Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19

when they might hope to see each other
again.
Choosing flowers and then rejecting them
trying other coOrs and wondering whether
she had accomplished change for the bet.
ter, Kitty was Startled by the sound of q
voice calling to her from the direction of the
brook
She looked roHnd and saw gentleman
crossing the bridge. He asked the wav to
Br,GntWater cottage.
There was something in his voice that at
tracted hcr-loW or why, at her age. she
never thought Of inquiring Eager and ex.
cited, She ran across the lawn which Law be-
tween her and tie brook before she answered
the question.
The gentleman approached her and sud.
denly stood still. Kitty said: This is the
cottage, sir; Go you want to see mamma?''
The last WORDS fell family from her lips:
she hardly knew whether she was frightened
or surprised. There the stranger stood with
his eyes fixed on her, thinner and paIer, and
not looking happy-and yet like, oh, so like
her lost father!
His sOrroWful eyes rested kindly on her.
The child ventured to say: ''Do you know
ME sirY'
He answered in the saddest voice thai
Kitty ever heard: MY little girl, what
makes you think | know yOu?"
She was at a loss how to reply, fearing to
distress him. She could only say: ''You are
SO like my poor papa"
He shook and shuddered, as il she had
said something to brighten him. He took
her hand. On that hot day his fingers felt
as cold as if it had been winter time. He
led her back to the seat she had left. I'm
tired, my DEAR" he said. Shall we sit
dOWn"' 1t was surely true that he was
tired? He seemed hardly able to lift one
foot after the other; Kitty pitied him. Il
think you must be ILL.," she said as they
took theis places side by side, on the bench.
"No; not i'll. Only weary, and perhaps a
little afraid of frightening YOU" He kept
her hand il his hand, and patted it from
time to time. My dear, why did you say
:, DOR papa when you spoke Of your father
just noW?'
My father is dead, SIR
He turned his face away from her. and
pressed both hands on his breast, as if he felt
some dreadful pain there and was trying to
hide it. But he mastered the pain; and he
said strange thing to her-very gently, but
still it was strange. He wished to know
who had told her that her father was dead
"Grandmamma told me-"
DO you remember what grandmamma
said?"
''YeS-she told me papa was drowned at
sea-"
He said something to himself, and said it
twice over. Not her mother! Thank God,
not her mOtherW What did he mean?
Kitty looked and looked at him, and Won
dered and wondered. He put his arm round
her. Come near to me-" he said. Don't
be afraid of me, my dear" She moved
nearer, and showed him that she was not
afraid. The poor man seemed hardly to I'M
derStand her. His eyes grew dim; he sigh
like a person in distress; ne SAID: Iour
father would have kissed you, little one, if
he had been alive. You say am like your
father. May kiss YOU'D
She put her hands OH his shoulder, and
lifted her face to him. In the instant when
he kissed her the child knew him. Her
heart beat suddenly with an overpoWering
delight; she started back from his embrace.
''ThatS how papa used to kiss mep she
cried. ''Oh you are papa! Not drowned;
not droWnedr' She flung her arms round
his neck and held him as if she would never
let go again. Dear papa! Poor, lost pa
pal" His tears fell on her face; he sobbed
over her. "My sweet darling! Ny own lit
tie Kitty!'
The hysterical passion that had overcome
her father filled her with pteous surprise.
How strange, how dreadful, that he should
cry-that he should be so sorry when she
was so glad! She took her little handker-
chief out Of the pocket of her pinafOre and
dried his eyes. 'Are you thinking of the
cruel sea, papa? No! the good sea, the kind,
bright, beautiful sea that has given you back
to me and to mamma-W
They had forgotten her mother! and Kitty
only discovered 1t now. She caught at one
of her fathers hands hanging helpless at his
side. With sparkling eyes, with flushed
cheeks, she pulled at his hand as if her little
strength could force him to his feet. Come"
she cried, land make mamma as happy as l
amp
He hesitated. She sprang on his knee; she
pressed her cheek against his cheek with the
caresSing tenderness familiar to him in the
first happy days when she was an infant
"Oh, papa, are you going to be unkind to me
for the first time in your life?"
His mOmentary resistance was at an end.
He was as weak in her hands DOW as if he
had been the child and she had been the
man.
Laughing and singing and dancing round
him, Kitty led the way to the window of the
room that opened on the garden. Some one
lad closed it on the inner side. She tapped
impatiently on the glass. Her mother heard
the tapping; her mother came to the win
dow.
And they saw each other again! Since the
miserable time when they had left Mount
Morven, since the long, unnatural separation
OF the parents and the child, those three were
together once more!
AFTER THE STORY
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