Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-09-17

they expressed single objection to going
away her heart might have melted. But as
It was, che only compressed her lips, and
frowned the gloomy frown which John and
Fanny and little Joe knew so we'll.
The boxes were packed that night, and
early in the morning Ebenezer and the
children drove away.
"Good-bye children" she said, standing
on the doorstep, and shading her eyes with
one hand from the sunshine. And they
answered in shrill, sweet voices, "Good-
bye, grandma"
But there were no tears, no loving words
of farewell. no last clinging caresses. Mrs.
Hall had not supposed that she cared for
such things-but it chagrined her little
now
"Oughtnt We to have kissed grandma?"
said Fanny, in whisper, as the wheels
ratified on.
cob, pshaw!" said Joe. II don't believe
grandma knows how to kiss"
The house seemed strangely lonesome
when Mrs. Hall turned back into the de-
serted kitchen.
! II declare, " said the old woman, II didn't
know how should miss them. I'm almost
sorry now that"
And without completing her sentence,
she went to the sink, and began to wash the
| dishes.
| From Cornelia Crashaw's house, Mr..
| Hall was going up to London to see about
some farm business. He was to be gone
week-and during all that time his heart
| ached whenever he thought of the empty
| little beds, the desolate hearthstone at
home.
1t was IA sultry afternoon when he drove
up once more to the old farm house. 10
his amazement, Fanny, Johnny, and Little
Joe, with the faithful dog, Tiger. at their
heels, ali rushed, shouting and laughing,
out to meet him. And there was not q
! single uprising "Hush- sh-sh!" from Mrs.
Hall, whose face was visible in the hall be-
hind them.
"Hallo!" said Mr.. Hall. "Eh? What?
Hows this? thought left you all at Mrs.
Crashaws house,"
$50 you did" chirped Fanny.
"But we've come back, F" said Johnny.
1--WE like home best" exclaimed Joe.
"Grandma came after u.s." said Fanny.
"She said she loved us. and wanted us
back again! She really did,"
"And we love hern piped up little Joe.
"And she has bought me Hans Anderson's
beautiful fairy book, and says I needn't
bother about the catechism until am old
enough to understand it,"
0An6 She 1nfc TIC ,,oolo poc<c Tho lo,,
and play i'll the grass meadow as much as
ever we please" said Johnny. sAnd she
saves bones for Tiger Oh, grandma is SO
nice!"
"Wife, said old Ebenezer Hall, "what is
this the children are telling me?"
Mrs. Hall stood smiling in the doorway.
cts all true, every word of it, Ebenezer,"
said she. you'll be calling me an old
fool, pr'aps; but the fact is that I never
knew how much missed the dear children
until they were gone. And then realized
that hadn't been half considerate and
kind enough to them. And, I declare, as
went about the house, it seemed to me as
if there had been death here. So the
very next day after you went away Dor
| io"eu ueASuUoi OAley > carl anu Weut after
them. Cornelia Crashaw wasn't sorry, be-
cause she'd just got letter from her Sis
ter, who wants her to come and nurse her.
And you can't think how nice we've all got
along together"
81 kiss grandma every night" said
Fanny.
"And I've learned her to say, Sing a
song of sixpence.' said little Joe, "almost
as nice as I can say it myself"
"And she lets me look at the pictures in
the big Bible, said Johnny, joyfully.
Old Mr.. Hall took both his wife's hands
and kissed her, as he had not kissed her
for years.
"God bless you, Mary!" said he.
For Love and Childhood had thawed the
frozen crust around Mrs. Halls heart.
And in the old farm-hou new reign of
happiness had begun.