The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-12-29

year now, and Sweetie would rather
stay with me than with Auntie Stewart.
/ give her such nice things to eat" she
finished innocently.
"ro say nothing of the love you evil
IDENTIFY lavish upon her, murmured the
gentleman to himself "Well, Little
Borrioboola Cha, what do you say to
change? l think you must be my niece"
'Oh, then you must be Uncle Jack" "
said Maggie, accepting this new and
wonderful state of affairs with child's
innocent faith and belief in all things
wonderful and bright and good. eyes,
you do look like mamma. She's talked
of you so much that feel quito know
you" she added quantity.
"You're not going to sell papers any
more" said her uncle, as they crossed
the street to his hotel. "And now for
merry Christmas. 1t won't be possible
to do anything about clothes today"
with rueful look at Maggie's gar
ments, "but we'll do something nice
anyway. What hospital did you say
your mother was at;''
est. Luke's," answered Maggie,
smiling as happily as though the griefs
of the morning had never troubled her
"Are you going to see her too?"
eyes" said Uncle Jack, smiling
down at the eager face, "we're going
there right away, but We'll stop and
buy some flowers first"
And they set forth, only to find dis
appointment awaiting them at the hos
pital. Mrs. Brownell had left the hos
pital that morning III the care of a
strange gentleman who had brought a
carriage for her.
"Was it Uncle Stewart?" asked Mag
gie and the kindly girl hesitated be-
fore replying, catching the busy nurse
as she turned away.
"Uncle Stewart! ~ she said at length.
"The old gentleman who came here
with her and sometimes brings the lit
tie girl: No, it was a much younger
man."
"Did mamma know him." asked
Maggie, with shade of sadness darken
ing her expressive face in a manner
which did not escape her uncle's notice,
and again the good natured nurse staid
her steps to reply.
"Yes," she said, with a pleasant, if
hasty, smile, "she was delighted to see
him and went with him at once"
Maggie turned away sadly, tear
falling on her ,habby frock, and she
did not refuse tie comforting pressure
of her uncle's hand as they walked
down the long ward together.
"Lets go to Swoetie," suggested her
uncle, with view to distracting hor.
After making inquiries and finding that
Mrs Brownell had left no address Mag
gle, who felt that ali the sWorld was sad
and her doll stuffed with sawdust with
vengeance, assented drearily.
"Maybe she'll be gone, too," she said
mournfully, her lip quivering with a
pitiful sorrow, as they stepped into the
carriage again, and she did not speak
again until the horses drew up at Mrs.
Stewards door. Her uncle lifted her
out. She sprang up the stairs and rang
the bell, and then-then the world re-
sumed its normal ooloring, and her doll
was once MOI @ worth loving, for Sweetie
had leaped to her arms, and there in
| the hall behind was mamma.
Jack" she said softly after kissing
Maggie frantically. "Well, this must
be Easter day instead of Christmas.
Two resurrections from the dead - and
she drew his attention to another man
who had seized upon Maggie as she re-
| leased her and was embracing her as
though he would never let her go again.
"My darling! My own little girl I"
he kept repeating, and it suddenly
dawned upon Maggie that it must be her
papa, alive again in some wonderful,
mysterious, Christmas kind of way
and come back to care for her and NAM
ma and Sweetie.
1--WE won't waste time upon long ex-
| plantations now," said this gentleman
as he put Maggie down at last. 81 have
been Frustrated by an accident which
caused me to lose my memory until a
week ago and my name was mistakenly
sent to Jennie here" indicating his
wife by tender glance, "as among
those killed by the collision which only
injured my brain. When my memory
returned to me, made all speed to
come back to her, and not being able to
find the smallest trace of her | thought
of dear old Aunt and Uncle Stewart. I
knew they would be kind to my poor
darlings. And then I went to the hos
pital and brought her away. We never
thought of Maggie going there SO early,
and I was to wait for her there this
afternoon. We hardly knew how to
reach her sooner.
"Well, lost all trace of you all
while l was out west" said Uncle
Jack, taking possession of Maggie
again, "and only found this little girl
by the merest accident" And he lifted
Maggie lovingly to his knee, for they
had reached the parlor by this time.
And after that? Well, it was Christ
mas day, and all the stores were closed,
but money will do great deal, and ii
wasn't long before Auntie Stewart s
scantily filled larder was plentifully
supplied, and an immense turkey was
roasting in the oven.