The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-30

BctV le4ulng MISS CyTlila, whose eyee
were obediently shut, and Miss Cyrilia 5
tortOlsc-sncll cat following solemniy. Az
the parlor door Betty called a halt Now
lookv she cried. Laughing.
Miss Cyrilla looked. and gave a gasp
Of surprise The sum little room was
transformed with flowers. All the vases
were full, and there were clusters Of
daisies and asters and pink and white
clovers lying on the table and what-not
and window-slils.
Miss Cyrllla took II all In at a glance.
There was heap Of broken-on stems
and discarded leaves on her best-beloyed
rug. and some Of the chairs were awry.
but she saw only the brightness. and
cheer that had taken sudden possession
OF the room.
do you Ike III" Betty questioned.
rather anxiously.
IT'S beautiful" Miss Cyrilla said,
smiling you fix EN- into real tasty
bouquets, Betty, bat maybe you'd better
PICK Up those stems little" she added.
az II she had just noticed them. and
straighten out the chairs some"
The days Of the second week hurried
along, and It was almost time for Betty
to 60 back TO Mrs. McCartys and Steb-
bins's. Miss Cyrills was very busy get
in the shiny valise she had given Betty.
She sewed diligently. and would not let
herself think about the lonely house
Betty would leave behind; but sometimes
the thread twisted and knotted. and Miss
Cyrillas needle stopped altogether; and
at last Miss Cyrlila was certainly crying.
though there was nobody there but the
torto.se-shen cat 20 see, for Betty was
out among the flowers. crying. too.
The stage swayed and ratified up TO the
side-door again. II was half-full OF other
fresh-slr children going home from their
brief outing. Miss Cyrlla fastened the
shiny black bag in a fumblng way. for
her eyes we're full OF tears Then she
went in search OF Betty. Her sailor-hat
and the neat new jacket were all ready
on the hail table, but there was TO Betty
to put them on
Miss Cyrilla called and hunted The
stsge-driver hunted, too. and the children
put their heads out Of the stage-win-
dows and called Betty Betty" in shriu
imitation OF Miss Cyrila. The horses
We're nervous and the driver grew i'm
patient. Miss Cyrilla gave one moro sigh.
III ran away on purpose stsmcnered
Betty. Il saw the stage coming and |
couldn't bear itn
side the tortoise-shell cat. and buried her
face 10 his soft fur. Miss Cyrllla bent
over her and tried to draw her I'D. Then
she slipped down on the floor beside hsr.
Don't cry. Betty! I saw 1t coming, too.
and I couldn't bear Il, but / was TOO
thick-hesded 70 see the way out OF II.
TIL you showed ne. Don't cry. dearl
! guess we'd better belong 10 each other
you and 1.-The rest OF our natural
lives"
II is not necessary 10 say how long they
sat there on the floor or how foolish they
may have been together. There was no
one 70 sec them or 20 note the time but
the big cat. and II Is more than likely
he was fast asleep.
When the shiny black valise disappear
ed. and the little wardrobe II held was
hung Up IN the closet OF the coy bed
room ~ the head Of the stairs The new
lfe FOR Miss Cyrilla and Betty was fair
ly begun.
The minister. wife called one day. be-
fore the summer vas quite gone The
parlor blinds were open. and the sun
light fell fearlessly on the chairs and
carpet. The room was perfumed with
roses and sweet peas.
And n little child lead them" muir
INJURED the minister's wife. under her
breath. while she waited for Betty to cal
Miss Cyrilla.
To did not take long for the converse
tion to drift through the weather and a
few bits Of noighborhocd gossip 20 Betty.
"she brought the fresh-air with her"
Miss Cyrilla said. smiling
at Is so cood.' the minister's wife OK
claimed. And 10 think you really adopt
ed her."
"Oh. no." Miss Cyriila said. "she adopt
81 me."-Annie Hamilton Donnsil. 10
Youths Companion.