People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-02-10

felt constrained, TIL SO drawn out and
into conversation that he forgot his nm
accustomed position and talked freely.
Mrs. Estabrookes questions were
more to the point than Nelrs had been,
and, after awhile, she learned facts in
regard to the discovery of little Prim
that had escaped Nell.
Thar was little gold locket tied to
her neck" Dave said, with a picture
in it that Simps an me reckoned was the
mother, only it looked younger and a
heap weller. We've kept it put away
in box in the cupboard, an I'll show
it to you, if you like, bein's you seem
to take such an interest in little Prim."
Mr. Simpson Hicks was almost strick-
en- dumb, when, at the sound of wheels,
he went to the door to see his partner
drive up in company with two strange
ladies.
Little Primrose came flying out
ANY valentines for me, Daddy
Dave?" she chirped
"You bet" replied Dave, snatching
her up. "An' they're just gorgis"
At the sight of them, the child
screamed with joy, and ran to Hicks
"0h, look, Daddy Simps! Look! look"
"They air gorgis, Primmy-surely,"
he said, gravely.
Mrs Estabrooke looked after the
child as she ran.
81 wonder" she murmured. Poor
Roses eyes"
what ma'am?" qucried Dave, po-
litely.
Please show me the locket, was
her only answer.
Her stateliness had nearly deserted
her when she looked at the picture.
she is my poor dead sisters child"
she said. 81 am your aunt, little Prim-
rose"
And am your wild, tom-boy Cousin
Nell" said that young person, hugging
the little figure.
Hicks and Shredder looked solemnly
at each other.
I've been lookin', yet tearin', for
this time to come for three years, said
the latter. ITS for the best, o course;
but Wal, we'll miss you a heap, little
Prim."
What Mrs Estabrooke knew of the
story that had brought Primrose TO the
claims was soon told. 1t was of will
full, headstrong girl-another Nell, al
most-who had disregarded the advice
of relatives and married a hayward,
worthless man.
He had taken her from her home of
luxury to life of wandering-a search
for the Ell Dorado of prosperity, that
to such searchers is always Just ahead,
but never realized.
Too proud to ask aid of the home
folks she had sighted, the misguided
woman had taken herself ont of their
lives and out of their knowledge, in
spite of their efforts to keep track of
her.
The rest of the story, till she appeared
at Strodder's and Hicks, they could
only surmise.
The mother and father had died, they
believed, and the wife and mother set
out, perhaps, on her way back to the
old home.
Whittier they had wandered, it could
not be told; but now they knew 1t was
she who lay at rest on the slope lit
tie way from the weather house
And so little Primrose got her valen-
tines.
She is schoolgirl in an eastern city
now, and rapidly growing up, and Nell
has grown almost sober and sedate,
partly from a desire to set the little
maiden a good example.
And every week Primrose pens a
long letter that Hicks and Shredder
ride twelve miles to get, ard read and
re-read, and vow that Primmy is get.
ting to know heap
And every summer Prim, with Mrs.
Estabrook and Nell, visits the claims,
upon which has risen a much larger
and neatly-painted house, and each
time the two old bachelors produce
two old and tattered valentines, stuck
over with faded flowers, and vow they
will keep them as long as they live, al
though Primrose insists that they are
horrid-looking things. Tom. p. Nor
gan, in Golden Days.