The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-12-16

marrying against his will, he had CRU
ely and willfully estrayed himself SO
long, that he knew not now if she were
alive or dead-was it some memory of
these which held him still and silent in
his darkening roomP
Eliot Dinsdale was of too discerning
mind to be se~lf-deceived. If he felt
himself aloof from the happy commerce
of the season of goodwill and cheer, he
knew that it was because he had willed
it so,-if other hearts were closed to
him, he, himself, had shut the doors of
his own,-if he were unstirred by the
generous impulse of the time. he could
remember when he had driver from him
the angel who would fain have thrilled
the waters of his soul with the Divine
trouble of healing. But, whatever his
musings may have been, there broke,
suddenly in upon him. the ring of the
telephone call at his elbow, familiar,
yet strange, with an odd hesitancy in
the sound, the cadences of a timid or
Impractical hand, quite different from
its usual sharp, peremptory summons.
Turning quickly, he raised the receiver
to his ear.
II.
AT THE OTHER.
Startled from her sleep by some I'M
usual sound. the child sat upright amid
the blankets which had been carefully
wrapped around her. A mass of fluffy,
yellow curls fell about her warm, ROSY
cheeks. and her great violet eyes peered
anxiously into the dimness of the bare
/ Effla 1905 80 uvh;ol H.. 1l.ll
ish beauty was the only adornment.
Her red lips parted:
mamma! mammal!
There was no answer, and freeing
herself from the encumbering wrap
pings, she clambered down over the
bedside. Her pretty mouth was CULVER
ing, but she would not let herself cry
aloud.
cry" she said with q little sob in her
voice. There was no window out of
which to look, for the little light in the
place entered through a few panes let
into the dingy ceiling. The child
dragged a heavy chair across the floor.
and climbing upon it, pulled down from
and a little scarlet hood. She put on
eAS hOOo dWLy 0VCl hCk CuitSs 1uu1ulsuS
patiently at the strings with her small
fingers.
"Tm 'fraid it's IN a hard knot" she
murmured, dolefully, at last proceed
ing to wind the large shawl around her
infinite pains, and holding It fast about
her shoulders. Opening the door she
went out into the passage, where at the
l hand NJ n vDn~ no-r0ru rru m
other child was standing, who stared at
her in stolid silence.
"Biddy Malooney, I'm just goin'
my mamma" explained the small lady,
with dignity, as she began the perilous
descent.
More than one passer by looked for
IN instant at the curious little figure
emerging from the st~reet-entrance of
the tall stenement-house, and trailing
the fringed ends of the heavy shawl be-
hind her over the frosty pavement. But
no one paused to question her as she
hurried on, looking about at first eager
ly and hopefully, but with a growing
air of perplexity and trouble as she
came into the broad, unfamiliar streets.
At every corner she paused. looking
vainly up and down. Her little bare
hands were chilled, the people jostled
her, and a careless foot set upon her
quaint train. tore away the fringes. Her
lips were trembling again, and tears
strained at her eye-lids. Suddenly her
attention was attracted by a pair Of
glass doors through which a cheerful
light was streaming. She climbed the
broad flight of steps leading up to them.
a.I -o,n1y frsal fh4 hoorr Latch G1-,a
body inside turned the knob, and start
ed in surprise at the odd, little person
age who entered. With the swift in
eyes read the kindly features, and a
brave, trustful smile lighted up the lit
tie face.
"Do you know where the bakery is,
that my mammals gone to-? Cause ]
can't find her!'
The bookkeeper sat down and drew
the child upon his knee. He had one oil
his own at home.
"Who is -FOUR mamma, my dear?"
"Why, mammals just mamma! And
I'm Bessie" In a lower tone: ''Papa's
gone to Heaven"
..Do you know where you live?"
"'Way upstairs, cause we've moved.
/ l. ISL u d hECC pldCO
'but don't tell mamma, cause it makes
her cry. And Biddy M~alooney's mann.
ma don't wash her facet"
The young man laughed, but the
mirthful sound ended in a low, per
picked whistle.
81 shall be off duty soon," he said te
himself, 'sthen / will take her around
to the police station"
He drew a chair in front of the ra
diator and set the little girl tenderly
down.
.I'n help you find your mamma
he said, .''but you'll have to wait
little"
"WiI you, really and truly7"
"Really and truly!'
''Well, then, I'll wait!!"
She settled herself demurely upon thu
cushion and began an interested scru
tiny of her novel surroundings. Evi
IDENTIFY the maxim '.Never interrupt
had not been impressed upon her child
ish mind, for she began a running fir
of questions which sadly interfered witt
the addition of a long column of figures
upon which her companion had resumes
his work.
The telephone suddenly became a
object of wonder, and she Chambers
from her perch for a nearer inspection
whats thatP"
"a telephone"
What do you do with itP"
II talk into it."
''Who is it that you talk top
Somebody up stairs"
'Show me how you do it."
'Well, see here then. l turn thi
handle-so-and that rings a little bel
Then 1 take this thing in my hands
and hold it close to my ear while