St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-28

this big hotel, and husband bought LOT
of land. We was Jest a-waitin' for the
railroad to come through and make Our
fortune. The Indian outbreak scared a
good many away. Then the railroad
didn't come. The boom died out twenty
years ago, an left US stranded here.
Husband was jest that stubborn he
wouldn't sell. The children grew up
and moved away. Husband died last
year. and there's only Lisbeth and l
here" She told the story Of many
years Of hardship in those few words.
sls that your daughter who took my
horse at the door?" asked Herbert.
Land sakes. no." said Mrs. Gray,
smiling at the idea. "That's jest Annie
Stevens"
"WeIl. who is Annie Stevens2 Your
niece, perhaps"
"Why, she's no relation at ALL" re-
piled Mrs. Gray. "The Stevens family
lived up the road apiece when we moved
here. About twenty years ago one
March morning before daylight party
OF Sioux Indians surrounded the house.
and left every one of the family for
dead. Little Annie was the Stevens
folks grandchild. She was tiny baby.
born Just the Christmas before. She
was stunned by blow from club, but
Lisbeth here was living on the next
farm, and she nursed the little orphan
back to life. Annie has grown up to be
a queer sort of girl. She jest rambles
about the woods in summer, and stays
with different families in winter. But
she's SO pretty and kindhearted we both
like to have her stay here"
Mrs. Gray broke off her story to clear
away the supper dishes.
While she was preparing room for
the guest Annie Slipped in. and stood by
stranger. He was different from the
rough farmer lads in the neighborhood.
and she thought it would be pleasant
to talk with him. For the first time In
her life she was ashamed of her coarse
red hands and shabby dress. Perhaps
If she stood in the shadow he wouldn't
notice her ugly red hair.
Herbert studied the brilliant complex
lou, the dark, lustrouS eyes and won
derfuI hair that wss neither golden nor
brown. He thought this child of nature
too fair to be buried in this dreary old
place. He would make her talk. He
had a passion for music, and always
carried his violin with him. He took it
out and played old English melodies at
first to please old Lisbeth. She had
Deen q factory girl III Manchester, naQ
drifted westward with the stream of i'm
migration, married farmer and settled
near Grove City. A mortgage had eaten
up the farm. Her husband got disconI-
aged and died. so old Lisbeth was fin
ishing life as servant in tins far West
ern land. Her worn face softened at
the sound of melodies that brought back
visions of youthful days.
Then Herbert played Christmas
carol. beginning with plaintive chords
that seemed like wall of sorrow, glid-
ing into soft melody like the song of
birds and ending with joyous strain
of triumph. Annie forgot her shyness
and came close to Herbert's chair. He
led her to talk about familiar things
and she soon forgot that he had ever
been stranger. She told him of the
sparrows that would perch on her
shoulder and what the bluejays chat
tered to her. If he would come in the
spring she could show where the earliest
flowers bloomed and the prettiest leaves
could be found. She promised to show
him the old house next morning. Mrs