Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-03-10

if he finds her"
Uncle Zcb and Aunt Ruey Watcrson
were sitting at their suppcr--a pot oil
weak tea, some bread and butter, and
dish of stcwcd peachcs-whcn the door
opened softly, and in came little girl OF
five years old, with sunbonnct flung
back from her brown curls, and her apron
full Of pale pink arbutus, slcndcr-stemm-
cd wild-nowcrs and blue vioIets.
Aunt Rucy started back.
"Its Ncllyw said She, startled at the
wonderful resemblance to the fair face
that was now cofincd and buried.
"Lord save u.s." gaspcd Uncle Zcb,
who, like most iIiterato men, was not
without spice of the supcrsttious in his
nature. ''Dont go a-nigh her, Ruey.
Maybe she amt real!'
eyes, Pm Nelly" said the child, emp
tying her flowers into the old lady's lap.
'pvc brought you some Easter flowers"
And she looked soemnly around her
at the fire in the deep chimncy-plocc, the
shining copper kettle, the bIossomlng
rose tree in the window, and the red re-
Elections of sunset on the wall.
"La' sakesw said Aunt Ruey, looking
helplcssly first at the flowers and then at
the child, "wherc did you come from"
'From the town-house," said Nell.
"But tomorrow is Easter Day. l count
ed it up from the calendar that hangs
under the clock shelf in Mrs. Gaif's room.
Mamma said l was to come home on
Easter"
Uncle Zeb put out his coarse, wrinkled
hand and touched Ncll's hair as softly as
if she had been piece OF Dresden china,
in danger of cracking
"Shc's a pretty little crcctur, amt
she?" said he. Come here, child. Will
you give me a kiss?"
eyes" answered Nell, putting up her
coral lips to the old mans wthcred face,
and climbing uccrcmoniously upon his
lap. "Now give me some bread and
milk"
"Wcll, declare, Zcb!" cried his sister.
"Ef you don't look queer with a little
child a-settin' on your knee"
Uncle Zcb wrigglcd himself this way
and that.
"I dunno 'zactly how it looks" said he,
"but l tell you it .tee's mighty slick.
Amt she got our NcIly's eyes right oven
ag'i? Get her some bread and milk,
Rucy. Easter! Is it really Easter to.
morrow? You and me, Ruey, we amt
been to church in powerful long time.
Let's try how it seems tomorrow. Ye
sposc we could make the little gal up {
bed on the old trundlc in the west roomN
"You amt going to keep here" said
Aunt Rucy, with eager, questioning eyes
full of certain joy
Uncle Zeb strokcd the soft, brown
curls.
"Well, l dunno" said he. "It seem
most a pity to send her back there
doesn't it?'
Aunt Ruey reflected.
'I'vc most mind to try how I lik,
her." said she. 81 aius was partial t,
cats, and it does seem as if a well-beha
cd child needn't be much more troubl
, about the house than a cat
r And when she had brought in blue
, edged bowl full of milk and a goodl
slice of bread, she actually gathered u
the fast t-wilting flowers and put them i
a cracked pitcher on the mantle.
"La!" said she, as she turned around
''if the poor child hasn't fell dead asleep
with her head agin your waistcoat, Zebe
{ dee"
81 guess you'd better undress her an
+ put her to bcd," said Uncle Zcb, gcntl
D laying down the limp little figure, wit
its checks flushed with slumbcr. "Wc'
e 90 right up and put the j'ints of the oil
trundlc together, you and me-"
t Aunt Ruey was a little awkward wit
| the buttons and strings. 1t was Ion
>, time since her stiff, oldhands had wrougf
t such work as this; but Nell never wok
/ up.
:. "She does look dreadful pretty Their
+ fast asleep" said She "I--I guess we
keep her, Zcbcdee,"
81 guess we will, said the old man.
"Folks'll call us dreadful silly"
- "Let EN- SAID Uncle Zebedee.
- When Foolish Frank, from the tow
house, came to know "ef they hadn
,s nowhar seen little GIRL" Uncle zebcd'
informed him that they had decided
keep little Nell Arbush.
:. "Eh?" said Foolish Frank. "For goc
;. and aIl?"
n EYES," said Uncle Zebedec, "for goc
and ALL Go and tell Mrs. Gaff So"
- Foolish Frank went back, much won
,r ering.
,a But little Nell woke up, the next NOR
10 ing, with glittcrng eyes and rose-red Ii
apart, as in smile
- "It's Easter Day. said she. 81 drear
J.. cd mamma came to me and put her han
40 m on my shoulder and said we had DO
49, got home"
g Uncle Zeb and Aunt Ruey looked
49, each other with fearful eyes. And tn
:, day-thc first in half a score of years
- they went to church, through the bu
ding woods, with Nell skipping on |
u fore.
!" And when the minister saw them col
~ in. he could not but think of the bless
Nv Scriptural words: