The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-04-01

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50 ~
esB EssIE," my IA
W. IA Their said to me,
~ HA looking up from
IS Il letter he was
reading, how would you like to have
a cousin to come and live here? a girl
cousin, about your own age, and who
has your name, tOo-Elizabeth Bas-
sett?"
only stared, far too much amazed
for speech, A cousini Never had |
heard of an uncle Or aunt, much less a
cousin.
but, papa" l said, at last. 81 never
knew | had a cousin"
HIN. No. Your mother Wds an
only child. but | had a brother. Poor
Tom! He and | had a quarrel long be-
fore we were either of us married: no
matter about that now. Tom went off
TO the west, but he didn't find any of the
wonderful good luck there that some
men do. The fact is, Ress, Tom was
always lazy! Lazy folks don'tg get along
ont west! But he is dead, my dear
been dead these ten years, ard his wife
died a week ago and left a letter for
me, asking me to befriend their only
child. She needn't come here, you sec,
if you don't want her"
'Oh, but | do want her." / cried.
Have I not been longing for a sister
all my life? / do want her, papa.
Please serd for her"
Very well. my dear. l will write
at once"
Then I rushed OF to find Martha,
who is our head servant and, l some
times suspect, our real housekeeper,
though she lets me have all the honors.
Martha, who had lived with my grand
mother, had known Mr.. Tom, but had
thought he died long ago. She was
very willing, however, to help me in
getting one of the prettiest rooms
ready for Miss Elizabeth and prom
ised dainties for the feast of welcome.
At the eleventh hour papa resolved
10 go himself and bring the orphan
girl to her new home, and Martha and
/ had full scope for our hospitable
plans. 1t was not That l had anything
to do, for with our small family Martha
declared she had hard work to keep
tie servants busy, i'll spite Of the size
of the house. but | liked to fuss about
and select pretty ornaments and trim
mings for my cousins room.
Perhaps l threw myself into these
preparations with more energy, be-
cause / had never quite recovered from
the heartache it gave me to part with
Herbert Wilson. Two years before
papa had sem him off to seek his for
tune, and | lived meantime on the hope
OF MS uuulTR IL IL was Il ToHldutlC
little love story, and, being SO much
alone, l had suffered more than papa
knew, SO i was glad to think of having
o COM anton Of my w age.
She came with papa, and rushed into
arms, apparently Us pleased as
was. ! had pulled down my face to
express my sympathy with her recent
loss, but it was wasted sentiment. She
did not appear to have any feeling about
it, and longer acquaintance convinced
me hat she had no depth Of feeling
about anything.
But she was charming, a little, fairy !
like blonde. with fluffy yellow hair.
soft blue eyes and a complexion like
strawberries and cream. l felt gigan-
tic when ] sa v our reflections in a long
for / was tall, decidedly bru-
nette, and. while | was just SIX months
the younger. looked five years older
than the child-like little butterfly.
1t was pretty TO see how she enjoyed
the Injuries about her. the dainty food,
the coy arm chairs, and, above all. the
;dIeness. Poor little mite! She had
facrd poverty vor s nee she was BON,
and she enjoyed comfort ~ much as o