The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1889-08-03

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the house were large number of fruit
trees, now in full blossom. AS soon
as Elsie opened the door, sailor Ben's
eyes fell on picture hanging on the
wall; he recognized it as one which
had been taken of his wife in the hap
Ply days when they lived in England.
When the door opened, and Else's
mother came into the room, he tried
to rise, but could not. She looked at
the sailor for some time, without say
ing word; but after long and earnest
gazing at his face, she cried: Father,
oh father, have YOU come back to me
at lastP" Eyes, my daughter, come
home never to leave you again, said
the old man, with tears running down
his cheeks.
Now, mamma, you will get well,
won't youp And in her excitement
little Elsie ran from her mother to her
grandfather, saying, "Oh! | am SO
happy! But dear me, have forgot
ten that you and grandfather must
want your tea, so must get it ready"
"What, do you make the tea?' said
her newly-found grandfather. Eyes,
indeed, sne is quite little housekeep-
err" said her mother fondly. They sat
up until a late hour, talking about the
past. "How was it, father, that they
brought back the report that you were
lostP" "Well, my dear, you knew the
ship was wrecked, and all of our crew,
except one sailor and myself, perished.
We managed to swim to an island, and
stayed there until we were picked up
by vessel bound for Africa. When
we landed there, one Gay my COM
panion and | were lost in the jungle.
We were taken captives by some Afri-
can tribes, and held as prisoners for
quite while, but finally we succeeded
in making our escape. When we
reached the sea coast, we found en-
ployment on board of vessel bound
for England. Old Tim Lockhart and
/ must have been the only survivors of
the wreck, and the vessel returning
from Africa, must have brought the
tidings that finally reached you. l
arrived at home to find it occupied by
strangers. No one seemed to know
anything about you, except that you
had married, and that You had all
gone away together. | left tie place
wholly disheartened. Jim was made
first mate and captain of ship
bound for this city, and / was just
going round to see the sights when |
happened to spy little Elsie. 1 noticed
her pretty violets, and they reminded
me of those which grew in our garden,
and of which your mother was SO
fond. Elsie remind8l me Of you when
yov were her age. | came this after
noon to have chat with 'my little
fower-girl, as | called her, not daring
to hope that might find my daughter
again"
''Oh father. to think that the very
trial which | thought SO hard to bear,
has brought you back to me. 1t was
hard thing for me to let Elsie sell
flowers in the street. But there was
no help for il, for ever since my hus-
band died, we have been getting poor
er and poorer, and sometimes we have
been almost without food" MY dear
daughter, you shall not know want
any more, if God is willing to spare
me yet for a few years. ''Oh, mann
ma, shall never like any flowers half
as well as | do violets, because they
brought me my kind old grandpa" "
said the happy little girl, caressing the
old sailor, on whose knee she had been
sitting all the while he was talking to
her mother. But, my daughter it is
twelve O'clock, and | am afraid our
little Elsie will lose all her roses, if
she stays up so late. Let US thank our
heavenly father that he has brought
me safe home again And kneeling
down, the old man poured out his soul
in thanksgiving to God.
as soon as Esie's mother was able
to travel, they went back to England
in sailor Ben's ship. But old Tim
Lockhart-who rejoieed with all his
heart at his mates good fortune-de-
clared himself weary of sea-faring
life. and purchasing Mrs. Grahams
neat cottage, with its garden, orchard
and fields, settled down there for the
remainder of his days, with his house
hold gods around him. The last re-
membrance tie Grahams had of Amer
lea, was the sight of the ex-sailor in
the garb of truck gardener, his wrin-
kled face one tangle of tears and smiles
as, on the morning of their departure.
he leaned over the rail fence, waving
them a farewell with his red bandanna
and wishing them "God-speed, " while
he whistled Nancy Lee" to conceal
his feelings. Little Elsie was soon a
great favorite with the sailors on board
the vessel, who called her the ''little
violet girl for she had brought with
her several plants of violets, and
was seldom without one in her hand,
or somewhere about her. When they
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