Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-09-02

| rari meanwhile engaged me in CONVEX.
sation, and stroye, l could see, by en-
tire Difference to my opinions, to make
up for the offense his previous remark
might have given me. A few moments
passed, and then the handle of the
| Crawing-room door was turned By
an evidently faltering and unpractiseG
hand. Nina called out impatiently-
| Come in, baby! Do not be afraid
come in" With that the door SLOWLY
opened and my little daughter entered
Though | had been so short a time alb
sent from her it was easy to see tn,
child had changed very much. Hel
face looked pinched and woe-begone
| its expression was one of fear and dis
trust. The laughter had faded out OF
her young eyes, and was replaced by
a serious look of panied resignation
that was pitiful to see in one Of he
tender years. Her mouth dropped
plaintively at the corners-her whole
| demeanOr had an appealing anxiety in
it that spoke plainly to my soul and
enlightened me as to the way she had
evidently been forgotten and neglected
She approached us hesitatingly, but
stopped halfway and looked doubt
fully at FeTrari. He met her alarmed
gaze with a hooking smile.
Come along, Stella! he said. You
need not be frightened. I will not
! scold you unless you are naughty
Silly child! you look as if l were the
giant in the fairy tale, going to eat
you up for dinner. Come and speak
to this gentleman-he knew your
papa"
At this word her eyes frightened,
her small steps grew more assured and
steady-she advanced and put her tiny
hand in mine. The touch of the soft,
uncertain little fingers almost I'M
manned me. [ drew her toward me
and lifted her on my knee. Under
pretense of kissing her | hid my face
for a second or two in her clustering
fair curls, while I forced back the
womanish tears that involuntarily fill
ed my eyes. My poor little darling! |
wonder now how I maintained my set
composure before the innocent trust
fulness of her gravely questioning
gaze! | had fancied she might pos
sibly be scared by the black spectacles
I wCre-childl en- are frightened by
such things sometimes-but she was
not. No; she sat on my knee with
an air of perfect satisfaction, though
she looked at me so earnestly as al
most to disturb my self-possession.
Nina and Ferrari watched her with
some amusement but she paid no heed
to them-she persisted in staring at
me- Suddenly a slow sweet smile-the
tranquil smile of a contented baby,
dawned all over her face; she extended
her arms around my neck and with &C
cord, put up her lips to kiss me! Half
startled at this manifestation Of affec-
ton, [ hurriedly caught her to my
heart and returned her caress, then
I looked furtively at my wife and
Guido. Had they any suspicion? No!
why should they have any? Had not
Ferrari himself seen me buried? Re-
assured by this thought [ addressed
myself to Stella, making my voice as
gratingly harsh as I could, for I
dreaded the child's quick instinct.
You are a very charming little
LADY," said, playfully. "And so your
name is Stella? That is because you
are little star, [ SUPPOSE"
She became meditative. Papa said
I was she answered, softly and shyly.
Papa spoiled you," interposed Nina,
pressing her filuy black-bordered
handkerchief to her eyes. Poor papa!
You were not so naughty to him as
you are to me-"
The childs lip quivered, but she was
silent.
ooh, fy'' murmured, half chidingly.
care you ever naughty? Surely not!
All little stars are good-they never
cry-they are always bright and calm"
Still she remained mute-a sigh,
deep enough for an older sufferer,
heaved her tiny breast. She leaned
her head against my arm and raised
her eyes appealingly.
Have you seen my papa?" she
asked, timidly. will he come back
soon?"
For a moment did not answer her.
Ferrari took it upon himself to reply
roughly.
Don't talk nonsense, baby! You
know your papa has gone away-you
were too naughty for him, and he
will never come back again. He has
gone to a place where there are no
tiresome little girls to tease him"
Thoughtless and cruel words! 1t at
once understood the secret grief that
weighed on the child's mind. When
ever she was fretful or petulant, they
evidently impressed it upon her that
her father had left her because of her
naughtiness. She had taken this
deeply to heart; no doubt she had
brooded upon it in her own vague
childish fashion, and had puzzled her
brain as to what she could possibly
have done to displease her father SO
greatly that he had actually gone away
never to return. Whatever her
thoughts were, she did not on this
occasion give vent to them by tears
or words. She only turned her eyes
on Ferrari with look of intense
pride and scorn, strange to see in so
little a creature true Romani look,
| such as I had often noticed in my