The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-28
I..g 80 CHAPTER IN.

home in Happy hill. She came only to
the funeral, staying over q train, and back
again, Egbsrt had to go. 1t was kind,
Lotto thought, in Egbert to come. He
said that it would not do for hia sister to
travel 30 far alone; she had never been
alone anywhere, except to Beverly in the
GUNNER, and Mr., Holbrooke was called
to Chicago on sudden business, the day
before the funeral, So 1t was Egbert who
brought the weeping girl to Loto's srms.
It comIortsd Lotto to SEQ hsri but Ghe
wondered why 1t did not comfort her
more. Suddenly, Fern seemed less near
than she used to be. Twas as II SORROW
had cut gull between the two girls, and
they stood, on either side Of it, helpless to
understand each other. FERN seemed 10
wave her hands across the now distance,
and from out her own sale aud happy lie,
to call over words Of sympathy that the
bereayed daughter could hardly hear,
And yet Farm was very dear, And
pretty-how pretty! Sweet she looked in
hsr little black silk dress and the black
lace on her hat-the inprovised mourn
ing that che wore out OF respect TO her
friend's grieI, Lotto could not help motto.
ing this, even then, and kissed her friend
the moro lovingly because she WAS so fair
to gee, Loto's feeling for Fern had
always partly approval Of her beauty,
There Is no worshipper in the world more
ardent than one girl who Rdmirea another,
"You must come and spend all your
vacations with me-" Fern had said vague
1 " casting about for means OF comfort,
''and when we get back to college, I'll do
your mendlug Tor your
Lotto smiled aud sighed, and kissed her
pretty friend, and answered nothing
Already she preCelyed that she should
nave other things to do beAdeH spending
vacations in Beacon street, But Of col.
lege she said nothing atall. She must go
back to college-ot Ccurse she must so
back; but yet, who kneTP
Egbert was very kind. Lotto saw him
but little while after abe came down In
her new mourning, pale and strange,
waiting in that hard interval before the
burial services began, He stood with bis
hat in his hand, silent and sad, at the
foot Of tho stairs. He and Fern, aud
Lotto all went into the office together,
and Lotto sank into the patients chair
sud looked piteoualy at him without
speaking.
tho College boy said eagerly, but ! don't
know what to say. l ahan't try Miss
Lotto. never had any trouble, myself,
He shook hands and turned away. Loto's
lin 1uiyered, but ahe smiled up at him,
Somehow he comiortod her q wee bit.
What good, frank, kindtellow he was
She remembered how he looked alter he
had gone.
Aud now the rest had all gone too-the
relations who knew what the family ought
to do, and those who didn't; the cousins
who dusrrel6d and the Couslns who were
polite; Aunt Matthews, and Aunt Ginger,
and Uncle Peter Islam said lie hoped he
had gone west himself, without any return
tiCkGt-tomahawke by the Indians, eat
canned meaIS-and see how he liked ~,
and Uncle John-Hood Uncle John last Of
all. Everybody had Gone--eyen Jaket
DOCTORS man, who could not be afforded"
any lonVer-and the widow sat alone with
her children in the bereaved house.
They began at the beginning In the
riuht way. They shared their smiles and
hid their tears, and fought for cheerful!
uess, and gained 1t, and were patient with
each OthGri n.the 6traugeues9 OF grief, and
loved each other more dearly than ever in
all their lives, and made the best oil every.
thing, and the worst Of nothing, and 30
took the first step into their lonely future
as firmly as they could.
In all this Lotto helped-how much, her
mother never understood till long after,
when her own grief grew calm enough to
allow her to recall carefully those arat
days.
Il was Lotto who thought OF everything
What to do first, and then what next.
and besides, what now. II twas Lotto who
kept her mother occupied in little ways.
II was Lotto who looked after Slam. 1t
was Lotto who told the trst quiet story at
which they found they could laugh, poor
thinpsl It was Lotto who saw the visitors,
and wrote The letters, and paid the bills,
aud made the plane, And It was always
| I6to who was sure they SHOULD and the
rignt thing to do. And alwayG Lotto who
hoped, and had courage, and loved, and
Frightened, and bloSEomel like flower
in The sad home. Before che had been
one week o widow, tho experienced
mother found hsrsell leaning On the inex'
perienced daughter, and did not know 1t,
but loaned all the more for that
Lotto felt herself to be In q new, strange
world, She was like one who did not
know herself. She iOlt excited and strong,
She thought and cared, apd planned Id.
cessantly. Her head swan with the in.
intensity OF her feeling Of protection tor
ward those two-her mother and the boy,
who needed her; best and strongest self,
nHe called me his brave girl, Bhe said
10 herself q hundred tineS day. When
she was quite alone, she would stretch her
arms outinto the empty air as II she could
find him:
"Pspa, papal l will not dlsaprolnt you
will be tho brave girl. You shall see !"
Sometimes she would say;
"PapR never amounted to much, you
know. wish I'd stood at the head Of my
class TO please you. l don't think I'm Of
much account, papa, but I'm not a cow
ard"
One Sunday night, she went away by
herself, and laid her cheek down on his
newly.made, untuTied grave. II wa q
cold night, and she could not stay long
only long enough to speak to him, which
she did in allow, quiet, natural voice, like
this:
IPapa, I'll takc caro- OF them. Do you
hearP haven't found out how, yet but
III do II. Don't you worry up III heaven,
papa, dear. Take your comfort II you've
got 1t. Hook after them, papa"
To find ont how, was lotoS problem
Resolutely, she set herself to work 70 solve
lit; but so quietly that she seemed 10 be
doing little towards this end, and Aunt
Ginger wrote 10 Aunt Matthews that the
girl evidently did not realize her position
Ii the leaAt. At fSt, Lotto did not talk
much about her mother, or any one else,
about thor future. She observed, and
reflected, and waited. SLAM offered vari.
ous PLEASANT suggsntlons from time TO
time; as that they might take ranch 10
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