The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1891-05-07

sprlte.
Dsisy whof
Jobnpy's D.isy laughed the child, q
chubby four y,r old tot johnny LEI.
me here. He's catching 6sb. He'll be
back soon.
hope to goodness nothing happened to
him said Amt Marcy, With > grosn-
What's bic other name. childf
Jast Johnny. said Daisy, with a puzzled
lifting OF ber eyebrows
l. be your brotberG
DAisy nodded.
l'm bis little sissy, said she. contented'
ly.
Aud where do you lve2
10 the city, to be sure.
What city2
Daisy stamped her small foot.
The city, said she. Don't you know
The city, where everyone else lives.
And then she spugged up to Fanny and
laughed aloud to see the flames burning
upward which the girl had ariistically
built up on the smoke. blackeped hearth.
Is the creetnr . fool? observed Miss
Nancy.
l can say Mary had little lamb, said
the child, suddenly. smiling up into Miss
Nspcy's p4rple1ed face, and Twinkle,
twinkle. little star
Oh, yes. dare say said tine ancient
spiuster. irritably rubbing the side OF her
nose. But where's the use O teaching Q
child such jingle jangles as that, when she
cant tell her own pame. nor where she
lives2 I've no patience with folks. Fam
ny, 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 zee what there is for her TO
eat
But the child offered her poor remnants
of dry sandwiches and bakers cake to the
two women.
lin not hungry said she, with =
quivering lip. / wish johnny would come
back.
Fanny and her aunt exchanged pitying
elsnces, and the latter cnddled little Daisy
close TO her in the cheerful fireshine.
Don't be afraid, Daisy, said she. Well
stay here with you. It'll be isir weather
pretty room. and then we'll oil 60 home.
The storm ragged pitilessly' until sunset.
Black waves rosred. hoarse winds whist
led, and sheets Of spray came flying up
the beach like spectres.
Asa LitchHeld, IN his stout covered wag
on, came for the two women ae soon Us the
tempest had ablted sufficiently for horse
to make any headway against it.
l reckoned likely you'd take shelter
here, eaid be. am swfully worried about
you.
He looked down 1t the child who lay
sleeping in Aunt Nancy's lap.
And what are we to do about the little
'un2 said be. Where does she belong?
Why, nowherel said Fanny.
Aud she told the strange history Of the
little waif.
Asa whistled under bis breath.
There's been two wrecks below, said he.
One was an orange boat from Florida. Cut
to spinters on the rocks; but the cappen
en- the crew managed TO get ashore ell
right T'other was q little sailbost aglg
up on Rossi,er's Reefs like sheet O. pa
per, with yellow haired young chsp oil
tangled up 10 the riggin'.
Miss Nancy mechanically s!roked Daisy's
haxen locks.
Dead whispered che.
Dead nodded Asa Litch6eld.
1t must be Jobpny. said Misa Dear
born, her old lip quiveriog. Don't let her
know.
ASS turned away, with . lump in bis
throat.
The wagons ready, said be. And IL we
calculate to get shesd OF the tide, we'd
better be stsrtin' pretty lively.
Aunt Nancy let me take her. said Fam
ny.
The old woman drew back.
No one shau't touch her bnt me. she
mut,ered. almost snerily.
And Fanny ssid no more.
Little Daily slept that night 10 trun.
dle,bed which had been Miss Nancy's -
child sud Fanny Sweets sfierwsrd.
And ss the old women Eat reading her
chapter by the fire, snd hesrd The wind
shrek down the chimney and the waves
thunder along the beach. sbe whispered
many . secret prayer
Apd tows,d dsybresk. when the gale
shook the loosely fitting front door like
the touch Of . human hand. she got mp.
and creeping out into the bali, softly op.
ened IL
Ell that's you. Johnny. said she. you
uesdu'i worry 10 more. She shall he took
care oil
Aud sitter that. strange TO say. the sind
suddeuly vent dowo. aud the door shook
aud tremblsd 40 more
/ With sunri-s the great storm as It Was
sflefs ards tnovn along the coast seem
ed 10 sbaie lie rigor little.
Aunt Nancy was up bright and early,
cooii ins ham and eggs aud frying ffiiier'
for breakfast. The irssrsnce of the cofes
slresSy 6lled the room when Fanny Sseei
came 10.
Yes, kaov. said AsSt Nancy. ~ abe
sss her ni.ee'. eye. turp toward the open
bedroom door b~yoni-I know j-st exact
~ sbs. yos re tLiaking Of. snd you msy
q veil knou vhsi I've made up my misd
to do. I'm going 10 keep that pretty III.
tIs girl and adopt her for ny own.