Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-05-22

4
knee-high to a grasshopper. But Mrs.
Carlyon mustn't know-no! no! Well
win her over in spite of herself-see IL
we DON'T"
And Candace, who had vein OF 70.
nance In her girlish heart entered
willingly into the conspiracy.
In one thing Rebecca was right. Mrs.
Carlyon was pleased with her new COM
paniOn. Miss May suited her" in all
respects.
And the marvel of it," said she,
laughingly, lis that old Rebecca isn't
jealous. never had companion in
the house before but that she was half
mad with jealousy. How have you won
her heart, my dear?"
And Candace dropped her head, and
said she did not know.
"Rebecca, look here" said Mrs. Carl
yon, one day to her old servant, 81
want to talk to you. Where is Miss
May? Watering the azaleas2 Well,
shut the door; she mustn't hear"
"Ma'am," gasped Rebecca, ''you'ro
never going to send her away?"
'No, you old goose! Send her away,
indeed! What ever should / do without
her? No, it's quite another thing I'm
thinking of. This old house is dull,
isn't it, Rebecca?"
"Well, ma'am, it isn't exactly gay"
"And it's twice too big for US, you
know"
ut is a pretty roomy place, ma am. ="
'Aliss May was crying this morning
when / came into the room, suddenly"
said Mrs. Carlyon, in mysterious whis-
per, ''and / never rested until | coaxed
the secret out of her" (Rebecca started
guiltily.) Think, Rebecca! she has
two little twin sisters in an orphanage
in Montrealr' (Rehecca recovered her
self AGAIN. Now. Rebecca, wouldn't it
be delightful surprise for you to go to
Montreal and get those dear little girls
and bring them here?'
''Lawk, ma'am!" gasped Rebecca.
''The rector is always preaching to me
that / ought to adopt homeless child"
added Mrs. Carlyon, ''and here's two OF
'em. Miss May showed me their photo
graphs-reai golden-haired little beau
ties. know I'm queer, cranky old
woman, but always was fond Of chill
dren. Here's the name of the street,
Rebecca, and the number. I'll let Miss
May suppose you've gone to visit your
widowed sister, and you shall bring 'em
here. What surprise it will be! How
/ shall enjoy it,
THE Lord be good to mer' thought
Rebecca, but I'm gettin' into a regular
Guy Fawkes tangle of plots and mys-
teries. However don't see no way but
to go ahead and do what my missus says.
Here goes!''
And one long June day, when Miss
May came home from doing errands for
Mrs. Carlyon, with a bunch of long
stemmed roses in her hand, she found
Clare and Nydia in tho boudoir, play
ing with an old-fashioned wax doll and
box of Chinese puzzles, which Mrs.
Carlyon had rummaged out of the store
closet for their benefit.
"We're adopted, sister, they cried,
gleefully. THE pretty old lady in the
white lace cap has adopted us. And,
oh, isn't it pretty place? and have you
seen the tall palm tree and lemon tree
with real lemons on it? It's like COM
ing to Heaven, only we haven't had to
die first"
"What funny things children do say,
to be sure!' said Mrs. Carlyon, furtively
wiping her spectacle-glasses; but she
was not dispIeased. "Well, Miss May,
how do you like my surprise? Myl
don't begin to cry, hate tears"-.with
the crystal drops coursing rapidly down
her own withered cheeks And you
needn't thank mo; I won't be thanked"
The children skipped of to play
with the white cat, whose silver-belled
collar was perpetual challenge to
them.
Candace fell on her knees and buried
her face in Mrs. Carlyon's lap.
II love your she sobbed. ''Oh, how
1 love you!"
Look herer said old Rebecca,
Strengthening herself up. 81 can't
stand no more O this. l must confess,
or bust!'
WHAT" CALCULATED Mrs. Carlyon
I'm hypocrite and a deceiver," said
Rebecca.
as the woman crazy?" said Mrs.
Carlyon.
"And I've cheated you all along!" per-
sisted Rebecca, raising her voice to a
perfect howl. YES, discharge me! I |
don't deserve no character! Turn me |
out of doors. For Miss May amt Miss |
May at all, but your own blessed niece. |
Mr.. Lewis daughter, and the blessed |
children are your own flesh and blood. |
Do as you please with me. but don't |
turn them out! For it's my doings, |
every bit of it."
And Rebecca ended with a piteous
wall, that brought Clare and Nydia and
the white kitten to the rescue.
what is the matter with the kind |
old woman with the crooked nose?' |
said Nydia. please don't scold her,
Mrs. Carlyon!'
''Say Aunt Carlyon, my dear" said
the old lady. mo, | won't scold her.
II begin to see through the mystery
now. planned a surprise for you,
child" to Candace. "And / am still |
more surprised myself. But I'm not
angry-don't think it. do believe you
all love me" as Candace covered her
white, withered hand with kisses, and
the children chung about her neck, land
so we'll all thank the Lord for His mer.
cies! Rebecca, don'tstand staring there,
but go and open n jar OF green gage
plums for lunch, and tell the cook to
send us up chicken croquets and green
peas and plenty of sponge cakes Chill
dren like sweet thingsr'
So she accepted the situation with
philosophy, and old Rebecca