The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-11


her CO. Ef she amt back by dark, I'll
send Foolish Frank after her. l guess
he's got sense enough to bring her home
if he finds her."
Uncle Zeb and Aunt Ruey Waterson
were sitting at their supper--a pot of
weak tea, some bread and butter, and a
dish of stewcd peachcs--when the door
opened softly, and in came II little girl Of
five years old, with a sunbonnet flung
back from her brown curls, and her apron
full of palc-pink arbutus, slender-stemr.-
cd wild flowers and blue violets.
Aunt Ruey started back.
'It's Nellyw said she, startled at the
wonderful resemblance to the fair face
that was now collincd and buried.
'Lord save us!" gasped Uncle Zeb,
who, like most illiterate men, was not
without spice of the supcrstitious in his
nature. 'Don't go a-nigh her, Ruey.
Maybe she amt reai!'
eyes, Pm Nelly" said the child, emp
tying her flowers into the old lady's lap.
'Tve brought you some Easter flowers"
And she looked solemnly around her
at the fire in the deep chimney place, the
shining copper kettle, the blossoming
rosc-tree in the window, and the red re-
Elections of sunset on the wall.
"La' sakes" said Aunt Ruey, looking
helplessly first at the flowers and then at
the child, "whcrc did you come from?"
"From the town-house," said Nell.
"But tomorrow is Easter Day. count
ed it up from the calendar that hangs
under the clock shelf in Mrs. Gaff's room.
Mamma said, I was to come home on
Easter"
Uncle Zeb put out his coarse, wrinkled
hand and touched Nell's hair as softly as
if she had been piece of Dresden china,
in danger of cracking.
"Shc's pretty little creetur, amt
she?" said he. "Come here, child. Will
you give me kiss?"
EYES," answered Nell, putting up her
coral lips to the old mans withcred face,
and climbing uncercmoniously upon his
lap. 'Now give me some bread and
milk"
"Well, Ideclarc, Zeb!" cried his sister.
''Ef you don't look queer with little
child a-settin' on your kneew
Uncle Zeb wrigglcd himself this way
and that.
II dunno 'zactly how it looks" said he,
''but 1 tell you it feels mighty slick.
Amt she got our Nelly's eyes right over
ag'in? Get her some bread and milk,
Rucy. Easter! Is it really Easter to-
morrow? You and me, Rucy, we amt
been to church in a powerful long time.
Let's try how it seems tomorrow. Yc
s'posc we could make the little gal up
bed on the old trundle in the west room2"
"You amt going to keep herr" said
Aunt Rucy, with eager, questioning eyes
full of certain joy.
Uncle Zeb stroked the soft, brown
curls.
"Well, I dunno" said he. sit seems
most a pity to send her back there,
| doesn't it?'
Aunt Ruey reflected.
'Tve most mind to try how 1 like
her," said she. II allus was partial to
cats, and it does seem as if well-behav-
ed child needn't be much more trouble
about the house than cat"
And when she had brought in a blue
edged bowl full of milk and goodly
slice of bread, she actually gathered up
the fast-wilting flowers and put them in
cracked pitcher on the mantle
clap said she, as she turned around,
eff the poor child hasn't fell dead asleep,
with her head agin your waistcoat, Zebe-
dee"
81 guess you'd better undress her and
put her to bed," said Uncle Zcb, gently
laying down the limp little figure, with
its cheeks flushed with slumber. Gwen
go right up and put the j'ints of the old
trundle together you and me-"
Aunt Ruey was little awkward with
the buttons and strings. 1t was long
time since her stiff, oldhands had wrought
such work as this; but Nell never woke
up.
"She does look dreadful pretty there,
fast asleep" said she. 'I-I guess Well
keep her, Zebedee"
81 guess we will, ;" said the old man.
"Folks'll call us dreadful silly"
'Iet EN-" sand Uncle Zebedee.
When Foolish Frank, from the town
house, came to know "ef they hadn't
nowhar seen little GIRL" Uncle Zebedee
informed him that they had decided to
keep little Nell Arbush.
''Eh2" said Foolish Frank. 'sFor good
and all?"
eyes" said Uncle Zebedee, "for good
and ALL Go and tell Mrs. Gaff so."
Foolish Frank went back, much wond-
ering.
But little Nell woke up, the next morn
ing, with glittcring eyes and rose-red lips
apart, as in smile.
'1t's Easter Day" said she. ~ dream
ed mamma came to me and put her hand
on my shoulder, and said we had both
got home"
Uncle Zeb and Aunt Ruey looked at
each other with fearful eyes. And that
day-the first in half score of years
they went to church, through the bud
ding woods, with Nell skipping on be-
fore.
And when the minister saw them come
in, he could not but think of the blessed
| SprIntural xrnr1c.