Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-11-21
FOUND!

It was getting late; the last omnibus
Led gone and the few remaining pedes-
trians IN The Fusion road were hurrying
homeward, anxious to leave that dismal
| thoroughfarc behind. The footsteps, grad
ually growing fainter, seemed to leave
| greater desolation, though one man at
least appeared to be in no hurry as he
STROBE lstleEsly along, as if space and time
were Of one accord to him. A tall, power
| full figure, with bronzed features and long
brown beard, betrayed the traveller, and in
spite Of moody expression of face there was
kindly expression in the keen gray eyes
the aF OF one who, though he would
have been a determined enemy, would
doubtless have proved an equally stanch
friend
a neighboring clock struck l., and
| I8ncelOt Graham increased his pace; any
thing Was better than the depressing gloom
of this dismal thorouRhfsre, with it, ap-
pearaucc Of dccayed gcntility and desolatc,
| grimy pretentiNusness. But at this mo
ment a smart pull at the pedestrians coat
tails caused him to turn round sharply,
with all his thoughts upon pickpocEets
bent. But what he saw was the figure of
child barring his path. as if intent upon
ohstrucing his further progress.
Use lost" said the little one simply;
! twill you please find mes'
Graham bent down so that his face was
on a level with the tiny speaker They
were Immediately beneath a gas lamp, and
| the retouished man. as he Cazed carefully
| at the child. found her regarding him with
eyes eff preternatural size and gravity
There was not one particle of fear in the
small face. in its frame Of bright sunny
hair-nothing but the calm, rcsolute com
mand OF one who issues orders and expects
them TO be obeyed; child quantity, but
none the less handsomely dressed, and
! evidently well cared for and nourtshed
Graham pulled his beard in some per
pleXity and looked round with faint an
ticipation Of finding policeman. Like
most big men he had a warm corner in his
heart for children, and there was some
thing in the tiny mites imperiousness
which attracted him strangely.
'And whose little girl are you?" he asked
Gravely
'T'sc mammals, and Use lost, aud please
vii. you find ne>'
"Lut l have feund you, my dear" Ora
ham responded helplessly, but not without
AN inward laugh at the childish logic
Yes. but YOU haven't found mo prop'ly.
] want to be found nice and taxed home to
mamma, because Sc so drel1ly hungry"
The ingenious speaker was without
G0ubt the child Of 4 refined mother as her
accent and general air betrayed 1t was
nice Quandary, nevertheless, for a single
man, said Lance Graham to himself. con-
sidering the hour and the fact Of being "A
prisoner in the hands Of an imperious
young lady. who not only Insisted upon
being found, but made a point of that de-
sirapic contamination being conducted in
an orthodox manner.
you, said Graham, becoming interested
B- well as amused. But YOU must tell me
where You live, little one
She looked ut him with quiet scorn n. if
such question from man was altogether
illogical and absurd But out of considcra-
ton for such lamcntablc ignorance the
child vouchsafed the desired information
'Whyn' with widely open blue eyes
III live with mamma
'This is awful groancd the questioner
"-tnd whore does mamma live"
'Why, she lives with me; we both live
together"
Graham leaned against the lamppost
and laughed outright To lonely man in
Londou-and Alexander Selkirk in his sol
,tude was no more excluded from his fell
lows than stranger in town--the strange
conversation was at once pleasant and
pi3uaut When he recovered himself a
little be asked with becoming and respect
lU) gravity for little Information con
corning the joint author of the little blue
eyed maiden being.
Hes ruined away" she replied, with a
little extra sOlemnity. "He ruined away
lust before | became little girl
Lance became conscious of approaching
Vmptoms Of another fit of laughter only
iomething in the fearless violet eyes