Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-12-21

with her?
"Does you love my papa ?" Mid
get had drawn near and now laid a
little hand lmpulsively on Miss
Hett,'s knee. She struck 1t off
with a sharp breath that was al
most a cry. The child's lip trem-
bled, but the tears that filled her
eyes did not fall. She drew back
a step and folded her hands Ill
patient, unchldlike way that told
of ageing sorrows borne even by
her young shoulders.
1t was late that night when Miss
Hetty laid her weary head on her
pillow. The little one murmured
in her sleep and crept into Miss
Hetty's arms, but she laid her
sternly back and tossed and turned
until daylight.
Then she fell into deep sleep,
from which she was awakened by
little, cooling laugh from the
kitchen, accompanied by various
snortings that ended in a big
sneeze. She crept to the door
Midget had dressed herself, and,
hearing Rollo's scratch at the door,
had opened it softly, and, to her
delight, let in a big, black New
foundland dog, who rubbed his
cold nose against her chubby hand
and capered clumsily around her
with JOY, though as silently as lfhe
understood the warning finger held
up to him.
Nov he lay in the middle of the
floor while she sat beside him,
warming one little cold hand in
his shaggy hair and tickling his
nose with a wisp of the broom held
in the other. They had both for
gotten Miss Hetty.
Midget saw her first. "Oh,
auntie :" she cried. "Seel found
hlm-my doggie y
Miss Hetty stepped to the cor
ner aud took the broom. ROllo
crouched from the blow he knew
would come. But Midget threw
her arms around his neck and
turned her blazing eyes upon Miss
HettY.
"You sha'n'tl You sha'n'tp
she cried. "Bad, bad auntie "
Her yellow curls were tumbled
about her head, her cheeks we're
flushed and her blue eyes were
black with excitement. She was
a very Medea in her anger, and
truly Miss Hetty seemed turned to
stone. How many times had James
looked like that when she had
laughed at his childish anger how
we'll she remembered the last time
she had seen that look on his face,
when she had bade him, her only
brother, leave her presence for
ever, since he could love name
less shop girl better than his sister,
who could boast of blood descended
from the veins of some of Eng
lands heroes.
She dropped the broom as sud.
denly as she had raised it..
every well,' she said "you may
keep the dog"
Midget burst into tears and
caught Miss Hetty's hand.
"Oh, auntie !" she sobbed, enid
get bad girl - Midget promised
papa to be good -
81 am not angry, child. Go and
play with the dog" Miss Hetty
said, quietly.
The snow lay thick on the ground
and the air was still heavy with it
as she looked out OF the window
after breakfast. She could not
hunt up the child's parents to-day,
she thought, but to morrow she
would surely go.
"Where do your papa and man.
ma livei" she asked suddenly.
81 don't know" Midget replied.
"Mamma don't 1--we anywhere.
Some men cameand took her away
a long time ago. Papa cried. |
didn't" she added, with dignity,
that showed painfully how little
she realized her loss.
"Papa don't live anywhere
either, now. He brought me here
an he said if Midget was good
girl you would give her some kls-
mus, cause he cOuldn't-he was
going to find mamma. Will you 2"
A sharp pain tore at Miss Hetty's
heart. "Going to find mamma !"
What did that mean With a
start she remembered that tO-mor.
row was Christmas Day the
thought brought so many memories
, in its train
"Will you 4"
"Will | what ?" She had forgot
, ten all about the child and her
, question.
"Dive me my Kissmus."
"NO, no, child. Don't bother "
she said, impatiently. What was
Christmas to her if James had in.
r deed "gone to mamma !" if because
of her stubborn pride aud wicked
r anger she could never again see
D his yellow curls and blue eyes that
q mocked her in the baby at her
q knee!
j. Midget turned silently away