Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-24
WHEN THE SHIP COMES HOME

up with rudy touches the fair hair of
the girl who was cutting ample slices of
bread at the table.
Three cups and saucers suggested the
number expected to the meal, but for the
moment Alice Graham was alone. 1t was
only as the clock struck half-past that
she lit the lamp and completed her pre-
parations; then, after five minutes impa-
tient waiting, she turned and raped
smartly on the door which separated her
little parlor from another.
s'Aunt Emily! Uncle Cliffe!' she cried.
''We are coming" was the response,
given in a pleasant manly voice. 'Just
five minutes grace, Alice"
'You have had it," she answered, "and
if you are not quick you will be sorry, for
/ have toasted you some mullins. You
know what they are in a cooling state"
Apparently this reason for speed was
admitted; there was a rustling of papers,
putting back of chairs, and then tall,
fair man and short, dark woman came
in together.
Alice was mistress there, for she pre-
sided at the table and motioned them to
their seats in rather an imperious man
ner.
'I don't know what would become of
you if [ were not here to see that you ate
and drank and slept" she remarked as she
filed the three cups from the quaint old
silver teapot. Il do not think any interi-
or voice ever suggests to Uncle Cliffe that
1T is dinner or tea time, and Aunt Emily
seems equally unacquainted with the
gnawing hunger that assails me at certain
hours of the day"
They both laughed, the man merrily,
the woman in a quiet, half distracted
fashion, as if she only re-echoed her broth
er Clifford's mirth without being aware of
its cause.
Sat one and twenty hunger is very self
assertive," and Clifford Graham looked
admiringIy at his niece. "When you get
old, my dear Alice, it will not matter very
much whether you eat at g. or 7, or not at
ALL"
''Then 1 shall have to change very
much" she answered. cat present it mat
tiers good deal"
There was a pause, IN which the mullins
were handed around.
''How have you got on to-day?" said
Alice then, turning to her aunt. us the
translation finished, or nearly? When it
is, am resolved that we will have a hOli
day or treat of some kind"
Miss Graham shook her head rather
sadly.
at will take another fortnight of hard
work to finish what [ am about, and then
[ must begin something else. Treats and
holidays are not for me, Alice"
1t was not complainingly said; it was
more the utterance of long accepted
fact, which was not to be quarreled with.
Alice's bright eyes were rather dim for
moment, then, brushing her hand hasti-
" across them, she said:
II L. Il, Il
then I could work for you! Why-oh, why
have I no genius for anything? Why
should all the brains allotted to the Graham
family have been confined to you and dear
Uncle Cliffe?"
Such outbursts were so rare with the
girl that the elder people gazed at her in
astonished silence.
Clifford Graham was the first to recover
from his surprise, which he did almost di-
rectly.
'You have a genius for keeping house
and making US more comfortable than we
could ever be without you," he said. GAS
you are neither poet painter, musician
nor sculptor, be thankful, Alice, that you
are veritable household angel to US
two undOmesticated yet handwriting be-
ings."
Il do not place much confidence in
household angels,'" the girl answered
with a little laugh that was not altogether
a happy one. "However, let Us talk of
something nicer than my limited powers
of usefulness. Let US plan out all we will
do when our ship comes home,' Uncle
Cliffe."
This was a favorite theme with pretty
Alice The said 'ship" was volume
which the poor but gifted author, Clifford
i Il |,
certain sea of favor, and on its success
depended the carrying out of many a
fond project.
Not only was there to be a general fur
nishing up of the shabby-genteel little
house, not only was Emily to be forced
into complete set of new outdoor ap-
parel and Alice made happy by a gold
watch, but they three were to have little
trip together to some place across the
channel, where hard-worked brains might
find rest, and also gather fresh ideas on
which to exercise themselves. Alice
changed her mind every week as to where
she wished that visionary month should
be spent Sometimes it was to be in
quaint Brittany, sometimes among the
lakes and mountains of Switzerland.
Now her desire would center on Belgian
cities; anon she craved something little
less common place, as Norway and
Sweden Whatever she said, whatever
she advocated, it was all the same to
Clifford and Emily. So long as Alice was
pleased they would be happy anywhere,
for since they brought her away, a little
three-year-old orphan, from desolate
home, her will had been their law and her
smiles the very sunshine of their hitherto
colorless lives.
doubt not that there was some touch
of romance in the past history of this
bachelor of forty and his spinster sister
of nearly ten years older. | feel sure
that if we knew it, there was hidden
reason for their sympathy with each other
in their toilsome life as literary workers.
But of all this can say nothing. know