of returning wheels, and Miss
Winchester, walking among her flowers,
picking off dry leaf or faded blossom
here and there, was confronted by John,
hat in hand, and beside him small
boy.
please IN. this yer's the one Mr.. Dale
told me TO bring"
Told you to bringr' exclaimed Miss
Winchester, startled out of her usual
staid composure. 81 did not mean to
have any Of them brought here"
'You didn't say nothin' to me,
a'am," said John, shifting uneasily
from one foot to the other "cept TO do
as the parson told me, an he'sez: 'Ah,
JON, here you are, and here's little
fellow to 60 out to Miss Winchester,
seq he, an so / took the little chap
along"
'.Mr. Dale Is very inconsiderate, very
inconsiderate, indeed" said Miss Win
chester, severely sitting down upon q
rustic bench.
"Am to take him back, ma am, the
evcp' asked John, as stolidly as il an
exchange of corn or potatoes was under
consideration.
mo" said his mistress, shortly. "Go
and tell the housemaid to come to me. d"
The unwelcome little visitor had
stood quietly looking at the lady, and
also about him. He was slight, bright
eyed boy, about seven years old, trim
little figure in faded but WE'LL lifting gar
ments, with an indefinable air of gen.
tility about him.
~ would have said good-evening be-
fore, but the man talked so much," he
said, suddenly, fixing his clear, gray
eyes unfaltcringly upon Miss Winches-
ter's. 1.-The kind gentleman said was
to be your guest"
A very faint flush stole upon the
lady's cheek, as she remembered she
had not yet said good evening" to the
little stranger-unwelcome, indeed, but
yet her guest.
What is your namep" she asked.
Edgar Clark. My mother calls me
Eddie, and you can if you like, too.
What Is your namep" asked the bright
faced questioner, entirely unawed by
the grandeur of Evergreens, or the dig
nity of its mistress.
Henrietta Winchester" answered
that body, as conciscly and solcmnly as
II she were in court.
"Such long name! Must call you
all thatp" quericd the child.
"You can say Miss Henrietta. Then
more gently, as she noted the pale face
and general air of dclicacy about the
boy: "Are you tired from your rideP"
mot from the ride in the carriage
oh, that was beautiful said the boy,
heartily. "But I'm hungry"
to her care the child was committed,
with orders to prepare certain small
bedroom in the servants apartments
and also to give the little boy plenty of
milk for his supper.
"Strange that Mr. Dale should so
misunderstood me!'' said Miss Win
chester to herself, rs she continued to
walk in the fast shadowing twilight.
ut was quite enough to have the use of
my carriage; doubtless the linen covers
will have to be taken of, children soil
things so. This seems to be rather
clean, decent looking child; but / shall
not keep him here all the week" And
with this final decision Miss Winchester
went into the house.
She always read prayers after tea.
At Evergreens all was done decently
and in order. The cook, housemaid
and John entered the dining-room in
the usual staid procession, and with
them little Edgar. The servants took
their places, and Lizzie motioned the
child to sit beside her. But seeing q
vacant chair near Miss Winchester,
with quiet composure the boy crossed
the room and sat down beside his host
ess. Tho servants rolled their eyes at
each other. Miss Winchester gave no
sign, but as she read the usual chapter
and evening prayers she felt strangely
conscious Of those clear, unabashed
eyes and the quaint, childish dignity of
the small form near her.
The servants went out silently, but
the boy fingered at the door, and in his
frank wav aaid.