Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-03-05
NO. 10.


The man laughed aud released her
Better 20 back home, little On, he said
kindly. "rant no good going after them.
They'll have thrown it away somewhere by
this"
II must have my dolly back" said poor
Dinah, beginning to sob and going on her
way again, but more slowly than before, and
looking about TO see If, perohance, her treas
ure had been thrown down somewhere, as
the policeman had suggested. The boys had
long since passed out Of sight. The child's
heart achtd miserably, and tears streamed
down her cheeks a. she vainly searched street
after street. Dusk FELL and she grew very
tired but she never wavered in her deter
mination to find the doll. Her wanderngs
led her at last into Trafalgar Square, where
all was so big aud grand IN the eyes Of the
little child-the tall column in the centre,
the high buildings around, the huge black H.
ons, and the great church of ST. Martins,
with its long fight of steps. II she had
looked up, she would have seen a golden
moon shining in the blue gray sky but her
eyes were searching ou the ground or scan
ming the passers. by. She was just hesitat-
ing to cross the road through the continuous
stream of vehicles, when she caught sight Of
the dell lying in the gutter few yards off.
With a cry of Joy, she seized it, add shower
ed kisses on the dirty face Then she turned
aud woariness and, half. bewldered, she
wandered about loug time in the labyrinth
Of streets, finding herself at last back in the
great moonlit square.
"Dinah Dinah Where has that tiresome
brat gomez"
1t was Aunt Liza calling in shrill, angry
tones Murky night had settled down in the
oil enualid Tuo Of
lamps made dim radiance here and there,
md in few windows there was the yellow
CLEAN of candle or ol-lamp. Except for
now and again a child's wall or a coarse
laugh, there was silence. Most Of the inhab-
itants had migrated to the livelier street be-
yond, where public houses offered their at
fractions of light, warmth, and sociality.
Aunt Liza traversed the deserted court from
end to end, and then passed into the street,
where she encountered the policeman who
had stopped Dinsh, and who told her the
direction the child had taken. At a safe dis
tance crippled Tim followed her, not daring
to go near for fear of heavy cuff for he
rightly judged that she was in a savage mood
But when, after long searching there was no
trace Of Dinah, Aunt L'zas auger gave way
to anxiety and alarm. feeling of remorse
began to take hold Of her heart. The dead
face Of her unhappy young sister confronted
her, and her thoughts went back to the time
when, as children, they played together in
the fields, before they had come to London,
to be forced, like 80 many others, into lives
of misery and sin and little Dinsh had new
er so much as seen field, and had never had
a sister to play with.
I'm do better by the Child IL she ever
comes back to me, said Aunt "a as she
hurried, bare-headed from street to street.
searching every nook and corner and calling
Dinsh's name. The great Father who cares
for the little children led her footsteps at last
to Trafalgar Square. The stir and hustle
had passed away, for it was now long past
midnight. There was silence and brilliant
moonlight. Aunt Liza stood and looked over
the balustrade, and her glance was caught by
a little bundle huddled up on one of the
seats near the fountains.
ITS the child, she muttered, her heart
giving great leap of thankfuiness and
lief. She ran down the steps, and took the
child 10 her arms. She trembled as she
looked closely into the little face and a cold
fear took possession of her, it was 30 white
and still. But Dinah was only sleeping, and
now she smiled and whispered in her sleep
I'm never lose you again, dear Nobody
shall take you away from me again, dear"
Tears came into eyes that had long been
unused to them, as Aunt Liza saw that Di-
leaving her own thin, frail limbs ILL protected
from the chill wind and night air. The wo-
man sat down with the child in her arms,
covering her as we'll as she could in her own
poor garments, and sobbed away some of the
hardness and bitterness that had been gather
ing within her for many years. figure
crept out of the shadow of one of the great
lions, and timidly drew near to her. 1t was
crippled Tim. He touched her arm, and
said -
You've found hgr, and she's found the
doll"
Yes Tim," said Aunt Liza, looking up;
and her face was so altered that Tim stared
in amazement. Dinah opened her bewilder-
ed brown eyes, and Aunt Liza whispered
brokenly -
'I'll never lose you again, dear. will
never lose you again"
Dlnah was too weary to understand just
then. She closed her eyes, and slept again.
Then Aunt Liza rose, aud in the glorious
moonlight the strange trio wended its way
toward Wells Court, the bare headed wo-
man carry ing the sleeping child, with the old
doll hugged tightly in her arms crippled
Tim limping along by their side. That was
the beginning of better times for Dinah, and
for Aunt Liza, too.-Ihe Queer.