The national leader., 1889-03-30

bounden duty I've been dong. But
I've felt dreadful guilty. with this
baby in the house, and me a-keepin' a
secret from you. And If you say 60,
why 1t must be'
While she spoke. the fair-haired
child looked smilingly up into my
face.
'Betsey,' said I, family. 'who is
thisp'
It's my brothers. child, ma'am,
said Betsey. "A poor little orphan. as
has no one to caro- for her but me.
When we lived in the city, ma'am, 1
could see her every day, when I went
out of errands, or when my work was
done at night. I hired her boarded
with the window Baker, a motherly
soul as ever was; but when 1 come out
here, I missed her more than tongue
can tell. And what was 1 to do.
ma'am-for all l knowad you wasn't
fond Of children-when one night little
Flora made her appearance at this very
door? And the child had walked.
ma'am, if you please, all the way from
New York. askin' her way here and
there, and once In way gettin' a lift
from a wagon. And I've kept her hid
away among the sanddunes in the day
times, and took her in my own bed OF
nights. And once 1 had to shut her
down cellar, that rainy day she
couldn't 60 out, and you was in the
house all day. And there was her keep,
to-be-sure-you may remember your
self noticin' how the victuals got away
but I've eaten as little as I could
myself, and I've been very economical
about other things.
Betsey looked imploringly at me.
Little Flora laughed silently over her
sea shells.
'Betsey,' said 1. you have done
right-perfectly right-except in using
any concealment. You ought to have
told me everything
Il was 'fraid you wouldn't want a
child racketin' about the house, said
Betsey, humbly, But indeed Flora is
very quiet
she may stay said 1. And ou
needn't hide her away, Betseyi You
and I are neither of US very young. 1t
may do us good to have a little one
about the house.
To my infinite amazement, my hard
featured, cold-mannered servant took
my hand in hers, and bent down her
lips to kiss it. as if it had been the
hand of saint.
The Lord be good to you, ma'am,
said Betsey, with tears in her hard.
middle-aged eyes, am IL live to be a
hundred years old, III never forget
this of you. But. Miss Emma, there's
something else ought to tell your
What is 1t, Betsey9'
7 shouldn't never "a tried to hide
the girl away, IL hadn't heard story
of how the cottage was haunted by the
ghost Of a little child as came to a
violent end In this very house. Thinks
I to myself, there's always the ghost to
put any unusual sights or sounds of
on
smiled to think of the secret 7 had
been trying to hide from Betsey.
so you knew about the ghost, Bet
seyp' said 1.
La, ma'aml I've heard the story
halr dozen times over.' answered my
handmaiden.
And you were not afrald?'
Il know there amt no such things, ,
calmly responded Betsey. it's live
folk I'm afeard of, ma'am, not dead
onesl Me afearedP guess notl'
We'll, BeJsey.' said /, cheerfully, Il
know of no better recipe to drive a
shadow out of the house than to put a
reality into it. Little Flora shall ex-
ercise the ghostl Come here, baby,
and kiss me. Your eyes are just the
color of the sea at mid-day!'
From that day forward the cottage
was like different place. Little Flora
frightened it up, as If her eyes had
been real stars. instead Of ''make-be-
lieve" ones. No more ghostly shadows
creps across the threshold.
took the chlld's education at once
into my own hands, thus passing away
many q weary hour, and I am now
seriously contemplating a legal adop-
tion of the pretty plaything.
But all the gossiping nelghbors are as
much exercised as ever as to how ''that
city lady" can bear to live in haunted
house on the seashore. Nor do I be-
lieve that could ever make them under
stand the complicated network Of my
thoughts and feelings; so I shall not