The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1897-07-23


erly.
ION that dark night on the ship,
when you spoke to poor little Bob and
me-"
A sob broke from me.
"I don't want to hurt YOU she said,
in the sweetest tone of child-like COM
passion: 81 want you to love me, and
I'll do all | CANAL l can! You re-
member that dreadful dark night
when you spoke to dear little BOD ana
me?"
"Too WE'LL" 1 groaned; too well"
"You cared only to kiss dear Bob
then, and l thought you mightn't ike
to kiss me now"
Bob was my little boy, Pearl-my
child, that had been hunting for all
over the world You are not ola
enough to understand the story, my
dear; and if you were, l haven't the
heart to tell you
81 understand a great DEAL" she
said gravely. There, now, you are
crying! So have l cried, for poor
mother Oh, she was so good-so
good! | knew that poor little Bob was
your little boy-the men told me SO.
Come with me-"
Sc Embossed her arms from my neck,
and rose and took my hand. L mad
not vet had time to visit my child's
grave, and Pearl led me now toward IT.
Had | visited it alone, | should nave
thought that an angel had come down
from heaven in the night, and had
worked wonders to rejoice and con-
sole me. An angel, indeed, had smiled
upon it. 1t was bed of flowers; a
rude fence formed of understanding
wood, with flowers entwined about it.
| kneIt by the grave and shed tears OF
grateful joy.
Can you guess who did it," asked
Pearl.
Eyes, my child; it was you. God
bless you'll"
mo, not me alone. Tom Wren
found the wood-doesn't 1t smell
sweet ?-and built the fence, and | put
the flowers there. He cut the cross,
too"
saw Tom Wren in the distance,
and went toward him and wrung
his hand.
THANK you, Tom" said, from my
heart"
He nodded, and replied, 81 did 1t for
her. She's not human. like us. She's
an angel"
Tom Wren's eyes were wonderfully
bright, and he spoke almost in whis-
per. / thought his manner was some
what strange, but l saw that Pearl was
waiting for me to rejoin her, and
left him.
1--WE will keep it always like this"
said Pearl. Bob, likes it, 1 am sure,
and is glad though we can't see him.
When we die, we don't die quite
mother told me so, often. We come
together by-andby, don't WEI"
so we are taught to believe, dear
child"
And you do believe it? do
81 do believe it, dear child
"And so does Tom Wren now He
never did so before, he says. Then
1 shall see my own dear mother again,
and l shall tell her how good you have
been to me-though she knows; and
dear little Bob, too; and we shall all
talk of that dreadful dark night when
I was thrown into the sea-but it
won't be dark up there, among the
stars. When mother was alive | used
to dream | heard the angels singing,
and if / woke up | was sure to see
mother leaning over the bed and sing
ing softly. That is what used to bring
the angels into my head. Don't cry.
I want to beg something very, very
particular of you"
"Say on, my DEAR There's nothing
I can refuse you"
"That is good of you" she said, with
little pauses between each sentence.
"You won't be angry, l hope. Bob
is dead"
GAY, my child"
"And it may be a long, long time
before you see him again. Though he
sees you know. And Bob's mother is
dead
"Alas! yes, my child"
my mother, too. Then, don't you
see," she whispered, with her lips close
to my neck, that we belong to each
other?' 1 have no mother now and
Bob is gone. Will you let me be your
child? 1 do so want to-for Bob's
sake!"
What could 1 say but that l would
look upon the little maid as my child?
And the contract was sealed with
kisses.
81 shall call you Daddy Beecroft,
said Pearl, "and you must sometimes
call me your little daughter. Bob
hears us, and mother too, so you
mustn't break your promise. I have a
father nowl l never had one before.
No, put your mouth to mine-no, no;
your lipsi That's right. l like being
kissed. 1 am your little daughter, and
you are my father. Mother must be
glad Shall We be here all our lives?
Mr.. Bowden says that no ships ever
pass this way, and that we shall live
and die here. Then shall grow up to
be woman. and you will all be old
men-how strange it will be- Never