The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-11-02
CHAPTER XIII.

When Miss Fairbanks finally turned
her steps towards GIenburnie again.
she did IL with such unprecedented
briskncss that Ninctte, holding tight
by one of her slim fingers. as she s7'ayed
helplessly over the uneven ground was
moved TO protest:
What Is you running for, auhueE
Ny legs Is too short.
Ida slackened her pace. stopped 70
Kiss the child impulslvcly, and an
swcred, systematically:
"Poor little martlct' | am not run
ming. Niece Ninette. ! an just trying
my new wings. ! want 10 see no" IL
feels 70 fiutter them outside Of prison
bars. NV emancipation proclamation
goes into effect from to-day, Miss Mn
cite Fairbanks"'
Ninette had dropped her land and
circied gravely twice around her before
responding, ENORMOUSLY: But can I
see them!'
See what2"
Your new wings"
Whereupon Ida laughed 50 long and
20 gayly that Ninettc, applying her own
little narrow gauge To this unwonted
flow of spirits, asked:
"Is somebody given you something
nice, auntie2"
mo, Niece Ninette, but | have been
brushing the cobwebs from the sky ana
il IL good to see the sunlight OF truth
once more"
"Oh, I know now!'' The light of ill.,
tellipence broke suddenly over the
puzzled baby face. Mother Goose!"
Precisely" said Ida, accommodating
herself to the tender little feet and
rhythmically supplying the context:
There was 81 old woman,
Tossed up in a blanket.
Seventeen times as high as the moon:
What she did there
1 cannot tell you
But in her hand she carried a broom
Old woman, old woman,
Old woman. said l,
Oh WHITTIER oh, whittier, Oh whittier so hiGhf
To sweep the oobwebs on the sky.
And III be back again by and by"
It was 80 deliciously easy to be nom
sensical that dayl
But you'll come back, auntie, by and
by?'' There was a touch Of anxiety in
the ignorant little voice.
~ will never get SO very far away
from you, my darling, my little sun
beam, my salvation!
They had reached the front door of
their own home by this time. Ida
handed the child promptly over to old
Dido, who was her AFFECT serf. Then she
turned towards the stairway alone.
81 have found out all want to know,
Dido"
Dido looked into the illumined young
face before her with a new respect. She
had lifted the veil heavy with the dust
of half century.
"Well, my chip"
Rubbish" Ida snapped her fingers
sirily. I'm disguised to think how
much veneration | have wasted on it all
these years And. Dido, | am going to
have plain talk with father to-day
wanted to know the whole truth first.
After to-day you sha'n't hide our dear
little girl away IN that gloomy old wing
any longer. I'm going to sweep the
cobwebs out of fathers brain next"
Not much hardship in the wing,
sold old Dido, not altogether relishing
the iconoclastic spirit that was invading
Glenburnie. Things that had remained
solid SO long must have some inherent
strength in them-the vendetta among
them. She was almost too old to adjus1
herself to livelier order of things
az tell you what it is, missy"
But Idas skirts were just disappear
ing around the last curve in the spira
staircase. She had gone to sweep thu
cobwebs from her fathers brain, t
futter her new wings defantly in hi
presence She found him impatiently
arranging the chess-men on the board