Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-12

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q heap as he afterwerd expressed it,
and catching the draft from her hand
81 We made mistake! faint Yours.
Gracious! they may be after nue. with
the officers for this. How could I be so
careless?''
There was nothing to do now but let
out the whole secret, and explain The
mistake. .5 S.t,g.
"And to think I've left that sour old
maid your pretty valentine and taken
her money after knocking her down
on the street, too. o dear! it's too fun
ny! and overweight Jamie burst into
a peal Of laughter; then checked him
self to add soberly: ''But it may be
more fun than I'd like if she finds out
and sends the officers after me before I
can get back!"
Jamie swung so rapidly from laugh
ter to dread that Celia was quite bewil-
dered, but when she did fully under
stand, her terror was greater than his.
oh, hurry, jamie, hurry and take it
back to her!" she cried. almost push
ing him into the street. '''1'll keep your
supper warm, but do-do go at once!''
and, grumbling at his own stupidity,
he obeyed.
; Upon asking to see Miss Smith, a few
minutes later, he was conducted to a
coy apartment back of the drawing
room he had seen, and before the serV-
ant could speak, after lifting the por-
there, had an instant's glimpse at that
lady, with tear-bedimmed eyes, sitting
before the tiled e-place, the lost valen-
tine in her hand. She turned impa-
.tiently. ''Well, John?' and, Jamie
iblunderingly explainedmatters, looked
from him to the valentine and back
again with puzzled and-could it. be?
even disappointed look upon her face.
1t wasn't possible that she would
rather have that bit of perfumed, per-
forated paper, with it's lines about
roses" and ''posies' and cloves" and
"doves," than draft for 81, 500, but it
certainly looked so!
Her face did not, however, regain it's
sourest look as she asked: "Aren't
you the boy who ran into me this morn
ing?''
land now want to rob me!'' she said,
scowlng at him, buv not so ferociously
that he failed to note a suspicious CLEAN
in her eyes. $50 your name is Smith, -
she continued, not giving him time to
answer, land your sister has my in
itials: What is her given name and
yours?''
''Hers is Celia Herbert, ma am, and
mine is James Gay. I was named for
my faith 10y
"What'' She turned upon him so
suddenly that the boy retreated a step
in dismay. Celia Herbert, James
Gay-my name and his?' and dropping
into chair she gazed at Jamie with
eyes that seemed to burn in her pale
face, so piercing and bright they were.
She motioned Jamie to chair, and,
as the man stepped forward to place it,
turned upon him iiercely.
"John. what are you waiting for?
Co." and John promptly disappeared.
Then followed rapid questions and
dazed answers, for how could this lady
know enough to ask:
''W here is your fatherp Is he tall,
with brown eyes and mustacha? Does
his hair curl9 Has he tiny mole on
the left side of his nose? Are his eve
brows straight and heavy? Is his hand
large and strong-and does he' (here
her eyes seemed to look straight into
Jamie's souD, "does he wear a narrow,
chased ring on his left little fnger:o''
"He-he did, ma am, but-~'
"But what?''
ale is dead" Jamie's tone was
low and reverent, but the lady gasped
at his words.
''And your mother?' she whispered.
Eyes, ma anl-she too. Celia and
are Ill alone.'
She rose and tremb]ingly took Ja-
mics hand in hers, while he was sur
prised to see how softened her face
seemed.
''James, this is a strange thing. NV
name is Celia Herbert Smith and James
Gay Smith. your father, was my cousin,
the dearest one had. We quarreled,
and he drifted away never knew
just what became of him-and to find
his children thus! Yes, yes!' she
unused, gazing into his face with far
away eyes, lit is his very loook-so res
olute and proud-how plainly I can see
it still! And he gave his little daugh-
tern1y name. James, ''-suddenly rec
ollecting herself, where is your sister?
How do you live? Who takes care of
your
II take care of us, ma am, and we
live in two snug little rooms with the
Hutfstodts. They're very nice folks
indeed, and he works in brewery and
she makes cakes for parties. We're
very comfortably fixed, ma am; and, if
you please. I'm afraid Celia will be
frightened if I stay SO long She'll
think L III arrested, sure
Miss G. Fl. Smith laughed, and the
strained, white look left her face.
Il must get better acquainted with
my cousins and their friends,'' she
said, pleasantly. land, to begin with, I
want you and Celia to dine with me to-
night. Will you? I'll send the car
riage for Celia. Don't refuse!'' as ia
mie began TO back toward the door,
looking ruefully down at his mud
stained garments.
.'John will Tx all that" she said
carelessly, as she rang the bell, which
the man answered with a celebrity
which seemed to indicate that he had
not been far away. "John, please
take my cousin, Master James Smith,
to the bathroom and make him pre-
sentable. He will dine with me to-
night '>s
jamie followed him, in a dream,
and was SO washed and brushed and
whisked and perfumed that he scarcely
knew himself when he once more de-
scended to. the library. Twas not
long after this before Celia came, her
fair hair waving about her bright, sur
prised face, and her cheeks flushed
with all these strange happenin gs.
Then followed more, explanations,
amid which dinherwas announced-a
dinner which was like bit of wonder
land to the brother and sister, with it's
Glitter and fragrance. its noisless ser