The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

Borrioboola Cha, what do you say to |
change? | 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 aud bright and good. "Yes,
you do look like mamma. She's talked
of you so much that feel | quite know
you. she added quantity.
"You're not going to sell papers any
mo1e, said her uncle, as they crossed
the street to his hotel. And now for a
merry Christmas. 1t won't be possible
to do anything about clothes today "
with a rueful look at Maggie's gar
ments, "but we'll do something nice
anyway. What hospital did you say
your mother was att
"St. Lukes," 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. y
And they set forth, only to find dis
appointment awaiting them at the hos
pital. Mrs. Brownell had left the hos
pital that morning in the care of a
strange gentleman who had brought
carriage for her.
"Was it Uncle Stewart" asked Mag
gle, and the kindly girl hesitated be-
fore replying, catching the busy nurse
as she turned away.
"Unce Stewart p she said at length.
1.-The old gentleman who came here
with her and sometimes brings the lit
tie girli No, it was a much younger
man."
did mamma know him?" asked
Maggie, with shade of sadness darken-
ing her expressive face in manner
which did not escape her uncle's notice,
and again the good natured nurse staid
her steps to reply.
Eyes, " 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 shabby frock, and she
did not refuse the comforting pressure
of her uncle's hand as they walked
down the long ward together.
Lets go to Sweetie, suggested her
uncle, with a view to distracting her.
After making inquiries and finding that
Mrs Brownell had left no address Mag
gle, who felt that ali the world was sad
and her doll stuffed with sawdust with
q vengeance, assented drearily.
maybe she II be gone, too, " she said
mournfully, her lip quiyering with &
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 tell, and then-then the world re-
sumed its normal coloring, and her doll
was once more 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 90 again.
"My darling My own little girl !"
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
H., &.
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 u
week ago and my name was mistakenly
sent to Jennie here" indicating his
wife by tender glance, Gas 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. |
knew they would be kind to my poor
darlings And then | went to the hos
pital and brought her away. We never
thought of Maggie going there so early,
and | was to wait for her there this
afternoon. We hardly knew how to
reach her sooner"
well, lost all trace of you all
while | 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 it
wasn't long before Auntie Stewards
scantily filled larder was plentifullv
supplied, and an immense turkey was
roasting in the oven.
And when the dinner had been eaten
and every body had told everybody else
how glad and happy and surprised they
were they sat close together and made
plans for the future, lovely, wonderful
plans, which seemed almost too good to
come true. But they did come true,
many of them and the best of all, per-
haps, was Uncle Jack 5 plan for Maggie
This little girl is going to be beau
tiful singer by and by, " he said, with
a tender good night kiss as he carried
her up to the little attic room Auntie
Stewart had insisted upon their using
for the night, while papa followed with
Sweetie, "to say nothing Of being
noble woman if she grows up as brave
and unsefish as she is now. | noticed