The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-15
"I'm Daisym musically answered the

"I'm Daisy" musically answered the
sprite.
"Daisy who?"
"Johnuy's Daisy" laughed the child,
chubby four year-old tot. "Johnny
left me here. He's catching fish. He'll
be back soon."
~ hope to goodness nothin' happened
to HIM" said Aunt Nancy, with 3roan.
"What's his ether uamc, child?"
"Just Johnny" said Daisy, with a
puzzled lifting of her eyebrows.
''Is he your brother?'
Daisy nodded.
"Im his little sissy" said she, con-
tcntcdly.
"And where do you live2'
"In the city, to-be-sure.
"What city,"
Daisy stamped her small foot.
"Thc city," said she. "Dont you
know' The city, where every one else
lives"
And then she snugged up to Fanny
and laughed aloud to sec the flames burn
ing upward through the network Of
driftwood which the girl had artistlcally
built up on the smoke-blackened hearth.
els the crcetur' fool9" observed Miss
Nancy.
'I can say Mary had little land, '"
said the child, suddenly, smiling up into
Miss Naucy's perplexcd. face, land
Twinkle, twinkle, little STAR"
"Oh, yes, I dare say" SAID the an
cient spluster, irritably rubbing the side
of her nose. s'But where's the use o
teaching a child such jingle -jaagles as
that, when she can't tell her own name,
nor where she lives! I've no patience
with folks. Fanny. that fires blazin'
up real good now. Put the little mite
in front ont. She's fairly blue with
cold; and I'll open the basket and see
what there is for her to cat"
But the child offered her poor rem
nants of dry sandwiches and bakers cake
to the two women.
sI-I'm not hungryI' said she, with
a ouivering lip. II wish Johnny would
come back
Fanny and her aunt exchanged pity
ing glances, aud the latter cuddled little
Daisy close to her in the cheerful fire.
shine.
"Don't be afraid, Daisy" said she.
"We'll stay here with you. It'll be fair
weather pretty soon, and then we'll all
60 home"
The storm ragged pitilessly until sun
set. Black waves roared, hoarse winds
whistlcd, and sheets of spray came fly
ing up the beach like spectres.
Asa Litchfeld, in his stout-covered
wagon, came for the two women as soon
as the tempest had abated sufficiently for
a horse to make any headway against it.
II reckoned likely you'd take shelter
here" said he. II am awfully worried
about you"
He looked down at the child who lay
sleeping in Aunt Nancy's lap.
"And what are We to do about the
little 'uu2" said he. "Where docs she
belong2"
"Why, nowhere!" said Fanny.
And she told the strange history Of
the little waif.
Asa whistled under his breath.
"There's been two wrecks below, y"
said he. "One was all orange-boat from
Florida. Cut to splinters on the rocks;
but the cappen an the crew managed to
get ashore all right. T'other was lit
tie sailboat flung up on Rossiter'S Reefs
like sheet O paper, with yellow
haired young chap all tangled up 10 the
riggin"
Miss Nancy mechanically strokcd
Daisy's f1axeu locks.
"Dead2" whispered she.
"Dead!" nodded Asa Litchfeld.
"It must be Johnny" said Miss Dear
born, her old lip quiveriug. Don't let
her know"
Asa turned away, with lump in his
throat.
"The wagons ready" said he. "And
if we calculate to get ahead of the tide,
we'd better be startin' pretty lively
'Aunt Nancy, let me take her." said
Fanny.
The old woman drew back.
"No one shan't touch her but me-" she
muttered, almost augrily.
And Fanny said no more.
Little Daisy slept that night in trun-
dle-bed which had been Miss Nancy's as
child and Fanny Sweets afterward.
And as the old woman sat resding her
"chapter" by the fire, and heard the wind
shrek down the chimney and the waves
thun ier along the beach, she whispered
many secret prayer.
And toward daybreak, when the gale
shook the loosely lifting front door like
touch of human hand, she got up, and
creeping out into the hall, softly opened
it.
'Ef that's you, Johnny" said she,
"you needn't worry no more. She shall
be took care Of"
And after that, strange to say, the
wind suddenly went down, and the door
shoo! and trembled no more.
With sunrise the great storm-as it
was afterward known along the coast
seemed to abatc its rigor little.
Aunt Nancy was up bright and early,
cooking ham and eggs and frying frit-
tiers for breakfast. The fragrance of the
coffee already filled the room when Fanny
Sweet came in.
eyes, know" said Aunt Nancy, as
she saw her nlcce's eyes turn toward the
open bedroom door beyond--"I know
jest exactly what you're thinking of, and
you may as we'll know what I've made