The times., 1897-09-19

painted and glowered in q sullen and angry
temper, aad when Norry stopped down to
place two fat arms around 'tthe doaty iog,'
thell- humored hrute bit her arms fnriously.
That was q Lad .norslent for her aunts. The
chilG's arm bled, hut Eorry herself never
cried; she was afraid the dog would be
st.oIded &c it were known how much she
suffered In the garden, without waiting 10
20 inside, an aunt kuelt down and sucked
the arm till tic bleeding stopped: ard,
within tenEiinutas. the magnificent dog was
snot An hour afterwards Norry was run
ming about as bright and as well rs ever,
though ali xious eyes dwelt upon her for
some days.
Her aunts wisely felt that dead conn.
try town, with no traffic TO speak OF ana q
prevailing sense of motherhood formed a
mere suitable and picturesque background
for ruch disturbing individuality as Nor
rvs, and were not sorry TO see her safely
cnscoIced behind the railway carriage win
dow shaking her fat little fist at them, with
ihe smiling assurance that she would "ttnh
a-niorrow adam in The bogey puff-pufr 70
see them"
II was not long fter her return that we
noticed her bright color beginning To fade
ana sliadowy blue circles forming under her
eyes. Soon Ii was whispered, ds a univeT-
sal calamity " that Norry was not well. She
lay at home on the sofa and cried a good
deal, or made her mother hold her in her
lap beside the fire. Poor Norry was not an
angel, as have said, and she was very
iretful and eXacting little inv alid. Her oc
cupation, like Othellos, was gone anu she
COULD not reconcile herself to the duIness
OF the sickroom Only the touch IF her
mo.hcr's hand romfoTtcd her; that with
dt avn, she at once fell upon wild sobbin6
No such fus swould have beenInade over
the marquis himself, or even the parish
priest. Lifelong enemies encountered on
their way To inquire for her two or three
times a day People not on speaking terms
with her parents sent to ask every morn.
ing how she bad passed the night Mar
celia had TO callin the services OF a slip of
a girl To open the door to the tramps and
oilers from the nearest villages who cane
for new Of her Every morning and even
ing bulletin was issued verbally ana ran
from house TO house, from cottage to cut
tage. On her way to the telegraph office
Marcrlia was ayIaid bya crowd Of rough
and tattered youths. "Troth an she's very
bad, indeed" the maid replied tearfulIy.
W = boli I'm q 70 tl4ih OF IL dl all. ut All.
GLORY be TO God, girl, bat 'tisn't thrue.
Sure what nd we do at all at ALL without
her? IT'S lost the town 'ud he if anything
happened 10 her.
'she just the drawingest child the AZ
rightly ever sell. on earth, one rtllo,g ax-
| claimed, ramming the corner Of Ids sleeve
! into his eyes.
| That night tie marquis carriage drove
| through the town, but no one had eyes or
thought for it. The agent was summoned
| late T. the hall, for the ma rquis meant 10
| start 10y the earliest train for his son 5 es-
tatcs in neighborng county.
| business done. gossip was natural re-
| taxation, and the marquis bad not forgot,
ten his friend Norry, and asked if ste stu
| ruled the town. The Ggent told the dismal
! tale. and the great man looked really dis
| treSscd. What. my little friendi Great
heavens it's not possiblei I'll 60 off al
! once and inquire for her"
The marquis and the agent walked to.
getEer as far as the o'Neilfs pretty house
/ Here the agent lifted his hat and departed
apd the marquis raped loudly. The ire.
mCndous peelrang through the whole house,
and the parents of the sick child up stair,
started angrily The marquis as befits a
big man, spoke liz q big voice; there was no
need 10 60 out of the room to ask wht
haa made such an intOlerable noise. TIL.
! message assembled in the deliverer's OWL
voice up the stairs and into the half-openet
door Of the room where sick Norry lay in
| her mcther'S arms, while the father stood
measuring out some nauseous medicine.
Tell Mrs. oNeill that the MARQUIS OF
| Cranky has called to inquire for her littlf
daughter. possible, he would be gratefu
Tor the privilege of seeing his little friend. -
Young O'NeilI gave the spoon and glass
into his wife's hand and went downstairs
The marquis greeted him quite cordially
An, Mr. O'Neill so sorry-can' be true =
temporary chld'scOmplaint OF course -as
sure You, quite looking forward TO steins
iny delightful little friend Norry mon
Strous, 'pon my word to think OF her a.
sick.''
Tears We're in the poor fathers eyes. ant
he sobled out something or other iii which
My lord" was just audible. Young
parents, with an only child i'll, perhaps dy
ing, and that child at the a ge OF three al
ready regarded a a public personage! L
1t To be expected that they should keel
tfeir heads or talk coherentlv. when eyer
all the outside world was lunged int,
grief because Of their private woe?
The marquis slipped his arm into tn,
stricken fellows and sooothingly niurmure.
Gone, come, Mr. O'Neil, couragai 7 ct,
go up and see her We must have the hes
of advice. Little girls like her can't b,
snuffed out ike candles"
1t the door the marquis was the first t.
cross the threshold unbidden en-. Youn,
oNeill slipped into his own room TO wor
OH Mt OF increasing emotion. Norry wa.
gathered againsther mothers breast, whit,
and queruious. She moaned ever since sh.
had been forced to swallow her mast
medicine.
DO you know this friend who has com
to see you, Norry?'' asked the mother, wit
tragic upward glance OF greeting for tb
marquis.
Norry opened her eyes and STAYED he
peevish whimper. she did not reccgniz
him after eight months, and she was To
oppressed by the atmosphere of the sick
room to smile. Looking down upon tn
wan and piteous little visage, with til
curls brushed back from the protuberan
arch or brow and the blue eyes dulled an
large and dark, the marquis himself ha,
some ado TO recognize the Iivid face, wit
its sunny glance and rosy lips that som
r.onths ago had drawn the heart of him a
never child had drawn it before.
Norry, don't you remember your frien
CRANKY, whom you took to see Jacky Mo-
ioy,s pupry?' he asked dropping into he
father chair, and taking the white bab
hand In his.
Norry stared athim in an effortofmemor
Tot fla,, fa..stl tI,.- II