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

delicate young baked shad, roast
ham With champagne sauce, salad,
coffee, sweets-all these things Mr.. Fol-
lott enjoyed because, in their way,
they were perfect. And he was just
culling out a 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 involuntar-
lily from her lips. Cant have one of
those cakes?" -,
Mr.. Follott frowned AID shook his
head.
IF you are a begSar," he said, you
had better go around to the back door.
Mrs. Hanford VIII give you something.
dare say"
The chilIfblushed deeply and drew
herself up with something of uncon-
scious dignity.
Il IN not beggar," she said. Cant
girl be hungry without being beg
gar? / have come here to look for
Paul Folliott."
That's nay name" said the old gen.
tleman. little suspiciously.
Then" she said. composedly. 81
have come here to be your little girl.
l am Oracle Bellaire My 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
Folliott
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 a
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
~ said Oracle. innocently.
Tut there is something else in the
world for little girls 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 OF her own, hasn't she' Who
is there in AID 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 Folictt 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 we'll I remember him,
You sweet one, you are the very pic
ture OF your papa"
SO Mrs. John Folliott, greatly re-
jocing, returned to the brown-stone
house in New York, whose rent was
unpaid, and to the daughters, whose
expensive dresses We're 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 lady's maid to
the three Misses Folllott. She sewed
the buttons on Madalena's boots. she
ran out on rainy days, when the very
chambermaid objected on account of
the weather, to match shades of worst
ed and filoselle for Allcette, 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
SD shabby that she could not go out
except under cover of the friendly
dusk. Once, driven to desperation, she
wore Florence's white chapeau and
soft seal jacket. But she never re-
peated the experiment, for Mrs. Fol-
lctt 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 a