The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-03

E~@~~' ~@O ~ taON0 --~O
decent girl, or are you going to Uncle
Genes to practice scales like heath
en- and a sinner? The passengers
were almost all aboard. "Well, you
GIN do as you please, Helen Scott
I'm going home to patch Harry'f
trousers and rub my blessed mother
with linimentp
She darted ahead, and in another
minute was on the train. She never
knew how she got on, but there she
was. She settled back in her seat
with deep sigh of relief. The other
train started first, and she shut her
eyes so she wouldn't see it. "Good-
by" she murmured wistfully; "good-
by"
She felt weak and tired. 1t wasn't
easy work having hand-to-hand con-
ficts in her heart. But she was glad
she was going home. How the Arabs
would shout! In her excitement she
had not thought of getting return
ticket, and it didn't occur to her now.
She put the ticket her father had
bought for her in her button hole,
and leaning back in the seat, went
sound asleep.
At an hours end she woke up de-
cidedly refreshed, and looked at her
little silver watch. They would be
just about at Thompson's Crossing
now, she thought, glancing out of
the window. But that wasn't Thomp-
sons Crossingl They we're drawing
into big busting station that Hell
en- didn't recognize in the least. Men
were darting about hurriedly, and
trucks were Gathering by her. What
did it mean? She clutched at the
sleeve of a brakeman going down
the aisle, and questioned him ner-
vously. ''Oh yes. Thank you" He
passed on. Then that was it. She
was going to Uncle Genes after all,
in spite of herself. In her hurry and
mental perturbation she had boarded
the wrong train at the Junction, and
it had been the one not going home
to Motherdie and the Arabs. She
had said "good-by" too. All her
brave fighting in vain-no, it wasn't
either. She would stay at Uncle
Genes a day, and then go home.
When that was fully decided, Helen
felt better, and began to rather enjoy
the fun and complication of it all.
Uncle Gene and Bah met her at the
depot, and overwhelmed her with
cordial welcoming.
There's letter up home for you,
Helen" Bah announced. 81 guess
they're homesick and want you
back"
"But they won't get you, you know
Uncle Gene said, fiercely, tucking
her under his arm.
"No more they WON'T" answered
Bah.
Helen took the little no ne message
up stairs with her into her pretty
new room. She opened it wonder
ingly. Why, what was thisi
"Dear Nell," father said. "This is
for bit of a welcome and surprise,
to make you feel quite contented
and easy about us all. Did you think
the mother and I didn't notice your
stricken little face, and
know just how troubled you were!
But we took a notion to make it a
real surprise to you-that Aunt Dolly
is coming to help Mahala out. There,
now, open your eyes wide, my dear,
and shut all the windows and squeal!
Aunt Dolly's coming, as sure as you
live. She has given up her boarder
and rented her little nest, and is this
blessed minute on her way usward.
So you will not worry about us any
more, for Aunt Dolly's host in her
self, and almost as good as our Helen
(the Arabs would scalp mel, only, if
you please, I'll swap her for Helen
when the years up~
Helen forgot to shut the windows,
but she squealed. A great weight of
care slipped off her shoulders on to
Aunt Dolly's.
"She won't forget the patch or the
clothes pins or anything!" she ex-
claimed. "Aunt Dolly's remember is
miles, miles long,"
Down stairs a door opened, and
through it was waited up to Helen a
low, sweet strain of music, that grew,
second by second, fuller and deeper,
till it seemed to embody all her own
glad feelings, and to bear up on its
wings beautiful, prophetic hints of
JOY that was ON its way to her,
Ha1.per's Young People.