Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-13
FOUND /!

1t was getting late; the last omnibus
had gone, and the few remaining pedes-
trians in the Euston Road were hurrying
homeward, anxious to leave that dismal
thoroughfare behind. The footsteps, grad
ually growing fainter, seemed to leave a
greater desolation, though one man at
least appeared to be in no hurry as he
strobe istlessly along, as if space and
time were of one accord to him. A tall,
powerful figure, with bronzed features,
and long brown beard, betrayed the
traveller; and, in spite of the moody ex-
preston OF face, there was a kindly CLEAN
In the keen gray eyes-the air of one who,
though he would have been determined
enemy, would doubtless have proved an
equally stanch friend.
A neighboring clock struck II, and
Lancelot Graham increased his pace; any
thing was better than the depressing
gloom of this dismal thoroughfare, with
tia appearance of decayed gentility and
desolate grimy portentiousness. But at
this moment smart pull at the pedes-
TRANS coat-tails caused him to turn round
sharply, with all his thoughts upon pick
pockets bent. But what he saw was the
figure of child barring his path, as if in
tent upon obstructing his further progress
''Pse lost" said the little one simply;
"will you please find me-"
Graham bent down, SO that his face was
on level with the tiny speaker. They
were Immediately beneath a gas-lamp,
opI ha 10
fully at the child, found her regarding him
with eyes of 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, resolute 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 nourished.
Graham pulled his beard in some per-
plexity and looked round with a faint
anticipation of finding policeman. Like
most big men, he had 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.
"Pse mammals, and Use lost, and please
will you find me ?'
"But have found you, my DEAR" Ora
ham responded helplessly, but not without
an inward laugh at the childish logic.
"Yes, but you haven't found me prop'ly.
want to be found NICE and taken home to
mamma, because Tse so dretfly hungry"
The ingenious speaker was without
doubt the child of refined mother, as her
accent and general air betrayed. 1t was
nice quandary, nevertheless, for single
man, said Lance Graham to himself, con-
sidering the hour and the fact of being
prisoner in the hands of an imperious
young lady, who not only insisted upon be-
ing found, but made point oil that desira-
BILE consummation being conducted in an
orthodox manner.
swell, we will see what we can do for
you," said Graham, becoming Interested as
well as amazed. "But you must tell me
where you live, little one"
She looked at him with quiet scorn, as if
such a question from a man was altogether
illogical and absurd. But, out of consid-
Grafton for such lamentable ignorance, the
child youchsafed the desired information
"Why"-with wide-open blue eyes-"I
live with mamma"
This is awful" groaned the quesrioner.
"And where does mamma liver
"Why, she lives with me; we both live
together"
Graham leaned against the lamp-post
and laughed outright. To lonely man in
London-and Alexander Selkirk in his
solitude was no more excluded from his
fellows than a stranger in town-the
strange conversation was at once pleasant
and piquant. When he recovered himself
little, he asked with becoming and re-
spectful gravity for a little information
concerning the joint-author of the little
blue-eyed maiden's being.
"He's ruined away" she replied, with a
little extra solemnity. "He ruined away
just before became a little girl"
Lance became conscious of approaching
symptoms of another fit of laughter, only
something in the fearless violet eyes
checked the rising mirth
"He must have been very bad man,
them" he observed.
'He ruined away" repeated the child,
regarding her new-found friend with re-
proachful gravity, sand mamma loves him,
she does"
"And do you love him too, little one ?"
&c, L iONS llii, lOO. anu "iSu
my prayers | say, Please God, bless dear
runaway papa, and bring him home again,
for Jesus sake, amen.'"
Graham, hard cynical man of the world
as he was, did not laugh again.
A man must be far gone, indeed, if such
simple earnestness and touching belief as
this cannot move him to the core. All the
warmth and love in his battered heart
went out to the child in a moment.
81 do not know what to do with you,"
he observed. 81 do not know who your
mamma is, but | must look after you,
young lady"
FPS not young lady; Tse Nelly. Take
me home to mamma"
"But l don't know where she is" said
Graham, forlornly.
"Then take me home to your mamma"
"Confding," said Graham, laughing
again, mot to say complacent, only, unfort-
upately, don't happen to have one"
a dess you're too big" said Nelly, with
a little nod, and then, as if the whole
matter was comfortably settled, Garry
me-"
Suppose l take you home with me?"
Graham observed, having quickly aban-
doned the idea of proceeding to the
nearest police station, "and then we can
look for mamma in the morning. / think
you had better come with me-" he added,
raising the light burden in his arms.
"All right" Nelly replied, clasping him
lovingly round the neck, and laying her
smooth cheek comfortably against his
bronzed face. 81 fink that will be very
nice. Then you can come and see mamma
in the morning, and perhaps she will let
you be my new papa"
"1Ehat about the other one?' asked
Graham.
'Oh, then I can have two" replied the
little lady, by no means abashed; "we can
play at horse together. Where do you
ive"