The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24


the first snd last time In all my days,
and give sophy away with my own
hand. There wsre only a. three and the |
gentleman VINO had had charge of her
for those two years. give the we'd
ding dinner Of four In the Library car.
Pigeon pie, . leg Of picked pork, . pair
OF fowls and suitable garden stu6. The
best Of drinks. gxye them speech,
and the gentleman gave NJ n speech. and
all our jokes told, and the whole went
off like skyrocket. In the course Of
the entertainment explained to Sophy
that should keep the Library cart as my
that should keep all her books for her
just as they stood, till she come back to
claim them. So she went to China with
her young husband, and it was parting
sorrowful and heavy, and got the boy
I had another service; and as of old,
when my wife and child were gone,
went plodding along alone, with my
whip over my shoulder, at the old horses
head.
Sophy wrote me many letters, and
wrote her many letters. About the end
Va tAO IA oG J VhA oAO 6CAt A1C OAAO Ak1 Oh
unsteady hand: dearest father, not a
week ago had darling little daughter,
but am so we'll that they let me write
these words to you. Dearest and best
father, hope my child may not be deaf
and dumb, but I do not yet know
When wrote back I limited tho ques-
ton; but as Sophy never answered that
question, felt It to be sad ono, and i
never repeated it. For long time our
letters were regular, but then they got
irregular. through Sophy's husband be-
ing moved to another station, and
through my being always ON the move.
I was equally sure, letters or no letters.
Five years, odd months, had gone since
Sophy went away. was still the king
Of the Cheap Jacks, and at q greater
height of popularity than ever. I had
first rate autumn Of it, and on the Esd
Of December, 1854. I found myself at
Uxbridge, Middlesex, clean sold out. So
I logged up to London with the old
horse, light and easy, to have my Christ
mas eve and Christmas day alone by the
fire in the Library cart. and then to buy
W
to sell 'em again and get the money.
lam neat hand at cookery, and I'll
tell you what knocked up for my Christ
mas eve dinner in the Library cart: l
knocked up beefsteak pudding for one,
with two kidneys, dozen oysters and a
couple of mushrooms thrown in. It's
pudding to put man in good humor
will everything except the two bottom
buttons of his waistcoat. Having rel
ished that pudding and cleared away, 1
turned the lamp low and sat down by
the light of the fire, watching it as it
shone upon the backs of Sophy's books.
Sophy's books 50 brought up Sophy's
self that saw her touching face quite
plainly before I dropped of doing by
the fire. This nay be reason why
Sophy, with her deaf and dumb child in
her arms, seemed to stand silent by me
all through my nap. was on fhe road,
of the road, in all sorts Of. places-North
and south and west and east, Winds
liked best and winds liked least, Here
and there and gone astray. Over tho hills
and far away-and still she stood silent
by me, with her silent child in her arms.
Even when woke with q start she
seemed to vanish, as If she had stood by
me in that very place only single in
slant before.
had started at real sound and the
sound was ON the steps Of the cart. e
was the hight, hurried tread Of child
coming, olamberfng up. Thst tread II 3
child had once been % familiar 10 M
that for hall : moment ] behaved ! W.
s-guing 10 eco little ehosts - -
But Tho touch Of real child was hid
upon tho outer handle Of tho door, and
the handle turned, and the door opened
a little way and q real child peeued in.
A bright little comely girl, with large
dark eyes.
Looking full at me, the tiny creature
took of her mite Of a straw hat, and q
quantity Of dark curls fell all about her
face. Then she opened her lips, and
said in q pretty voice:
"GrandfatherT'
"Ah, my Godr' I cries ont. "she oen
speakr'
eyes, dear grandfather. And am to
ask you whether there was ever any one
that remind you OFF,
In a moment Sophy was round my
neck, as well as the child, and her hus-
band was arwringing my hand with his
face hid, and we all had to shake our.
selves together before we could get owe.
| 1t. And when we did begin to get over
| it. and l saw the pretty child stalking.
pleased and quick and eager aud busy,
| to her mother, in the signs that l had
first taught her mother, the happy and
yet plying tears fell rolling down my
! face.
TIE END.