Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1889-12-07
glittering buckle upon her little

it, soothing it in low, cooling tone of
endearment, now and then singing a
lullaby. At last it was asleep, with It's
bit of face hidden in her neck, and
she sat down again before the fire. /
stood and watched her; indeed, had
forgotten all else.
She had soft brown eyes l don't know
any other word to use; they were ten
der and quiet. She looked quite happy
in a silent way. As she swayed back
and forth, the lamplight and then the
freight touched her forehead, and
cheek, and sweet mouth, and white
neck, with their different tinting the
freight making her rosy and radiant,
the lamplight showing the lovely face in
a paler guise. 1 thought, What if this
were my home? What if that was the
darling wife had longed for all these
years and that my child? What if |
might move now, and she would turn
her head and listen for my step?"
The thought made me trembe. l
retreated to the road and walked back
and forth there, trying to think to some
purpose. OF course | could not enter
the house. though it would probably
not be difficult to do so. l might get
the books with little difficulty, for that
young girl was probably all the person
under the roof but somehow did not
want them the current fmy mind had
changed. | walked half mile down
the starlight road and came back. Once
more | went to the window.
The child was awake and crying. She
was walking the floor with it again. I
forgot to lie cautious, she was SO uncon-
scious, and quite leaned on the stone
sill as | stood. Turning. in her walk,
she happened to glance toward the win
dow, saw my face as the light fell upon
it, and, uttering a scream OF terror, fell
to the floor.
/ rushed to the door; it gave way to
my hand, and [ went in and raised her.
She was quite senseless, but she still
clasped the child, who screamed fright
fully. l laid it in its cradle, and tried
to revive her She scarcely seemed tc
breathe before she broke into hysterical
sobbing.
Don't cry, don't cry" said awk'
wardlv. Il did not mean to frighter
you. Look up! l am David Marie
You must have heard of me. I meant
no harm in the world / was only
looking at you, because you looked Sc
pretty"
She did not seem to see the ludicrous
ness of this explanation. She caugh
her breath, and looked at me will
dilated eyes and the utmost anxiety TO-
some time.
you are Uncle Johns brother?'
yes" And then [ knew who sh
was, Aurelia May, favorite neice O
my brothers wife, whom l had neve
seen.
4 was very foolish to be so fright
: ened, she said, at last; but you locke
like ghost
! Shall you tell them?" asked I.
Uncle John and Aunt Susan? Nc
and don't you," she said, with a blush
She had taken the poor baby frol
I the cradle, and, as it soon hushed il
cries, we concluded that it was ne
q hurt. Before the family returned, Al
7 relia had regained her natural color an
r composure, and I had reason to |
thankful that it was SO.
- John started when he saw me, an
looked bewiIdered when l arose and o
-, fered him my hand; but he took it, an
babe me sit down again, cordially. Pc
! haps some good word which he ha
heard in the house Of God had softenC
>, him; certainly the pure face of that gi
! had changed my heart. We sat t
; gether, a pleasant party, that eyenin
= and the next day John and | enterC
~. into q calm discussion Of our bushes
7 He was finally willing and even anxior
- to give me two-thirds of the money, b
= would not accept it..
No, no, John" said J. "we will {
q, vide evenly and, if you want to do an
Ia thing more for me, just try to ma
- AureIia think that I'm not a monster
"Aurelia?' repeated John. "Wh
she don't know that there has been
y word of trouble, and doesn't dream
!, such thing. If YOU want her 60 in a
10 win; the coast is clear, aud may G.
-. bless your
=. was not much used to women, b
10 she liked me, and finally got der.
frightened me to think how wretcheC
II should have been, if l hadn't. 1 Ina
~ only 70 add that she is just as good a
~ thought she was when / first saw i
through the window; and, if God pr
pers us, may, before another year, +
NV her rocking a baby that is miue {
freliglt and the lamuliVhtauaiu on