The Forrest City times., 1897-06-18
AN ORPHAN GIRL,
BY AMY RANDOLPH.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
MIR. FoLLIoTT had just finished

MT. oilOtt was very rich man, and
his cook had once been a pupil of the
great Soyer, so that the meal, al
though unostentatious in every respect.
was of the best and choicest. The as
paragus soup, delicate young baked
shad, roast ham with champagne sauce
n salad, coffee, sweets-all these things
Mr.. Folliott enjoyed because, in their
way, they were perfect. And he was
just culling out few monster straw
berries from among their green leaves
when a footstep sounded on the ver-
anda.
He looked quickly up. A tall child of
13 stood there, her face flushed, her
hair disheveled. and her thick boots
powdered with the fine dust of the
roads.
Il am so hungry" burst involuntari-
ly from her lips. Cant l have one of
those cakes?"
Mr.. Folliott frowned and shook his
head.
If you are beggar," he said, you
had better go around to the back door.
Mrs. Hanford will give you something,
dare say
The child blushed deeply, and drew
herself up with something of uncon-
scious dignity.
I'm not n beggar," she said. "Can't
n girl be hungry without being beg
gar? have come here to look for Paul
Folliott."
That's my name," said the old gen
tlcman, little suspiciously.
Then" said she, composedly, 81 have
come here to be your little girl. am
Oracle Bellaire. My papa was Col.
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 is the way in which Grace
Bellaire came to the house of her fa-
theirs 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 ex-
quisite 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 nice
little girl, but what can l do with you?"
Il could stay here and play, couldn't
II" said Oracle, innocently.
"But there is something else in the
world for little girls to do besides play
ing" said Mr.. Folliott-and SO he took
4
keeper.
Dear heart, sir" said that kindly
parsonage, 1T 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 de-
clared 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 the world that could
bring Miss Oracle up better than she?"
.'Mrs. Hanford, you are genius!"
said Mr.. Folliott. why on earth didn't
j think of that myself?"
Mrs. John Foliott came to the Grange
at once-a portly, smiling matron.
"The darling!" she cried. enthusias-
tically, embracing Oracle, who looked
rather awed at the sight of so much
splendor. Il shall love her as dearly
as if she were my own! Poor, dear
Cousin Brucel How well | remember
him! You sweet one, you are the very
picture of your papa!"
So Mrs. John Folliott, greatly re-
ioicing, returned to the brown stone
house in New York, whose rent was un-
paid. and to the daughters whose ex-
pensive dresses were yet written up
on the wrong side of Mile. Surlitor's
books.
Its positively providentiaI," said
Mrs. Folliott. "A thousand dollars
wear clearly added to our mcconnell"
but there is that great, awkward
child to bring up" said Madalena Fol
liott. a handsome brunette, who had
lust made her debut in society.
"Oh, that does not signify" said the