The Democratic advocate., 1896-04-04

down at once, as was our custom.
Friend Arthur, this is my daughter
Annis, said my father, but was inter
rupted by Aunt Judith saying, "With
such display of worldliness should think
thee woald not be sure whether or not she
is thy daughter.
know my cheeks must have riyaled
the carnations in color at this, but made
no reply, and felt profoundly grateful to
my father, ever less rigorous and exacting
than his sister, when he said, 30, Judith,
say rather 'Heayenliness' for the good
Lord made the flowers she wears-eh,
little daughter?'
My aunt, like many excellent people had
the faculty of making the most disagreeable
so I was in terror through the
meal lest l should again offend, and so
scarcely spoke a dozen words very
unusual thing for me. The conversation
soon developed the fact that Arthur War
rington father had been a cherished
friend of my father in their youth, and
business calling him to Philadelphia, he
determined to look up the Israel. Hartley
of whom he had so often heard.
'Well, Arthur, said my father, as we
were rising from the table, 'thee will make
this thy home during thy stay in town, and
when Annis is not busy with her studies,
she will entertain thee, as am yet rather
an invalid, and then, too, young people
like each others company.
''If | can count, friend Arthur, thee
must be not far from thirty years old, for
| think | remember when thee was born, -
said Aunt Judith.
''Yes, madam, l shall be thirty next
month. -
The difference between thirty and seven
teen in the abstract was very great, but
when applied to his age and mine went for
nothing in my estimation. The days flew
by very agreeably to me, for Arthur War
rington was still our guest. Aunt Judith
exercised an untiring vigilance over me at
this time, and never approved of even a
short walk after school in company with
"that young man, as she called him.
was, | suppose, very susceptible, and the
attentions of Arthur were very hattering.
l am afraid was beginning to think too
much of him, when an event occurred that
nobody expected, though it is the unexpect-
ed that always happens.
One seventh morning after breakfast
Arthur met me in the hall, and said
"Miss Annis, I shall be going away in
a day or two, and feel as though l should
like to give you little trinket of some kind
to keep in remembrance Of me, will you
come with me to select it r.
l was dismayed at such tidings, but
made no reply except that l would speak
to my father and then get ready. In
truth l was far more anxious for the walk
with Arthur than for any trinklet that he
could give me, never realizing, little sim
pleton that was, that he only regarded
me as a child. As we threaded our way
through the busy streets up to the Arcade,
1 was so unusually silent that he must
have wondered at the circumstance, though
he said nothing,
'iNow Miss Annis, here are bracelets,
rings, chains-what will you have?'
''Thee knows very well Imust not wear
such things; what does thee suppose Aunt
Judith would say p
"Well, what can you wear? How will
gold thimble do, though that is not much
of an ornament, to be sure .
so, l should like to have gold THIN
bic, for Aunt Judith has one, and so has
Doris Wayne, but"
"Doris Wayne Do you know Doris
Wayne? Speak quick and tell me where
she is. -
'Yes, know Doris Wayne; she is our
nurse, and l can tell thee where she is,
but thee needn't be so excited, and if thee
has forgotten all about the gold thimble,
we will go there now. "
80, forgive me, Annis, I forgot every
thing but that I have been looking for
Doris Wayne for four years. You say
she is nurse? Then she connot be my
Doris, for when l saw her last, she was
the daughter of rich man IN New York. !"
Aud the eager look left his face as he
turned again to the tray holding the thin
bles.
~ am sure she is thy Doris, for now /
know why have so often thought that /
had seen thee before that day met thee
turning the corner of Apple Tree Lane.
Doris has thy likeness painted on ivory,
and saw her crying over it too, with
which piece Of unnecessary information we
left the shop and walked as fast as we
could to the old house on Crown street,
and on the way, told him all / knew of
his lost Doris We were shown Into the
same bleak room whose acquaintance had
already made, and which did duty as par
lor and sitting room. l left him there
while l went up stairs two steps at a time
in search of Doris, whom l found sitting
on a stiff back chair, piece of work lying
untouched in her listless hands.
My heart beat fast as l entered the
room, and something in my expression,
suppose, caused her to start up and ex-
claim, s'What is It, Annis, is anything
wrong?f
''Yes, everything and everybody is
wrong except thee. And here 1 broke
down with variety of emotions Until
| came face to face with Doris l did not
realize that the meeting between her and
Arthur meant death to all my young as
pirations; for had allowed myself to be-
come more interested in him than was
warranted by his demeanor towards me-
e'Sit down and tell me what you mean,
Annis r. and very pale she looked as she
said So
s''Why hast thou staid away from our
house 50 long, Doris ?--if thou hadst come
It would have been better for thee.
II have been engaged in nursing ever
since left your house, and only returned
here last night; and o, Annis, l am so
lonely and unhappy here; think ! will go
home with you even if there is nobody to
y