The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-02-13

lne men.
mo; have neither chick nor child,
| am taking her TO her friends. Can
You tell me where Squire Wagner
lives?'
"lle lies over there in the graveyard" ="
replied the landlord, POINTING to grassy
enclosure on the hillside opposite.
as there any of the family living9"
"One-Miss Dorothy. who lives up in
the old farmhouse Yondcr. The rest are
all dead, unless 1t be Fred. the young
est, q wild harumscarum fellow, who
went off years ago."
"This is his little girl; he Is dead,"
said the reddler
"When did he dieP"
! I've not the time to tell you now"
said the newcomer. as he felt the child
start at the question. "What sort of
woman is Miss Dorothy9"
"Oh, a sort of crab-apple species, you
know. Had disappointment in early
life that dried up all her sweetness"
said one man.
The farmers hereabouts get her to
look into their cidcr-barrels to make
vinegar" responded another, and laugh
went round.
The peddler looked troubled.
''Will she be kind to the little girl"
he asked.
"Oh, yes; she wouldn't hurt a worm,
and she'll get plenty to cat. She isn't
stingy, but she isn't one of the soft low
ing kind" eagerly put in man who
had not before taken a part in the con-
yersation.
'Well. I guess we may as well be 60
ing, SIR said the pcddler, rising. Can
l leaye my pack in your care, landlord,
ill come back?"
An affirmative answer being given, he
took the child's hand and set out for the
low farmhouse half-mile distant,
whose western windows were all aglow
with the rays Of the setting sun.
AS they neared it, the little girl looked
eagerly around to see what her new
home was like. Some ducks and geese
at play in a clear brook caused her TO
clap her hands.
They entered neat yard. and passed
mp narrow stone walk that led around
the house, the girl looking with evident
satisfaction at the beds of bright flowers
on either side.
An open door gave them the view of
a tidy kitchen, where Il couple Of women
were arranging bountiful rcpast, and
two hired men were performing their
abiutions at spout in the rear. The
peliler knocked softly.
rs Miss Wagner in?"
Yes. What do you wanc?"
And the elder woman stepped to the
door. She was tail and very energetic
in her movements.
"i've brought you little girl fer
company, ma'am."
"Me? Brought me a little girl for
company? What Go You mean, sir? I've
no time for JOKING"
"But perhaps you have time 20 greet |
your brother Frcd'slI little orphan child"
Miss Dorothy staggered against the
door-post.
"Fred! she gaaned. Gle is"
Dead! and has sent his little girl to
you"
For moment the lady seemed over
whelmed, hut recovering herself, she
turned to the child,
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Gipsy, ma'am."
what an outlandish name! Detsey
did YOU eyer hear the likc?'
"Never!' exclaimed the maid-of-all- |
work, advancing with uplifted hands.
MY papa called me so, and oh, he's |
deadH And breaking from the detain- /
ing hand of her friend, she dashed down |
into the orchard, and in moment was |
ensconced in alarge apple-tree upamong |
the thick branches, much to the conster-
nation of couple OF robins, who had |
settled down TO housekeeping close 80
the little girls perch
The mother bird, as she brooded over |
the four little eggs, peepeI over the side
Of the neat apprehensively, while her
mate, on twig close by, cooked his |
head on one side to watch the intruder,
but never a chirp or rustic of feathers
batollened their presence.
did everw exclaimed Betsey, as
the trio watched the flight, and the
nlmble spring into the tree.
"Oh, dear, she'll b. the plague of my
life" murmurel Miss Dorothy.
"She'll be a comfort and blessing to
YOU, ma'am, if you've only a mind to
have itso. She has loving little heart.
Only to think how she waited upon her
father, soothing and tending him to the
last like woman"
lie then told the lady how he met her
brother at a lowly cottage, where his
strength had failed, as he was trying to
make his way home to his friends; but
he was in the last stages of consump-
tion, and died in two days. He en-
trusted his child aud few papers to the
care Of the kind-heartei peddler, who
now drew the latter from his pocket and
handed them to the lady,wbo was weep
ing quietly.
lie then went down through the
orchard to the tree where the little girl
was.
"Come, Gipsy your aunt is going to
love and care for you, and you must love
her.
The girl, who had sobbed for a few
moments violently, now sprang down, |