The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-03-27

class and half the church burdens be
sides. that YOU are looking out fol
further care
I'm only following my fathers eN
ample, if am" Helen answered. laugh
inglv: so that point is settled"
He took her with him the next m orn
ING: he had too much faith in hen
strength of character and ability of ser
vice to spare her anything, save tho
first horror of the accident, and hel
heart went out most Of all towards the
little sufferers.
Tn, child had found out her loss and
the matron had been powerless to com
fort her: but when Helen Oakly put
her arms around her and held her close
her words brought near the heavenly
Comforter, and through sympathy she
led the child to the comprehension of
the perfect love that would SD gladly
help us to bear all sorrows.
Att,r that, not Il day passed without
bringing Miss Oakly's visit. In spite
of all. the child encountered again and
again the afflicted inmates. Some ma
tcrnal instinct sent them seeking when
they heard of Il child in their midst.
The girl was ten Years old. She said
her father and mother he'd left England
only a month before. She did not
know their destination, and evidently
there was Il family secret somewhere
in the case. She knew she had Eng
lish relatives, who We're great people,
she said but did not know even their
names.
The doctor advertised the child 5
name, Amy Rodant, in the New York
and London papers; with full particu-
lars of the accident, but nothing came
of it. All the baggage had been de-
stroyed.
One morning Helen Oahlv lift the
asylum with a very sober face, and all
dav she was very quiet and thoughtful.
1t was late before the doctor came in,
Helen had ready. as usual, his cup of
hot coffee. but this night she did not
leave him with the stand of medical
journals at his elbow. for the midnight
study that he loved. Instead she
brought her low chair to his side Iou
cannot read toni yht, papa, for | have
something serious to talk over with
you.
Something serious. Have the boys
demanded Il nightly instead of week
ly treat? Or does the church demand
an immediate musicai?''
don't make fun Of your daughter,
papa. this is something important. |
want to adopt, legally adopt, little Amy
Rodant. Don't speak, just yet papa!"
holding up her white hands to enforce
silence II have thought of all the OBJ
jections. know she may be cripple
for lift-then | shall love her all the
more to make up for what she will lose.
It's not likely, after all this time. that
We shall ever find her relatives"
But, Helen. you are young still, how
can | allow it. She might be Il burden
if You should ever have Il home of your
own.
Helen raised her thoughtful eyes to
his. Il am not like other girls, papa.
| don't believe | shall ever have anoth-
er home than this. am thirty-three
wears old and | want to he mother to
this poor afflicted little one. She is
very ght and lovable, and no well
child has ever crept into my heart as
she has.
"People will say you are crazy. Hell
en-
''You and | learned long ago not to
care when We are doing right. papa"
Her father bent down and kissed the
sweet face, saving: And learned long
ago that | had better submit graceful
ly, when my daughters mind is made
up.
"We'll make partnership affair of
it AMI I'll do the adopting"
''All ri ght, papa, but You mustn't be
jealous, if claim her, for mean to he
first with her and have her for nv
own.''
In less than week Miss; Oakly had
accomplished her purpose and was
"Aunt Helen" to the poor little invalid.
The Doctor cont.nted him self with the
title Of ''tnrle Henry" AMI Watched
his daughter with n,w int .r.St. as he
saw her Hood the chiId'S life with tn"
radiant motherhood that to, of tn nrv-
cr finds an object in Il lonely mad"n's
life.
The people who always criticisr, wag-
ged their heads and talked, as the Doe
tor had declared they would. If the
OaklyS wanted to adopt Il child, why
not take a healthy, we'll one at least;
giving her the old ariStocratic name of
Oaklv. also? That would not make
them forget tnat she WAS Il paupcr"
But Helen went her own sweet way and
the @o>>i p met the fate ofall ''ninc days
WONDER
Half the talk was jealousy" the
Doctor said that Helen should dare
to have a care of her own, and occupy
her time otherwise than for the public
benefit. The child became the pet of
thp hoIlSp The doctor fried n11 thp