Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

AN'ehSA ps SuuueuIl dShlHS. Wueu he
came back TO the room:
May l go out in the garden tomor-
row, Mr.. Herbert, if l will promise
what You wished me to?''
Yes"
Then l promise"
Mr.. Herbert kept his word. Eloise
was permitted to go to the garden. but
not with Barbara, and the poor long
ing child looked in vain for nurse 70
come out and keep her promise about
mamma
1t was just so the next day and the
walk, she came suddenly face to face
with Nurse Barby.
Eloise caught hold of her dress
breathlessly.
You must tell me, nurse. ora can't
keep my promise to Mr.. Herbert.
shall ask someone else
Dear me. miss. l couldn't now pos
sibly. III go tomorrow and get the
things if l can get the time Barbara
said in a cross voice and hurrying on.
but while EloiSe looked in puzzled
fright after her she glanced back
through the bushes and smiled and
shook her, forefinger at her warningly
And the next moment Eloise saw her
stepfather sauntering slowly up The
walk
He stopped a moment to speak to
Barbara and then turned off toward
the house.
That evening as Eloise sat in an
easy chair upon the verandah Bar
bara came and laid some late roses
upon her lap, but as she did so she
pressed a bit of paper into the little
hand that hung over the arm of the
chair.
Mechanically the child's fingers
closed upon it and when she was sure
no one was looking she read it. 1t
said: BE patient and you shall not
be sorry. Destroy this" Surely Bar
bara could not write like that. The
heart of the sad child thrilled almost
painfully as she remembered who
used to make just such delicate, clear
letters as those, and she turned her
face to tile wall with a whispered cry
of oh, mammal"
A week went Oh. One day Mr.. Her
bert was summoned suddenly city,
ward and in the course of the forenoon
the woman who usually attended upon
ElOiSe, a stranger hired for that puj'-
pose, having partaken some fine fruit
n Do Inv hrn11Cht hn,. tolv
so i'll that she was compelled TO 60
to her chamber.
Then Nurse Barby came to Eloise
and, while she pretended to dress her
pretty curls, asked her if she could
bear to hear a bit of good news. II,
tears came into Eloise's eyes.
"How can any news be good news
to me now, nurse?' she asked. re
proachfully.
But if the news was that some
body whom you love was not. Lie
back in your chair and be as still as
death, or / will never tell you miss
It's as much as my life is worth doing
what [ am doing.
81 will be still if you speak quick
But l suffer so. Barby," she pOuted
clasping her little hands on her
bosom.
''Well, then, miss, your mamma is
not-not--"
''Not dead? Oh, Barby! oh, dear
Barby, is it true?'' and the child
looked for a moment so like a flower
that a sudden burst of sunshine had
stricken down that Barhy's heart mis-.
gave her
you wouldn't tell me a story,
Barby-I know you wouldn't. Kiss
me, Rarby,. if it's true" And Barby
kissed her. Then she said:
"You must hurry and get we'll now,
dear, for mamma is in great trouble,
and there is no one to help her but
you and me, and I'm only old Barby,
you know. No one would believe
me-"
'iWhen can 1 see her, Barby?'' the
child asked.
There's no telling that, no know
ing it." she said, doubtfully. you
must get we'll and then we must
watch our chance"
What made him tell me that she
was-''
HE wants your mamma to make
will and leave him all the money
away from you, deary, and now he's
made everybody believe she's dead,
he can keep her shut up till she does
it, he thinks"
Where is She nurse"'
Not far, but you mustn't ask any
more questions now, and don't you
look too happy, there's a darling, or
the master viii suspect u.s.
The weeks moved by slowly to this
anxious little heart.
"He's a fox, that he is said Bar
bara to herself, land Well never
match him, if we don't look wild"
Her welcome face dawned on
E1oise once more at dead of night
AS she hurriedly dressed her she
whispered:
II put something in the masters
wine to make him sleep sound, but L
didn't make it strong for fear he
should suspect; and the t'other one
has got beau
The 'tother one" was her poor
mothers paid keeper, AS EIo1se
learned in time. Now, without eX-
PLANTATION, she was whirled away by
Barby, noiselessly, though, as wait
of thistle down, down this passage,
+ha q mi