Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-02-17

Then followed more explanations,
amid which dinner was announced-a
dinner which was like a bit of wonder
land to the brother and sister, with its
glitter and fragrance, its noisless SER
vice and garnished yiands,-but though
at a loss as to just which knife. fork,
and glass they were to use, and quite
''1oored, - as Jamie would have said,
by the scented iinger-glasses and wa
ter-carafes, and the ices in odd. fanci-
full shapes. Miss Smith noticed there
was no unseemly hurry. though both
were so hungry; no offensive use Of
knife or fingers only quiet decorum
and modest shyness.
After they had returned to the library
and were seated cozily by the fireplace.
Miss Smith said, gently
Tell me, Jamie" (she had caught
the pretty nickname from his sister,,
chow did your ~father-go? Was it
long %since)' shading her eyes with fan
as she spoke.
1--WE don't know exactly, maam-
I'll tell you. You see mamma was
sick a long I me first, and papa took
such care of her that after she-went
he got sick. too, and could't work. He
was an engraver, YOU know, and the
close work was very bad fOrhim. Finally
the doctors told him he must do some
thing different or he would die, but he
WASH rich enough TO take Us and 90
travelling. SO at last he rented two lit
tie rooms, and put rs in are OF the
HuifstOdts (wed lived in jersey City
before that. but he knew about them,
and thought he'd like to have us with
such good folks,) and put some money
in the bank for Us. and started with an
expedition 10 South Amcrica-SOme-
thing or other sent out by the govern
ment, and he was going to engrave the
pictures of their reports, you see. At
ter he had been gone awhile the HUFF
tod moved to where we are now and
the mon Y began 10 get low in the bank,
and there didn any more letters come
from papa; but that didn't surprise Us.
because we knew he was going awav
into the wilderness where there weren't
any pOstoiiiccs. But one dav Mr..
lIutf,todt brought in a paper to Cecil
and me. and said you poor child
rem, what viii YOU do?' And there was
the notice of papa's DEATH Ct.
Smith, of that very expedition land
then we knew why we didn't get the
letters any more
He stopped. with a choke in his
voice, while the two Cclias wept to-
gether.
80 far from home oh! my poor.
poor James murmured the elder.
clasping her namcsake closer; land
what did You DO then. poor babies?'
"Oh, the IIufl,todt, were very kind;
and after a while hc got me thi, place
.. .- .r. 49,. . fI.t ..r, 800 e..
things IN -clf, and were very comfort
able.
How long since you saw-that no.
tice. dcar?'
About six months. and he was gone
nearly "a year before that
They sat very quiet then. and the fire
burned lower, till only a mas, of Goals
glowed beneath the tiles, when a quick
ring at the door bell startled them all.
An instant later the Ubiquitous John
"a very iutcrrogat on point from head
to foot-stood in the entrance.
Miss Smith. there two men here,
and one says he would like to see his
children if
His children shrieked jamie and
Celia, in chorus. james - sobbed
Miss Smith, while all three rushed into
the hall.
For the next few minutes not even an
instantaneous photographer could have
done justice to the scene-the crazy
children clinging to their father, the
woman. with claoped hands and wild,
questioning eyes, standing i'm the back
ground. till the word, from Jamie.
80 papa. it is Miss Smith. your
cousin, caused the newcomer to
bound forward with a cry of Celia!
M Celia and 60 the horror IF john
clasp his virgin mistress in an ardent
embrace.
But even my poor description is not
20 confused ~ the little group which
tumultuouSly entered the library then
laughing, talking. crying, explain
inc. and protesting with a running fire
of ''GlorYs!' from John and ''Yahs.'
and "Ple,s my souls from Mr.. Huff
stodt, who had led the father hither.
When something like quiet was re-
stored the matter became simple
enough, however. Mr.. Smith had writ
ten whenever possible. but failing. in
that region. to receive the children's
letter giving their change of address,
his miSsives had. of course. been misdi-
rected and unanswered. until. becoming
thoroughly alarmed at last, he had
thrown up his situation and started for
home, much delayed on the journey by
storms and an accident to the steamers
machinery.
Upon arriving in the city he had
found the Huflstods by means of the
directory, only to learn that his chill
dren had been summoned in a very
strange and sudden way to No. - on
the avenue. As the Huflstodts were al
ready growing alarmed at their pro-
longed absence, the kind Young Ger
man had gladly FASTENED with him to
their rescue-"only to find yoU, Celia.
whom | never expected to see again.
He turned and claspcd both her hands
while they stood-heart searching heart
in the glow of the dying fire.
The room. the inmates. were forgot
ten, and each saw a pretty lawn. shaded
by a great oak tree. and two figures
one a youth. walking slowly away. while
the other, a slender girl, with point
inp hand and blaZinp owes said STORMY