San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-11

missed at last Mabel was the first to leave the
building. Up the street she ran, around the
corner by the green lamp post, and never
stopped till she reached the hardware store,
where Mr.. Fenwick had his little office at the
end As she pulled back the heavy door and
stepped inside one of the hardware men, who
had a black streak across his forehead, smiled
at her from over the counter and asked:
What do you want, little girlf'
Mabel smiled too as she walked past him.
I'm going in to see Mr.. Fenwick," she
said.
The man, who had only recently come in
the store, tried to stop her. Sheonly laughed
In reply.
"Oh, he will see me-" she answered and
puzzled open the office door. NJ. Fenwick
turned around at the sound. There he sat on
the same high stool, with his books open be-
fore him, but there were great rings under
his brown eyes and Mabel thought he looked
tired. As his eyes fell on the little intruder
Fenwick started
Hello, Mabel" he said
She walked up beside his high chair and
looked up at him smiling.
How do you doG" she asked, cheerfully.
How are you getting alongr
Mr.. Fenwick smiled.
"Who sent you hereg" he asked
Mabel drew her little form up proudly.
"Nobody sent me-" she answered. 81
thought you might be lonesome without
Fay"
$50 | am" cried Fenwick, getting down
from his stool and lifting the little cir! in his
arms
80 you came in to keep me from being
lonesome, did you!'
YES" said Mabel, moving her soft hand
over his dark hair, Il am to be your little
girl while Fay is away Do you think she
will be gone long"
Fenwick hesitated He did not care to tell
Mabel that Fay would not come back till it
had been legally decided which parent should
have charge of her
'lts very pleasant where she is" he said,
finally; IL shouldn't wonder if she didn't
come back right away"
Mabel brushed away a tear.
Its very hard on me-" she said, but
suppose it's hard, too, on you and She
was going to say ION mamma" but thinking
he might not understand finished, and on
your wife"
Yes" said Fenwick, lit is.'
We'll have to all keep each other from
being lonesome" Mabel said as Fenwick at
last placed her on one of the stools by his
side.
For some time the clerks in the hardware
store cast frequent glances through the glass
door at their employer in his office and the
little girl at his side.
Its Colburn's girl" said one of them, ''she
used to come in here with Fay Fenwick.
guess it makes Fenwick feel bad"
When Mabel came out of the office they all
smiled at her She spoke to Mr.. Fenwick as
she closed the glass door
II will try and come in tomorrow" she
said, take good care of yourself"
''All right" answered Fenwick, smiling,
thank you"
He sat for some time after she had left
with his head on his arm, so only the dark
locks were seen through the door The men
outside felt sorry for him.
Its too bad" they said, land they were
so happy together"
When Mabel reached home she told her
own mamma what she had done. Mrs Col
burn kissed her
"All right, darling" she said. Surely
she thought, lit can do no harm, and posi-
bly, the child may comfort them a little"
So every morning Mabel called on the for
orn little mother who grew thinner and paler
each day, and every afternoon a second stool
was placed by the side of Mr.. Fenwick for his
little visitor. All the hardware men looked
forward to her calls with pleasure. One gave
her pencil once, with big rubber on the
end which left a black mark after it every
time she used it. But Mabel always smiled
on the rough fellow, because he did not know
about the rubber, probably.
One afternoon she came into the store in
hurry and ran into Mr.. Fenwick's Office, all
out of breath.
What is the matterF' he asked. She held
up little three cornered envelope. 1t was
tinted pink and on the back was a picture of
tiny white dove with letter tied around
his neck.
'See!" cried Mabel, "here ismy letter from
Fayl"
Fenwick took it eagerly. 1t was Aunt
Lottie's handwriting on the outside, but
when he took out the little pink sheet his
heart throbbed, for he knew that his own
little girl had written that.
Read it," said Mabel
1t was written well for 10-year old little
girl, and had cost Fay much time and
trouble.
Dear Mabel (he read, it is a very nice
place here. Aunt Lottie is very good.
The conductor was very good hope
you don't eat dinner with Annie Dobson
How are my dear papa and mamma? want
to see them very much and want to see
you. think viii come home before long
Write soon. FAY FENwICK."
Ralph Fenwick put the paper back in the