National Baptist world., 1894-09-21

I guess yell have t. climb up in my
lap" she said, at last; and Marguerite
did SO very promptly.
Again the old woman put her arms
about the little one She felt the
child's warm breath in her face, and
pressed her needlessly close to her
breast, 1t was years and years since
she had held anyone in her lap; and
she was at loss now to explain the
emotion which every moment grew
stronger within her At last the silver
was out. Hannah let her arms drop,
but still about the child. She looked
kindly into the sweet, upturned face,
ana asked:
"Did it hurt?"
''No, not very much,' replied Mar.
guerite, smiling back. Then, seized
with a sudden impulse, she put her
arms about her cousins neck and
pressed a kiss upon her cheek, She
was alarmed Immediately on recalling
how such an act had been received on
that other afternoon, but her surprise
and JOY knew no bounds when, In
stead of rebuff, her cousin returned
the caress-once, twice, three times
Then, for some reason, Hannah be-
came very red in the face. Putting
the child down quickly, she sprang to
her feet.
Good land!" she exclaimed, hurry
ing from the room. Il wonder if that
apple zee is a-burnin on.''
Entering the kitchen she paid no at
tention to the ''apole sa'ce"-which, in
fact, had not been put over to cook
but walked to the window and gazed
far out before her Her eyes rested on
the line where the earth and sky met.
still she was not conscious of anything
there. Il don't see what on airth ails
me. Sech strange feelin's seems to be
a-comin' over me of late. Why, a-hold.
in of that child jest seems to make
my blood run all sand-like through nv
veins!''
Arson and all the Deighbors noticed
the great change which was slowly
coming over Hannah Higgs, and it be-
gan to be talked of far and near. One
neighbor said that Hannah was becom.
ing Jest as soft spoken as she used to
be thirty-fve year ago." and she
guessed she was a-gettin' over her
is'pintment, at last" Mrs MunsoD
declared that her INA before her toob
jest sech turn a few weeks before
she died." and she guessed Hannah
want long for this world, if what peo
Pile said was true"
But Hannah, who had never zen
joyed" such good health before in hel
life, expressed it better than any OF
them. Standing in the doorway few
hours later on that same memorable
afternoon, she had said to Marguerite,
II don't mind if We git some O. the
faowers that ye like best an put oD
the table tonight. believe I'll raise
some that amt wild next year"
''Oh, thank you, cousin,' the child |
happy light burning in her
eyes as she moved away to seek out
her treasures. Now and then she |
glanced back, but always to find the
face in the doorway following her with
it's new, kind look.
And Hannah, watching the child,
saw before her all the glad years Of
with the young and
loving creature.
jest to think" she said, with much
"Td never "a taken her
if t hadn't "a been for that hundurd
dollars year. When l think of that
| despise myself. l didn't knows !
could be so mean. But / shan't tech
it-l shan't tech cent of it. 1t shall
all be put by for her when she gifts big;
an she shall have all O. mine, tew,
some day. Why, I'm jest beginnin' to
live I've been dead-dead all O. these
years; an now I'm jest beginnin' to
live. That child has been the resur=
rection of ofmer'-Demorest's Magazine.