The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-02-03
IN HAPPINESS AGAIN.
"But the child will be wet through

IN HAPPINESS AGAIN.
"But the child will be wet through -
quite wet through ="
The cry came from the village school,
mistress, who was standing in her open
doorway.
She was beckonins and calling to the
nurse who was hurryIng past with the
little lady of the hall bundled in her
arms.
The school-mistress was right. The
rain was pelting down in = genuine win
try fashion, with no triaing about IT, Ii
evidently meant business, and as the
business II had in hand was the thorough
drenching OF the two hurrying figures,
Nurse Moran was not sorry 10 hear her
self hailed.
'Indade, thin, an its true for YOU" she
said. An II ye'd be afther lettin' the
little lady wait here a bit Wild yeZ, I'll! I'd
be comm for her in the carriage 'Tis
little Miss Lilias from the hall. But
shes that shy wid strangers, bless her
heart n'
The school-miStress was holding ont
her arms to the child, who strdightway
Coutradicted Nurse NOrah bv putting
out her arms in turn to be taken.
lerhapS Miss PatIencos rath r tremu-
lous smile was the magnet; perhaps the
gay wOodtirc cracking away in the wide
hearth. At all events the baby was
laughing, when Miss Patience carrieI her
IN out OF the cold and wet and shut out
the dismal afternoon, and sat down with
her IN the big armchair before the dane
ing flames.
Its like Little Red Riding Hood and
the WOLF LilIaS remarked presently, in
her baby voice, with a nod at her scarlet
cloak drying before the fire; and then
looking up into Miss Patience's face, as
she sat on her lap, "Gran' mamma, what
great eyes you've got What makes
them SO big and so queer2 Norah hasn't
got them. l want Norah."
She had put up her lip with pitiful
expression OF distress, staring at the
great blue glasses Miss Patience always
WOrs.
Mis- Patience promptly took them Off
such soft pair OF brown eyes smiled
down at the little one that it was no Won
der she smiled back. More especially aS
the two pairs OF brown eyes were so won
deriully alike that each seemed 10 be the
reflection oi the other.
But the small critic had not finished
yet.
You've got a cap ike Norah. only
II Ism Ike Norah's; its 50 BIZ and
ugly. / wonder If you've got red hair
under il like Norah, too -
Miss Paticnce's unsteady white hands
went up aul put aside the cap. on with
It came a frontlett OF Erizzlei hair.
But that which sh0ne on Miss Pa
tience's own head was certainly not
red like Norah's, but of spun yellow
gold.
Daring little Miss Lilias pulled If down
over Mss fatiencc's shoulders, and fell
to matchius it with her own sunny
CurlS
Its most like them. Papa saws its n
little u.tUl Ol sunshine GOT al tangled I'D
in my curlS. l think il is really sun
shine, don you know for il hurts pa
pas eyes sometimes till the tears come
INTO them-iust like when you look up at
tine sun, don I you know
IL must have hurt Miss Patience's too.
her eyes have filled up suddenly.
She pressed the little head down on
her breast.
AMI what does mamma say about the
sGrsAIny cUr.s -eh, little Lilias p
Mamma But / haven't got any
mamma, - the child said wisJiuuy.
why haven't go any mamma? 1
want one. All the other little girls have
got one. / I-kcd Norah why 1 hadn't
got one the other day
And what did Norah say"
The question was rather indistinct
Miss Patieuce'S lips were pressed among
the shining Curls-
"Oh, NOrIh said may be papa'd bring
me new mamma some day But when
| asked papa, h. just put me down off
hiS knee, and went away, and forgot 10
tell me II he would. DO you think he
viii, some time ~
~No, no; not that, my Lily-bell-not
that And You have your father, my
darling. You can do very well without
mamma. NdmmIs are not always
good they don always deserve To have
Ii.y-bcll like my darling"
She was kissing the girls bright hair
over ani over. Her voice had the sound
of tears IN IL.
The chiId's brown eyes stared wonder
iugly into the fire, as if she were think
ing.
"Noboiy ever calls me Lily-bel. but
papa she announced presently. "Do
you think ii | ever got a mamma, she'd
call nae Ii.y-beli, too? Miss Patience, l
think don't YOU think you could come
and be my mamma -
Miss patience's two hands were over
her face; the child was pulling softly at
them.
because. a" she said, SI think you'd be a
very pretty mamma, without that ugly
cap and those big ugly ewes, YOU know,
ami that queer hair. On, Miss Patience.
Miss Patience, you re crying But that Il
never 10 for a mamma. Now would it,
papa ~
Nobody had heard him come in, but
there He was
IiIias took his presence as 4 matter OF
course.
'Now would it, papa?" she said again
ins silently.
Mr. Ferguson came forward.
IL beg your pardon for entering with
out knocking he was saying TO Miss
l.tffarr#s.4 4,
But ! never supposed the schOOl-room
was occupied 1t this hour. 1 suppos.
the heavy rain drowned my step. 1t
came pelting down 30, Just a. / was
passing, that was glad OF any refuge,
And then l heard the voic- OF my little
Ch5ttcr-UON here --'
lie broke OF, for he was now stand
ing on the hearth, facing the schOol-nis-
treSs.
Miss Patience had made one hurried
effort to reach out after her discarded
cap and glasses, which she knew, when
she laid them oil, that she could easily
adjust at the first sound OF the approach
;ns wheels of the hal. carriage.
But cap and front had slipped to the
hcarth-ruE Mr.. Ferguson had set his
FOO; inadyertantly upon them.
Feeling something under-ioot, and see
ing that the little schoolmistrcSS made
Niu no manner OF answer, but kept her
face bowel on Lila curis, he stopped.
and IN some amazcment picked up the
grz LEI front
CcrtIiuly he lid not know what to do
with it lie looked asIan.e at the
sch1o.-mistre>s's bowed head. Or was
the shining heal hers, or WIS 10 IIlias'
They both glItterei alike, with their
wealth Of golden hair, there in the fire
light.
lie let that grizzlel front fall out OF his
hold. lie iJr- al. about it in looSins
on that little : hoO.smis,resS,