Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-02-26

80 she put on pretty wide straw hat,
and went away with the old man, and
felt lonely.
The sunset had gone, the pink and
blue after. glow had also left, and the
gray came in and tinged everything,
until at last the black came and
swallowed up what was left. 1 must
have gone to sleep then, for when
awoke a great soft light shone in the
window, and Sister was standing before
it, saying, softly:
"How pale my white lilacs are there
in the moonlight" Then, as a slight
noise was heard in the hall, she
whispered, ''Is that you, Jefferson2"
"Yes, miss" came from very black
old man, who entered and stood upon
the threshold, as if awaiting orders.
Jefferson, have you saved up fifty
dollars?"
"Yes, missile, has dat; an, fo' de
land s. sake, missile, Jefferson dun no. what
to done wild dat same fifty dollars"
Jefferson, will you lend it to me2
There is something l want to get, and 1
don't want uncle to know, and l will pay
you back ever so SOON"
'Is jest too pleased, missile. was
goin' fur to ask you to keep dat money
fo' me fo' de present." and the old man
hurried away.
Sister came and stood in the moon
light, and l saw she was crying, but she
only said, "Dear. kind old Jefferson"
Presently he came back, and handed
something to Sister, saying: 81 thank
We, missile, fur keeping of it for me;"
and he hurried away again.
Sister went to the window. "Jack, "
she whispered.
Then | heard loud voices, and she
handed the money out the window to
some one.
''God bless you, Sisterp
"Good night; be good boy, Jack"
Then Sister came and knelt down by
the desk, and her beautiful hair rested
on my pages; then splash came two tears,
and so 1 was baptized.
| was not Il nice child; but that,
am convinced, was my own fault. Sis
ter, however, thought l was delightful,
and though she ought to know, her
opinion was not corroborated by others.
| awoke one morning to find myself
being roughly handled for the first time.
A great ugly man was seated by huge
desk in big office. There were many
other men somewhat like him. all sit
ting at great desks in the same office,
but the particular man to whom l refer
was more disagreeable, l am convinced,
than any of the others.
He tore off the paper wrappings in
which l had been swathed, and flung
them into great capacious scrap basket.
At that time my knowledge of scrap
baskets was limited, but subsequently
this part of my education was corrected.
futtered my leaves coquettishly as he
glanced at me, but L at once became
aware that he seemed to see through me
without looking at me. He fumbled me
over, reading portion of the last chap
ter, then said, soto voce: "More trash"
then, aloud, to a young man at the next
desk:
"Here, bundle this back. I think,
however, l tore the address, so look out
for it."
Then he slipped rubber band over
me, and tumbled pell-mell into the big
basket after the shreds of my envelope.
At that time was the only occupant of
the basket, but in an hour, one after an
other, thirty other manuscripts were with
me in the basket.
The youth who gathered us up seemed
in hurry, and left me, with my torn
address, till the following morning; then,
having more time, presume, he picked
me up, not unkindly, though he laughed
in an amused way, glancing down my
first page.
Poor girl! evidently girD, she will
be disappointed, doubtless"
Do you suppose he meant Sister2
At home again! And Sister did seem
disappointed; but she read the little
printed slip, and then wearily looked
over my leaves.
None were torn or soiled, so she kissed
me gently, and directly was sent on
another voyage.
My experience was much the same as
before. The printed slip brought back
was different size and shape, and I cb-
served with anguish that my dear crea-
tor seemed worried, and feared she was
disappointed in me, or perhaps growing
to dislike me, as others did.