Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-09-27
A FRESH AIR CHILD.
How She Won the Hearts Of
Three Old Maids.

How She Won tho Hearts Of
Three Old Maids.
The fresh air" girl stood in the
middle of the room and twisted the
strings of her hat as she glanced in q
shy, embarrassed way at the little
group about her.
She felt dimly, that 1t was not pleas
ant to be talked about and not
talked to-
All the way from the little country
station, as they had driven along the
country roads, she had wanted to ask
to get out and walk, only she did not
dare. The sense of newness and
strangeness was too great.
She had never seen anything but the
busy, thronged streets of great city,
and she longed to climb the fence by
the roadside and dig her feet deep
down into the clover, and chase the
yellow butterflies across the fields
But she sat up stiffiy, by the thin fig
ure at her side, and said nothing, and
perhaps was scarcely conscious herself
of the longing.
The three women who sat surveying
her were distinctly disappointed.
1T wasn't boy" said Miss Mariah.
mo, it's girl. Iguess they forgot
said in my letter that we wanted a
boy" answered Miss Sally.
GtIVa11 co;1 al ,1Nno tho
whole thing was wild goose chase,
and it amt my doin's first nor last"
chimed in Miss Dorinda, the tallest
and thinnest of the three sisters.
The little girl fastened her eyes on
great pin at Miss Dorinda's neck,
and then dared not look away.
1t was big round breach contain
ing tiny wreath of hair flowers, of
various shades of brown and yellow,
set in an oblong rim of gold. The
fresh air girl thought it beautiful
pin.
"What is your name, childP" said Miss
Mariah.
"Cynthia Dane," answered the little
girl.
"Well, YOU can 90 out and sit on the
stoop if you want to-"
"Did you hear anything about the
child, Sally?"
mot much; only that she is mattel
girl, and there amt nobody kin to her
She was run over by wagon and hur
somehow, and when she was well thu
hospital folks gave her name to TIL
fresh air committee, and they fixed he
nm and sent her. We've got to keel
her for three weeks, poor little thing
She lived in q tenement house Wit
some other families; there were six
them in one room, and they let he
stav in one corner. l guess we ca
stand it to give her home for tire
weeks, and not grudge it either. oh
don't look like street child, an
Dane amt q common soundin' name
She must have had nice kind
mother" :, ~,
I'm glad she's come SAID MIS-
Marian. land I'm goin' right to wor
70 mako her sunbonnet; there was
bundle of them gingham scraps lie.
like NINE" and Miss Mariah went o
TO hunt for the scraps of gingham.
She was different looking from NJ
sisters. being short and plump, VIII
smiling blue eyes. The other tW
wero angular and tall and almost
severe as they looked, but they we
good women and did Whatever 'n'
considered their duty.
CYNTHIA seated herself on the sto'
obediently and gazed about her Inc
,rore matches of marigold and migno
cite bv the brick walk, and gre
bed of fragrant Glove pinlSs' Down
the gate were tall swaying non
hooks and the bees and butterni
were fitting in and out among the
r. was a different world; she HI
,arer dreamed of anything like 1t.
She sat with clasped hands, hard
moving for an hour, ana mere W
Mariab found her, with her eyes II
" .yyhat,s the matter, child9" she sa
certlv and Cynthia answered.
5on,t.know-only it's also me-
and Miss Mariah understood as M ',
norinda could not have DONE ana II
little while Cynthia was dancing
her side down to see the chickens a !.
.ha turkeys, and in and out OF
paths Of the old-fashioned gar'e ~. :,
when they came back MISS MISS c MAJ
had made friend for ne .,, aAN
ioV Miss sallv saw them coming, IT
A.. window. and she smiled grlmly
sn;te Of herself as she said; ~ :, a
heat all how Marian makes evet y a.
filler her about, from turkeys 70 ~, T.
l s.ou See that child chatterin. ii !.
u marr;e and tried all the way IL II
m ~, sip,a,;on and never got a WORD II
her but yes and no; o"' N
This prophecy did not prove e. u
lnis tnr as the days went by,
h9ysg sirl s0 hands as and feet saved IL
nH', ,',any steps; and even Miss Dori !.
aaa I now, half reluctantly TAM, .h :
seKnowieu Film. bidable little thi
She grew round ana ,,; paS
chiidlilee, and lost the pin s.S. 90,
,aa,, .he had had when she mrs. a ca :,
i0V M. Th was her staunch FRIEND ~ =
the first, and told TIC ;s
tbia knew about herself o.bsr.
Sha remembered her mo'ns-'