The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-06-22

short rations, and were to be more
than blessed with generous mission
ary box from "The Willing Helpers. ;"
The fact tina. Mrs. Tubbs soon died.
and the old mdn took up his abode in
distant county house, gave her the
comfortable feeling of no future refer
ence to the affair.
SO things went on quite as usual.
until one afternoon in November, when
Esther returned more chilly and spir-
itless than usual from meeting of
some committee at the "Old Ladies'
Home"
Evidently someone was on the look
out for her, for while she was yet sew
eral rods away from the house, faith
full Phyllis rushed out of the side door
and threw herself on her astonished
mistress.
Missy Missy dun know what
de house am cummin' to. Dis chile
dun been in de family since befoh YOU
was bown, an nebber 'spected de like.
L doan say nuddin' to yer charitable
ness, but dis hohlin, dirty chile, am
it to stay? Oh, Missy"
Esther's curiosity was now fully
aroused, and although Phyllis CON
tinued to pour forth voluble torrents
OF sentences, and fragments OF sent
ences, they were neither satisfactory
nor to the point, and she opened the
front door with trembling hand and
sinking heart.
There, in big arm chair. before her
coy CRATE fire-I came near saving re-
nnGaH I'm
pose i'll the waving arms and kicking
neither limbs of the fat infant, whose
dirty, red, tearstained face seemed to
have hidden adieu for two or three life
times to all complacency.
When Esther had regained her
breath, and was able to control herself
sufficiently, in spite of the deafening
bowls, it dawned upon her that Phyl-
lis had all the time been holding an
envelope toward her. She tore it
open and read the following:
Madam-When your child was admitted
To the orphan Asylum, we supposed you
person In INDECENT circumstances; we are
satisfactorily informed to the contrary
we return your child, utterly refusing IL
farther support or sustenance. Our insti-
tuition !s not for the aid OF imposters
DOAhD OF THE SHERMAS ASYLUM.
This, then, was little Jimmy. Was
ever sensible, respectable woman in
such n position! Imagine an aristo-
cratic maiden lady under such circum-
stances! Our Esther sat down and had
a good cry, the baby meanwhile con-
inning itself to soprano notes, with the
grim identity of masculine who
must sing bass the rest of his life, and
purposes to make the most of the pres
ent opportunity.
Our Esther was not very different
from other women, and after ten min
utes at this profitable employment rose
refreshed, snatched up his small ma
jesty, secured him as never orphan was
secured, fed him n generous supper of
bread and milk, clothed him in n coZy
little night dress of tennis flannel from
the convenient missionary box, and
tucked him into her own bed fast
asleep, completely exhausted with such
luxuriance.
Just what Phyllis thought I would
dislike to take time to inscribe, for
there were volumes of it; but Esther
ultimately decided that the easiest way
to settle the whole matter was to keep
the baby and say nothing.
Anyone who had heard the peals of
laughter that issued that evening from
the last of the Littlejohns, rs she sat
i'll her study, might have guessed her
trife hysterical; but the time came
when the tormenting little every-pres-
ent Jimmy, who seemed to be quite as
fNNIt, In oIx Il.
john herself, grew to be more to her
than the absent cherubs of the mission
airy fields.
And in the winter evenings, when
the curtains were drawn and the fire.
light flashed out from the open CRATE.
Miss Esther hushed the little lad to
sleep, and more of home feeling than
she had ever known crept into her
heart and made her kinder, happier.
more satisfied.
And so Miss Esther went her way
through the bright springtime, full Of
the merry renewal of life and hope that
made the trees and meadows burst in
to bloom, played with the little Jimmy.
worked and sang, and sang and worked.
aud made her life as complete n sue
cess as though she never were guilty of
doing those rash, inpatient, improvi-
dent things which the Theosophists
would have us believe are fraught with
eternal consequences.
But one sad day, through the sun
shine and the springtime, a stranger
wandered TO Miss Esther's gate. He was
travel-worn and travel stained by the
turmoil of life and the ties he had
counted, but confident as q prodiQal.
not exactly coming TO his fathers
house but thankful for the small favor
OF q friend from whom he proposed 70
ask large fayors.
1t was William Tubbs-insolent
familiar-who, having spent part of
the winter with Mehitabel (it goes
without saying, that she had recovered
from her felon enough to- take in wash.
ing), had heard Of the ten-doIlnr bill.
and thought best to return TO the place
where such things grew.
He was not TO he dismissed. and
Esther in despair ut last seized her hat
from the rack and fled into the street
with burning face and beating heart
through the moist spring air she
rushed. Overhead the sky was full OF
fieecy clouds; storm was brewing.
there wac a afct.r,, o1v..I.. =.