The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-03-07
Bud iust At this moment Miss AdelIc

out JUST dS thls fnOtncnJ MISS Auclic
caught sight Of me, and drawing herself
up with dignity she waited for an ex-
PLANTATION Of my presence there. Stating
the case briefly | asked her to tell me
something about the child.
81 will, sir" she said, motioning me
to be seated with grace have rarely seen
equaled. "The sole guardianship Of little
Eva fell to me strangely" she began.
81 am the daughter of a clergyman, and
while teaching music in my native viii
lage in the West it happened that one
winters night some years since-a night
not unlike what this promises to be-my
father and were startled by means at
our windows. Investigation showed a
woman and child. Both we're tiearly
frozen, and the woman, 6nce in the
heated room, swooned. We summoned
a physician, but she recovered conscious
ness only to lose 1t again until we found
that she was dying. Toward the
last the poor creature muttercd wildly
and incoherently, and seemed to be
in mortal terror Of punishment for
some great crime just at the last, how
ever, she became entirely rational, and
made frantic efforts with her dying
breath to tell us all about the child; but
the most we could understand was that
Eva belonged to wealthy parents, and
that something would prove her identity.
Sewed up in the rags wrapped about the
baby girl we discovered the diamond
crescent, which is strangely engraved IN
ciphers, unipielligible to a stranger, but
no doubt significant enough to the
owners, whom we naturally suppose to
be little Eva's parents, for this was evil
IDENTIFY what the poor woman meant to
convey.
'My father and ! accepted the trust
thrown upon by that mysterious death
as a commission from heaven" said Eva's
guardian angel, with soulful smile
which disclosed rich, beautiful nature,
land we set about to find the parents.
For long time we advertised, but to no
purpose. Many replies came, but TO none
Of these people did our little Eva belong.
At last, after my fathers death, which
occurred three years ago, certain that
Eva's parents were not to he found in
the West, sold my property there, com
ing TO New York in the hope of obtain
ing pupils here, and at the same time
good legal talent to push the work Of
establishing my darling's identity. We
have not been very successful so far.
felt my elf in dilemma. Here was
beautiful young woman who had evil
IDENTIFY sacrificed all her worldly goods to
what she believed divinely appointed
mission, and for all knew had at this
moment neither money nor food, GER
tainly not fuel for the morrows bitter
weather, for little Eva had innocently
given that fact away, and yet she would
not make moan which would give me
the cue tc her necessity, or make it pos
sible for me to oaer pecuniary assistance.
What should do about 1t alll
cogitated over and over again. "Retire
at once, now that the business for which
you came is ended,n said the conveu-
two penniless and friendless In big
city, urged the heart within me, and
the latter argument seemed the stronger
of the two, SO broke forth at last, awk-
wardly 0or am not man of tact any
time, but to the point. "You accepted
the care Of little Eva as a commission
from Heaven when strange fate
brought her to your door, and why may
not accept the care of both of you as
my commission until something better
can be done"
The effect of this speech was simply
startling. Miss Adele flushed and turned
pale by turns, but she said, looking
straight at me. with womanly courage
flashing from her large violet eyes: "Sir,
you have been so kind to my dear little
Eva that will not believe you intend
less to me-"
'.God knows that do not" replied,
feelingly. "Pardon me, but your little
charge has give me some idea of how you
are situated; would like to befriend
you both while You need friend. -
Miss Adele searched my face long and
earnestly to discover if perchance there
lurked some sinister motive there before
she said Sir, your offer is very ex-
traordinary one.'
"Not more so than your own course in
sacrificing yourself and all that you pos
sessed to this child cause.n
''But that was the will of Heaven for
me" Miss Adele said with deep serious
ness, II could not do less. But" she
added, after moment, we do indeed
need friend.n
''Do you suppose that l would tres
pass longer upon your privacy were it
nut SUI dohCu SdtutStt1f nay tiuob
me and you shall have no cause to re-
gtet itln
Then Miss Adele spoke out like the
large sonled woman that she was: 81
win trust you, sir, for my little Eva's
sake
Matters proved quite as bad as l
feared. They were at the end of their
money, aud no Immediate prospect for
getting more opened before thtm. Miss
Adele, whose musical gifts had been
recognized as pre-em nent in her native
village, had thought it would be easy
enough to secure pupils in great cry
like New York, but elias from bitter el.
perlence she had learned that this com.
mercial Mecca towards which so many
young aspiIants for success turn their
footsteps held but disappointment for
her.
The end of long discussion of the
pros and cons involved, resulted in Miss
Adelle's accepting assistance from me as
loan, and !, in turn. promised her
pupils from among my friends, taking
upon my shoulders the doubtful task of
coerC Cing all the fathers and mothers of
my acquaintance into giving their chill
dren over to her ertraining, beginning with
my Own married sister. And it was
fortunate that made my beginning