Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-05-27
A Lucky Fall.

help you to-day instead of going t.
school,"
Minnie Kendall looked up from he
stitching with a smile into the plead
ing face of her younger sister, CIR
of fourteen, with fresh, dimpled fac
and golden hair that hung like gold
en- mist over her shoulders.
81 am not tired, Hilda," she said
sat least not more tired than usual
And / should very much regret tt
have you miss a day from school,"
SONY one more year," said Hilda
almost passionately, "and then
shall graduate and Mrs. Archer has
promised to get me a place as nurse.
nv governess or under teacher in some
school, and / can earn money and lei
you rest. But, oh, Minnie, if you
should stitch yourself into the grave
first"
s'Nonsense," said Minnie, lightly,
''run off to your books, and don't get
such silly notions into your head
''Minnie," said Hilda, gravely, "do
you know the girls at school were
saying how rich our Grandfather
Raymond is, and what a splendid
house he lives in 2"
81 know it, Hilda.
''Then why does he not do some
thing to help us?'
ssBecause, Hilda, he holds US ans
werable for our mothers act of DISC
bedience in marrying, twenty-five
years ago, and because he is relent-
less as the-grave."
''Minnie," said the child, gravely,
with her hands crossed behind her
back, sis that just?''
''No, nor kind, nor Christian but
what is the use of discussing it,dear !"
''Tve a great mind to 60 to grand
pa, and tell him what think of him %
said Hilda, pressing her rosy lips to-
gether. "We are so poor and he so
rich, and, after all, our mother was
his only child. He is going to leave
his money to an orphan asylum, they
say. Minnie, it would be a curious
freak of fortune if we were to 90
there for admission. But never mind -
with an emphatic nod of the sunny
head, ''let him roll in his wealth, and
hug his rancorous spite in his heart.
Our love is more to us than all his
gold, isn't it, Minnie %
And she pressed her lips to the
pale, fair forehead of the elder sister,
and tripped away to school.
She was making her light, agile
way over a crowded crossing, where
a side street led into Broadway, ten
minutes later when a white haired old
man, who had just alighted from an
open barouche, slipped and fell al
most at her feet. Instantly, Hilda
had stopped and assisted to raise him.
He looked vaguely at her, as if the
violence of the fall Lad nearly stun
ned him.
"Where am I % he asked slowly.
"Who are you? And where is my
man?'
care you much hurt % said Hilda,
softly wiping the mud stains from his
forehead with her pocket handker-
chief. "Let me lead you back to
your carriage
By this time the footman had
alighted from his place on the box
with the lively coachman and hurried
to the assistance of his master, and
Hilda stood on the curb-stone, watch
ing the rapidly disappearing carriage.
''And he never once thanked me-"
she thought. 'EBut never mind, poor
old man. [ dare say he was too
AIuCA oUuAnCu anu COuluSSu 10 buluh
of anything but his own peril and
danger
So Hilda went her way to school
thinking no more of the little adven-
ture she had had, and old Kenneth
Raymond returned to his palatial
home.
''Who was the little girl that help
ed me up when | fell?" he asked alb
ruptly of the footman, as he was
once more snugly established in his
easy-chair in the beautiful library of
the Fifth-Avenue mansion where he
lived.
"Sir?" calculated the faithful An
thony, staring hopelessly at his mas
ter.
''The pretty little girl with the
golden hair-where is she, 1 say?"
''Indeed, sir, l don't know" ans
wered the servant, scratching his
head.
''Well, find out, and bring her here.
want to thank her for her kindness.
She wiped my muddy face with her
own little cambria handkerchief, bless
her dear heart"
''Where be to inquire, sir?" de-
handed Anthony.
'tWhere? How do 1 know, you
blockhead? That's your business, not
mine. want to see her, that's enough
for you to know"
And Anthony went down stairs in
some perplexity to confer with his
fellowservants.
"For master do grow more unreal
sonable every day of his life," said
poor Anthony. "Why, 1 never seed
the little things face"