Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-05-08
MISS DILL0WAY.
BY CARRIE A. GRIFFIN.

of her small house, and hung the key in
plain sight near the kitchen window.
How far the safety of her goods and
chattels was ensured by this simple act
she never stopped to consider; but moth
ing would have induced her to leave the
door unlocked.
On her way down the narrow gravel
walk she stopped to pull weed here
and there from the fower-bed, and to
pick up an obnoxious piece of paper
which had somehow found its way into
the midst of the flowers. She straight
ened a young Balm of Gilead tree, and
tied it more securely to the small stick
which served as prop; then, closing the
gate carefully behind her, she walked
briskly down the village street.
She had walked rather timidly along
the platform of the little railroad sta
ton, and was about to enter the waiting
room when she was accosted by g man
standing near, who was checking a soil
tary trunk.
oval, wal, Miss Dilloway! Coin on
Journey"
''Not much of one," she answered,
CURLY.
oval, go right in, and I'll be in in a
minute"
He soon appeared at the ticket office
window, curiosity written all over his
face. Miss DilloWay noted it.
81 want e ticket to Preston. How
much is it?" she said.
''Oh, to Preston! Eighty-fve cents.
Let me see; got any relations up that
way?'
mo. Can you change five dollars?"
ooh yes twenty-five, if you say so!
Wal, didn't Ezry's folks move up Pres
ton way, or nigh there?"
''No; they moved to Clar mont. How
soonli the train goa"
Old Mr.. McQuestion leaned forward
and looked out through the Office
window at the clock on the wall.
sin bout fifteen minutes. Set down :;
set down over there in the rocking chair,
and make yourself comfortable. 'Taint
every depot that's got rocking chair.
Ahem. Coin to be gone long?"
'sNo," answered Miss Dilloway, with
a slight smile, rather enjoying the
situation.
"NO! H'm-hm! Wal"
But the good mans curiosity was not
to be grati6ed that morning. A call
from the baggage-room neCessitated his
hurrying away, and the ten O'Clock
accommodation soon bore little Miss
Dilloway out of sight and hearing.
In two hours time she was standing
before large brick building, over the
massive door of which were the words
4'Home for the Friendless." She trembled
little as she assembled the granite steps,
and waited little time before she rang
the bell.
A white-capped servant showed he1
into a small reception-room. 1t seemed
as if her nervousness increased with every
moments waiting, and when tall
serious lady came slowly into the room
Miss Dilloway wished very much indeed
that she were safe at home.
"1ou came to see our little ones2'
said the lady, with smile which drove
all the stern lines from her face.
"Ye-cs l did come to get one-t
adopt but now't I'm here, don
know that I'd ought to-"
''Perhaps you can tell better afte
seeing"
"Yes, yes, suppose I can. You Sc
I made up my mind rather suddenly
Mr.. Thornton, our minister com
from Rentham-preached a most power
full sermon last Sunday from the text
'Whoso shall receive one such littl
child, and that sermon las been haunt
ing me ever since. He had just com
from a visit to Boston, where he saw a
orphan asylum; and he said it made b
heart ache to see so many little chilure
who never knew what it was to have
mothers kiss on their foreheads."
Miss Dilloway wiped tear from ht
eye, and went on
And then he said. if the Lord Wi
going to ask us by and by what use "
had made of the talents He had give
us, he didn't see why He shouln't a:
us what use we'd made of our homes, e
pecially those folks who had been give
houses bigger than they needed. I
asked them if the people didn't think
wasn't burying rooms, as the man burie
the talent, to keep them shut up; an
he urged them to open their hearts al
hones-to be mothers and fathers
some little waif who didn't have al
parents.
''Then he capped it all by saying III
he and Mrs. Thornton had just adopt,
q fye-yearold boy from that very as