Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-08-03
!" Then I suppose you are not my

.'Then suppose you are not my
niece, Katie ?''
mo; I'm this mothers child"
replied Bella, with tears of mortifica-
ton and disappointment in her fine
eyes: - Oh. this is dreadful"
% Who is? 1? My mother won't say
so," said the young man playfully.
- But where. is my Thomas? Did
you leave him in the mincs?" asked
the disappointed woman.
. The mines? l never saw mine
in my life. I'm the first mate of the
Orient, and have just returned from
China. But your sons safe, hope.
He'll be here by the midnight train,
take my word for it''-a remarkable
exhibition of ideal confidence, as he
had never seen or heard of the mis-
sing son and brother bcforci
- 1 hope you'll let me come back
tomorrow, and see if this is not so,
he added.
q Oh, no. shall be ashamed ever
to see you again-I made such an eN-
htbition of myself at the depot!' said
Bella. e 1 ought to have asked you
if you were my brother, Thomas
Haynes. ought to have known
there were hundreds and thousands
of Thomases in the worldn'
I" oh, see now what the dreadful
thing was! 1 kissed this little girl
at the depot, before all the people
thinking it was my niece grown be-
yond my knowledge. 1 don't sec
how 1 can help it now-shc wouldn't
let me take the kisses back, know"
"Wcll, call it hlunder that no
one conld help. But / do wish j
could know where my boy is He
was to come, surely Ivy this train,"
said Mrs. Haynes.
'.Hc'l! come tonight; n'tworry.
Now, let me say goodbye TO you
both for there's another mother worry
ing on Prince street." said the
stranger. Il wondered what she
had moved for"
The young stranger had scarcely
left the house, when Il mcsscnger-b0y
came with telegram with which he
had been running about for an hour.
Thomas Haynes had missed the morn
ing train in New York, by the care
IesSncss of a ack-drivcr; and would
be home at midnight. But how was
he to find where the family lived now?
for they had moved to their new home
since he left the mines. Bella left
message with slccpy-loOking official,
as to how the inquiries of a stranger
for " Mrs. Mary Haynes" should be
answered. But she might have saved
herself the trouble; for - that other
Thomas" as she now styled the jolly
intruder whom she said she hoped
never to see again. was awaiting
the train.
He knew Thomas Haynes for
miner, rs soon as he sprang from the
cars: and haiIing" him, ne told
him his mother had moved lately, and
that lie had come to guide him home.
1t was happy family that gathered
round the fire and listened to each
others account of all that had oc-
Cured during their separation.
- OF all the earthly blessings God
can bcstow on n woman" said the
aged mother, good and noble chill
dren are the greatest"
After this Bella called her brother
''This Thomas" ," and their new friend
''That Thomas" Well, life has its
poetic episode, its pleasant events
that are like romanccs and stories.
This Thomas and That Thomas were
both tired of rough work on land and
on sea. Each had small amount of
money; and after some weeks of close
intimacy, the two decided to buy n
farm together and when men enter
into the friendly relations of brothers,
their sisters are not ignored. 1t was
so in this case. Bella was not for
gotten.
The next spring the double family
for the two famiIic were now one
moved into the farmhouse, the cosiest
and pleasantcst room in which was the
'parIor-kitchcn," which Bella had
with the furniture of the old one in the
city. And BeIIa-the sister of this
Thomas, and the wife of that Thomas
made the one home as happy as she
had the other; for good daughter
and a true sister and an agreeable and
careful housckccper in her ''teens" is
apt to prove very appreciated wife,
and become the head of n happy
Youths Companion.