Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-06-07

VI Tiny Dlt lonely Rno
friendless, then
Penelope thought of grandma, and,
with one accord, they sought her room,
told their grievance and begged for q
story, and, as a fitting compensation
for the loss Of Maum Penny's society
and the freedom of the nursery, Ted
dy and Tom settled themselves COM
fortably on rug at grandma's feet,
and wee Penelope nestled IN her arms.
"Tell us new story, please grand
ma," said Teddy.
"And not Bible story, grandma, u
added Tom, "'cause they're for Sun
day."
"Iell us about beautiful prin.
cess" said Penelope.
NO." said Teddy, "don't tell a
princess story. Tell us a heroine
story. Did you ever know heroine,
grandma? A real, live heroine9"
eyes, Teddy. believe I did,
grandma answered gravely. then
laughed as Teddy and Tom scrambled
to their knees, and all the children
looked at her in wonder and delight.
"Was she very, very beautiful and
oil dressed up in feathers and velvet
and lace like the picture in Teddy's
new book?" asked Penelope.
"Did You know her across the ocean,
grandma, and did she run boat and
save people off wrecks?"
"Did they burn her, grandma-dld
you see them burn her?" asked Tom
with vivid remembrance of the fate
of Joan of Arc.
Grandma smiled at the different
ideas of q heroine, ther, when their
excitement had somewhat subsidized,
said quietly: "My dears, will tell
you the story of my heroine, and you
shall decide for yourselves what il
means to be truly heroic. The baby
is to be christened tomorrow, and, as
my heroine story has something to do
with a christening of long ago, it will
perhaps make the one tomorrow
doutly interesting to hear it. Now ]
must not be interrupted, 60 settle
yourselves and be quiet"
The children settled themselves
down comfortably and grandma began
her story like an old-fashioned fairy
tale:
"Once upon time, long time
ago-not in Europe-but hero in
South Carolina, and not far from our
own city of Charleston, there was q
/ beautiful, old-time house on vast
plantation. 1t ives owned by Mr..
Hugh Porter, and was called Porter s
Hall Mr.. Porter was young man
and an orphan with no brothers nor
sisters, SO he found the big place too
lonely to be pleasant, and, leaving it
to the care of his overseer and his
slaves, he spent his time in New York
City and in Europe. Finally he met,
loved and married very beautiful
young lady of New York, named
Lillian Farley, and Immediately after
the wedding they sailed for
Europe. With her soft, white skin,
big blue eyes and curling, golden
hair, my little Nell was beautiful
enough for heroine and her gowns OF
velvet and lace and her plume laden
hats would, I have been told, have
graced the most royal of princesses,
but Lillian was no heroine for oil
these, she was only shy, spoilt child,
dainty, delicate and fragile as China
shepherdess. They wandered about
from place to place, now in France,
now in Spain, then in Italy, lingering
among tho beautiful, old ruins OF
Rome and feasting lazily about the
water.streets Of Venice. From Italy
they went to Switzerland, and they
wore in a little village at the foot OF
q grand old mountain when Hugh re-
ceived word that business required his
immediate attention OF home.
"They had then been in Europe
moro than q year, and they had a lit.
tie blue eyed baby daughter, SO Hugh
was really glad to return for he want
ed to have the baby christened in the
little stone church near his home
where he and many, many Porters be.
fore him had been christened. But
Lillian wept at the thought OF return
ing. She dreaded the long ocean
voyage, and more than all else, she
dreaded living at 'Porter's Hall, sur
rounded by strange beings OF anoth'
er race and color.
"Her husband laughed at her pref
udice and told her she would learn
to love dear, old Maum, Dinah, who
was black as ebony and almost as
shiny, but with heart of gold and
the only mother his orphaned child
hood had ever known.
"The baby's nurse, French girl,
named Rose Pagnon, accompanied
them on their return. Rose had form
erly been Lillian's maid. and when
they arrived at 'Porter's Hall, ''Hugf
advised his wife to reinstate her in hel
old Office, and allow Maum Dinah t.
take charge of baby and the nursery
"But even Maum Dinah's kindly
face. beaming with love for 'Massi
Hugh and his wife and baby failed t.
remove Lillian's decp-seated repug
s,ance, and Rose reigned supreme il
| the nursery,