Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-07-20

ptSl anu cuOiCeSI. lie asparagus soup,
delicate young baked shad, roast
ham with champagne sauce, salad,
coffee, sweets-all these things Mr.. Fol-
iiott enjoyed because, in their way,
they were perfect. And he was just
culling out few monster strawber-
ries from among their green leaves
when a footstep sounded on the yer-
anda.
He looked quickly up. A tall child
of l3 stood there, her face flushed, her
hair disheyeled and her thick boots
powdered over with the fine dust of the
roads.
Il am so hungry" burst inyoluntar-
lily from her lips. Can't l have one of
those cakes?" -
Mr.. Folliott frowned AID shook his
head.
IF you are begSar," he said, you
had better so around to the back door.
Mrs. Hanford Win give you something.
l dare say"
The chilly blushed deeply and drew
herself up with something of uncon-
scious dignity.
I'm not a beggar," she said. Cant
girl be hungry without being beg
gar? l have come here to look for
Paul Folliott."
That's nay name" said the old gen.
ueman. little suspiciously.
Then" she said, composedly. 81
have come here to be your little girl.
l am Oracle Bellaire. Ny papa was
Colonel Bruce Bellaire, and when he
died he said that you would take care
OF me. Here are his letters. And now,
please, let them give me something TO
eat"
And this was the way in which
Grace Bellaire came to the house of
her fathers distant kinsman, Paul
Foliott.
She was pretty child. when the
dust was washed out of her dimples
and the shining brown curls were
brushed into something like shape She
had Bruce Bellaire's large, dreamy eyes
and exquisite Greek profile, and Mr..
Folliott, even while he experienced
thrill of CONSERVATION at this new
charge, felt his heart warm toward
her
My dear" said he, "you are a nice
little girl. but what can do with you?"
81 could stay here and play, couldn't
IL" said Oracle innocently.
But there is something else in the
world for Ittlegirls to do besides play
Ing" said Mr.. Folliott-and so he took
counsel with good Mrs. Hanford, his
hOusekeeper.
Dear heart sir" said that kindly
parsonage, cit seems to me plain
enough. Why don't you send her to
Mrs. John Folliott? Don't you remem-
Der last summer, when she was here
and you helped her out with the debts
that troubled her so badly, she declared
she would do anything in the world to
show her gratitude? And she's got
daughters or her own, hasn't she? Who
IS there in all the world that could
bring Miss Oracle uD better than she?"
Mrs. Hanford, you are a genius"
said Mr.. Folliott why on earth
didn't | think of that myself"
Mrs. John Follictt came to the
Grange at once-a portly, smiling ma
iron.
The darling" she cried. enthusiast
tically embracing Oracle, who looked
rather awed at the sight OF so much
splendor. 81 shall love her as dearly as
IL she were my own! Poor, dear Cousin
Bruce! How well I remember him,
You sweet one, you are the very pic
ture of your papa"
SO Mrs. John Folliott, greatly re-
joicing, returned to the brown-stone
house in New York, whose rent was
unpaid. and to the daughters, whose
expensive dresses were yet written up
on the wrong side Of Mile. Surlitor's
books.
cts positively providential." said
Mrs. Folliott. "A thousand dollars a
year clearly added to our incomer'
but there is that great awkward
child to bring up" said Madalena Fol-
lott, handsome brunette, who had
just made her debut in society.
"Oh, that does not signify" said the
serene matron. Her cost will be alb
solutely nothing"
And so, in the course Of few weeks.
Oracle Bellaire found herself settling
down to the position of iadys maid to
the three Misses Folliott She sewed
the buttons on Madalena's boots, she
ran out oil rainy days, when the very
chambermaid objected on account OF
the weather, TO match shades of worst
ed and filoselle for Alicette, the second
daughter; she washed Florence's poo
die for her. and wept many tear of
bitter modification the while And
by degrees her shoes grew worn and
rusty, her healthy young growth out
stripped the limits of her coarse serge
gowns. her bonnet and mantle became
SO shabby that she could not go out
except under cover of the friendly
dusk Once, driven to desperation, she
wore FloreRce's white chapeau and
soft seal jacket. But she never re-
peated the experiment. for Mrs. Fol-
liott met her on the stairs and flashed
the light of her great, black eyes upon
her in manner that was truly appal-
ling.
IF ever You presume to do such
thing AGAIN - said she in a low voice