The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-11-17

| there could be no greater crime tnan the
desertion Of child.
81 am the only member of my own fam
lily living" he replied.
After pause he continued:
81 had the misfortune to marry woman
of whom | knew nothing and who turned
out to be drunkard. Perhaps | did not
deserve anything better for l was then a
great drinker myself. But when ! saw
how the little one was neglected and i'll
treated it brought me to my senses, and
became a changed man. Then my wife
died We were in a low lodging house at
the time, and was penniless. The only
way out of my difficulty was to do as did
or to let the child go into the workhouse,
ind could not do that"
But what made you leave the child on
my doorstep'" Mary asked.
~ had heard people speak well of you"
at comes to this, then, that you did not
| mind where you left the child so long as
you got rid of her, and now, after | have
| had all'the trouble of rearing her and have
| learned to love her as though she were my
own daughter, you want to take her away.
You wish to be doubly cruel-to me as well
as to her."
"Oh, Maryr" cried the man, deeply agi-
tated.
Mary was now moved in her turn.
"Whatl Can it be2 Are you-are you not
James Rae?"
Eyes, Mary, am" he replied "And it
was because in my trouble knew of no one
who would be so good to my child as you
that | determined to trust her to your
care"
After some further conversation it was
arranged that Rae should see his daughter
whenever he liked, and that he should have
the child IN his sole care from time to time,
so that she might learn to know and owe
him as her father.
| But the first time Elsie paid visit tc her
father she came home ailing, and on the
following day was in high fever. 1t soon
| declared itself to be scarlatina, and for
many days poor Elsie lowered between life
| and death.
The agonized father neither ate nor slept,
and when it seemed that his beloved child
was on the point of being snatched from
him by death he sank down by the bedside
and prayed that her life might be spared.
Minutes that seemed like days passed by
hours that seemed like eternity Then
to the anxious watchers came returning
signs of consciousness The doctor babe
them hope, and with a great bound their
hearts were freed from an agonizing load.
For some days Elsie was very weak and
could not be removed from her bedroom.
| There now her father and now Mary sat by
her side. Then she was well enough to be
| dressed and taken into another room, and
here it was that, seated one afternoon at
tea, Rae said he must return home in the
morning
The word home" caught Elsie's ear, ana
she said
"Why do you have different home to
mammals, fatherS Other little boys and
girls fathers and mothers live in the same
home. Why don't you and mamma"
Neither could answer. The tears welled
up into their eyes and emotion checked ut
terance. They had been brought very near
together by common sorrow, and the love
of the old days-strengthened and purified
by suffering-had reasserted itself.
No word was spoken between them, how
ever no answer was given to Elsie's ques
ton But fortnight later, when Rae sent
word that he should he coming to see his
beloved Elsie on the Sunday morning, and
that he intended to leave the train at lit
tie waysde station couple of miles from
the town, Mary seemed to guess his wish,
and went through the fields to meet him.
Over the meadows came the distant
sound of train, and Mary knew that in a
few minutes James Rae would be with
them Elsie was the first to catch sight of
his tall figure. She ran toward him with a
cry of delight, and Mary rose and followed
her
A quiet smile lighted up Raes face as he
said:
II thought should find you here, Mary
~ thought you would expect us" she re
turned.
LET us sit down for minute or two rs
in the old days-till Elsie has completed
her bouquet" he said.
When little Elsie returned with her hands
as full as they would hold she found both
father and mother with wet, though beam
ing eyes. They had taken up the thread
of love where it had been broken off at that
spot years before, and had resolved in &C
cordance with Elsie's wish. to have hence
forth but one home.
1t is only few weeks ago since they
were married at the parish church, when
all the town turned out to see the happy
ending of the "Old Maids Romance"-
Million.