Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-25


 made any appeal to him.
 "I might as well turn for help to that pretty child who held out her hands and begged a flower of me. He makes me think of great gorgeous butterfly, sit ting with lazily-folded wings, not caring how the world goes" Dido was sitting on the front steps knitting in the sunshine and grooming song which Ida remembered often hear ing her croon in the nursery days be- fore "mother and the baby died" She went over and sat down by the old woman, clasping her hands about her knees in her favorite attitude. Dido smiled her pleasure at having her so close
 "Ma'm Dido, how long have you been at Glenburnie?" she asked, suddenly. "Been at Glenburnie? As long as there's been any Glenburnie to be at. Your Grandpa Fairbanks brought me here with the swamp folks when he clear this place up." "Then of course you know all the Fairbanks secrets?"
 "Jus' listen to Miss Ida!' Dldo looked verywise, as she closed her withered lips tightly after that Scornful utterance. "And you know why my father and the Lorimers hate each other?" Dido's l1nitting-needles fairly flew. She was looking straight before her, and out towards the distant front gate. A trailing dust-cloud was visible be- yond it, in the road. "I reckon that mus be Cato kicLin' up that dus'," she remarked, incense quently.
 "Of course you know, Dido, and I mean to know too. It is my right. am no child, to be kept in the dark any longer. Does Glenburnie hate White Cliffs, or does White Cliffs hate Glen burnie? Which place began it, Main Dido?"
 "Im piece of Glenburnie," said the old retainer, proudly, land don't hate nothing under the shining canopy. Our Heavenly Father made Glenburnie folks and White Cliffs folks out CT the same sort of dirt, I take it, honey. What for are you troubling your pretty head about it, my child?" Ida laughed shortly, She was quite sure Dido would never satisfy her curi- osity. To whom else could she turn?
 'I want to know about that old quar- rel. Sibley knows"
 "All the men folks on both sides knows"
 'Did Dennis Loriner know, when he asked me to marry him?'' Dido moved restlessly. She was be- ing cornered. Suddenly she lifted one l withered hand and shielded her eyes with it.
 ''I said that must be Cato! That sure ly is Cato's mule, but what's that on old Rube's back?"
 Ida looked too. There, coming towards | the house, was Cato, walking contented- | ly by old Rube's head, the empty flower basket swung over one arm, while his | horny right hand was planted firmly | among Ninette's white ruffles and em- | broideries, by way of steadying her in | the capacious saddle. Cato sent an ex- plaration few steps in advance of him:
 'They was sauntering long the road side, as I came long back, and she asked me to ride her some. told her I was hurrying back to Glenburnie, and ] then her ma told me to let her come, | and she would send the nuss after her. ! So here we is.''
 He planted the child squarely on her feet between Ida and Nam Dido. Nj uette smiled impartially on them all.
 "Norrie said I might go to see the flower lady, and have como, she said, composedly shaking out her short tum- \ bled skirts.
 Dido looked away from tho bright baby face to Ida's. My child," she ! said, solemnly, maybe the good God is bent on healing up that old sore. If He ain't, how came it He fashioned such a link as that between Glenburnic and White Cliffs?'
 "Link?'
 Link. By the look of her, she be longs here to us. She's a Fairbanks from the crown of her purity head tc the soles of her blessed feet. But she blongs over yonder too. It do seem as if he meant to say you twain must be made one.''
 "Dido, you are gone daft" Ida said tartly; but for the child that belonged to the I.orimers she had only smiles.