The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-24

lace fresh and rosy, her fair golden hal
twisted round her head, she stood upor
the bed and held ont pair of arms invit
ingIy.
"What Not asleep yet?'' he asked
'and nearly morning, too"
The old look of reproach crept into tn,
chlld's sleepy eyes. Not till have saiG
my prayers. Take me on your lap while
| say them"
Graham placed the little one ON hi.
knee, listening reverently to the broker
medley Of words uttered with the deepest
solemnity. Yet every word was distinctly
uttered, even to the plea for the absent
father, till the listener found himself
wondering what kind of man this recalci
trant parent might be. Presently Nellie
concluded, "And God bless you, she ex.
claimed lovingly, accompanying her words
with kiss. "And now will go to sleep.
When Graham woke next morning he
did so with violent pain at his chest, and
general feeling that his beard was being
forcibly torn from his chin 1t was early
yet, but his tiny visitor was abroad She
had established herself upon the bed.
where she was engaged in some juvenile
amusement, in which the victims long
beard apparently played an important part
in the program. As he opened his eyes
the child laughed merrily. Don't move, -
she exclaimed, peremptorily; 'Tse playing
horses. You'sc the horse, and these is
the reins, and giving utterance to these
words, she gave sharp pull at his cherish
ed hirsute appendage, and recommended
her recreation vigorously.
A man may be passionately fond of
children, but when it came to Il healthy
child lying upon his chest, and pair of
lusty little arms tugging at sensitive
portion of his anatomy, the time has arriv-
ed when a little admonition becomes almost
necessary.
'Nelly, you are hurting me" Graham
cried sharply.
She looked up in his face moment
seeking to know if he spoke
with dual meaning, as children ofttimes
do Then, deciding that he spoke the
truth, there came an affectionate reaction
in his favor.
"Poor, poor" she said soothingly, rub
biug her cheek against his "NelIy is q
girl, and Use so sorry"
"You are good little girl to say you
are sorry"
"Give me some sweeties. then," Nelly
answered promptly. Whenever [ tell
mamma Use sorry she says good little
girl, and gives me sweeties."
Presently, perhaps. And now run
away while dress
Obedient to this request, the child kiss
ed him again, and after one regretful
glance at the beard, and a sigh for the
vanished equestrian exercise, jumped from
the bed and disappeared. Graham was
not, however, destined to be left long in
peace over his toilet, which was not more
than half completed when Nelly returned
again, and seating herself in chair,
watched gravely every movement of this
deeply interesting ceremony.
"Isn't you going to shave?" she asked
reproachfully, as Graham with smile in
dicated that his labor was complete.
II never shave" he answered "What
would you have to play horse with if
did ?"
This practical logic seemed to confound
Miss Nelly for moment, but with the
pertinacity worthy of better cause she
replied:
"All gentlemans shave There is one
in our house, and | go to him every
morning. 1 like to see him scrape the
white stuff Offs dreffiy hungry"
By this time Graham had grown quite
accustomed to these startling changes in
the flow of Miss Nelly's eloquence, though
he could not fail to admit the practical
drift of the concluding observation.
"Nelly," he asked, seriously, when the
healthy appetite had been fully appeased.
"Let us go to business. Now, what is
mammals name?"
"Nelly, tco," the child replied. 'Pass
the bread and butter, please"
"And you do not know where you
live?"
"No. But it isn't far from the stason
where the trains are can hear them all
day when mamma is out
"Not particularly good clue in a place
like London, reflected the questioner.
"What is mamma like" he asked. "What
does she do ?"
HShe is beautiful, beautifuler than me,
ever So" Nelly answered, reverently.
"Aud she goes out at night-every night.
And once she took me. There were lot
of people-whole crowds of then-and
when mamma came in her beautiful dress
they all seemed very glad to see her, |
thought"
Evidently an actress, Graham determin-
ed-and some clue, though still very
faint one. Still, by the time breakfast
was concluded, he had matured his plan Of
action. He hailed passing cab and drove
away with the intention in the first place
of visiting the nearest police station in the
neighborhood of the Euston road as the
most likely place to CLEAN the information