St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-10-29
has a claim on me-"

doesn't alter the case in the least"
In the meantime l was watching the
papers-and when L saw in the ship
ping columns the arrival of the "BOn
ME Kate" from San Domingo, L put on
my hat and veil, ordered the carriage,
and called Prissy to go and accompany
me to welcome my new guest.
"If / must, | must" said Prissy.
But she was not at all enthusiastic
about it.
was just pinning my Grape bow
under my chin, when Alice, the par
Tor maid, came courtesying in.
"a young gentleman in the parlOr to
| see you ma'am," she said in a smiling
furry. From the San Domingo
steamer. And"
an go down at once, Alice"
cried, tearing off my hat and veil and
fiinging the heavy Grape streamer on
one side.
s'Elsie, Elsie, watt" Pricilla's shrill
voice entreated me, but my mind was
full of my poor cousin Fannie and heI
orphan child-and hurrying down
stairs, found myself face to face with
tall, slender young man, very pale
and fair, with dark blue eyes, a soft,
silky mOustache, and plain morning
dress.
Involuntarily / threw my arms
around his neck and kissed him.
"YOu are welcome, Cousin Basil, -
said /, "welcOme thousand times"
He drew back, cOlOred a little. 81
beg your pardon, Mrs. Charteris," he
said "but there is some mistake here.
This is Your cousin ~ and a pale child
of four or five years old, whose long,
golden curls hung over his black suit,
| crept out from the shadow of the cur
tains, slowly and shyly.
81 am Frank" he said. "And Mr..
Lesley is my dear, dear friend. He
lived on the next place, in San DOmin-
go. He has come to the United States
with me !"
''But," cried, looking helplessly
around me, "where is Basil 2"
"Basil died two years ago, when the
yellow fever decimated our place"
said Mr.. Lesley, quietly. 81 was his
most intimate friend. Little Frank is
all that is now left of the Black family,
and promised his mother to see him
i'll safety to your house."
/ looked with a pang of pity at the
dear, little gOlden-haired fellow, of
whose very eXistance | had hitherto
been ignorant.
"Sweet little Frankie" said |, "yOu
shall be my little boy hencefOrth," and
clasped the baby form to my breast.
"And Mr.. Lesley, too ?" said the lit
tie lad, solemnly reaching out his hand
to his friend ':COusin Elsie likes Mr..
Lesley, or she wouldn't have kissed
him."
could feel myself color to the very
roots of my hair, but Mr.. Lesley's fea-
lures never stirred.
"She thought | was you, frankie,
don't you see 2" said he. ''Sbe didn't
expect to see such little mite of
chap as you. Goodbye, now, | am
going to the hotel, and | shall see you
very often, if Mrs. Charters is"
But at this frankie burst into an in
FAINT cry of dismay and desolation, and
|, recovering my presence of mind,
spoke up at once:
"Frankie, don't cry" said l, "Mr.
Lesley will not leave you-.just at
present, at least. You are my dead
Cousins truest friend, Mr.. Lesley" |
added, holding out my hand. "May /
not hope that you will be my guest,
also"
And Mr.. Lesley seeing that | was
thoroughly in earnest, consented.
"If shall not be bore ~ he said,
when little frankie jumped and dane
ed around him, for very joy.
"Now | shall love cousin Elsie all
my life," said he. "And so will Mr..
Lesleym
Mr.. Lesley occupied the suit of
apartments which | had so uncon-
sciOusly fitted up for the poor young
cousin who was sleeping the while in
the West India cemetery. Little
frankie, who had refused to be parted
from his friend, slept in Il crib close to
his bedside.
"WelI, Prissy," l said, merrily, to
my mother chaperOn, $50 we got two
guests instead of one !"
ats dreadful" grOwled poor Prissy.
ADO you think so ?" said |. Now it
seems to me that it is very good fun :"
Well, of course anyone can cOnjec-
ture for themselves how it ended. Mr..
Lesley was young and handsome
moreover he had a snug little property
of his own. He liked the Uuited States
and incidentally remarked that if he
had any object he would prefer to re-
main permanently.
"But," he added mOurnfully, cit is
said to be entirely without ties, that
no one cares whether you stay in one
place or another"
81 care" piped up Frank, who sat as
usual by his side, holding his hand.
"And so does cousin Elsie"
YES" said |, laughing, though not
without some confusion. "Frankie is
right, we both care
There" said Mr.. Lesley, 81 will
stay"
We were engaged within the mouth.
And as soon as | laid off my half
mourning we were married, so that
frankie never yet has been compelled
to separate from his friend.
And Miss Bent lives with us still,
and we are very happy. There is the
end of my love story. Ought not all
love stories to end sOP Miss Bent says
that all real rOmances end sadly; but
my experience, you see, has been al
together different. And perhaps | am
a better judge than she is Shirley
Browne.
THE YOUNG GIRL AND THE CARS.
1t is an unfortunate necessity that
ohliUas an ,nanU Of our xonncr fn