The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-15
most bled when he heard ksr sob an

most bled when he heard ksr cob a
she turned to go back to the hodse.
When he came to dinner he read tn
letter again, but he and Myra ate il
silence.
Hope came a week from that day
Myra went to the railroad station three
miles distant to meet her.
eth be better for me to meet hel
than for you, if you are bound and de
termined to keep up this nonsens.
while she's here said Myra. "Shs
doesn't know a thing about it; yor
may be sure [ haven't written awor6
of tito the poor child, and I dread t.
tell her of it now. It's a shame, a burn
ing shame, Simeon Sayles, for you t.
spoil Hopes first visithomejus to carry
out a silly vow that it was wicked fol
you ever to make in the first place.
It's a piece of wickedness right
straight through!'
A visible pallor had come into Sim
cons face at the mention of Hopes
little girl. No one knew how much
and how tenderk this little girl whom
thoughts. H@was fond of children,
hand 20 cAild n the world could be as
~<fo him as this little girl of Hopes.
He and Myra lad looked forward so
eagerly to the time when Hope should
bring her to them, and they read so
proudly of all her infantile charms and
accomplishments as set forth in Hopes
letters!
He stole softly into the seldom
opened parlor when Myra had gone.
Several photographs of Hopes little
girl, taken at different stages of her
l~nfantile career, were in the album on
the parlor table. Simeon took up this
album and gazed at THESE photographs,
one by one, with unhappy eyes.
He wandered round the house and
yard until the time drew near for
-Nyra's return with Hope and little
Grace. Then he went down the road
to meet them. He had gone perhaps
a quarter of a mile when he sat down
by the wayside to wait until they
should drive around a turn in the road
a hundred yards or more distant.
He had waited not more than five
minutes when he heard the sound of
wheels and voices around the curve in
the road. He heard the sudden, sweet
laugh of a child and was on his feet in
an instant.
At that same instant a man on a bi,
cycle dashed past him. Bicvcles were
still an almost unheard of thing in
that part of the country. Simeon had
never seen but three or four of them, |
and the appearance Of this one whirl-
along at such speed startled him.
Its rider sent it flying ON down the
road, and it whirled around the curve,
the surprise of Miss Myra and to
the terror of old Hector, the horse she
was driving. The reins were lying
loosely in Myra's hands, and before
she could gather them up old Hector
Jumped aside, rearing and plunging,
md the next instant he was racing
nadly down the road with the reins
1ragging the ground on either side of
lin, while Hope chung to little Grace
md screamed.
"Whoa! Whoa, Hector!" cried Myra
n a voice SO awful with terror that it
frightened old Hector the more.
whoa, Hector, whoa!'
This I'M old Hector pricked up his
'ars, for the voice that spoke was a
irm, commanding one, and the next
aoment a strong hand grasped his
'ridle while the. voice repeated:
whoa! Whoa!"
It was a harsh, stern voice. but il
ounded like the sweetest music in
lyra's ears. It was Simeon's, and
imeon was holding to the bit. He
cid it until old Hector came to q halt.
nd then he turned and said calmly:
Don't be scared, Hope, child:
ou're all right now. Give me the
tile one"
He held out his arms and Hope put
little girl into them, saying as she
id so:
cts your Uncle simmy, dear! Put
our arms around his neck and give
a kiss, AMI let him hear how we'll .
gu can say Uncle Simmy.'" ,
A pair OF soft little arms stole around :
lmeon's sunburned neck; a soft little ,
leek was laid on his rough, bearded I
le, and when she had kissed him
vice she said:
"Dee Nuncle Thimmy!"
1.-The blessed little c]reetur!" he said. q
his eyes and hugging her :;
ose to his heart.
And when she and her mother were :
leep in Hopes old room that night,
neon came into the kitchen where
yra was setting some bread to rise
I'd softly humming a gospel hymn of Z
'alse out of the JOY Of her heart, and !
said: :.
"Well, Myra-"
"Well, Simeon? 4
"Well-er-well, what did Hope
y, anyhow, when you told her?" 4
"When I told her what? Oh, about \
'ur-your-la, Simeon, the minute /
apped eyes on that blessed child I !
lew there wasn't any use in telling 4
ope anything about it. I knew you'd
have to speak to that baby! So A
never lisped q syllable about it to !
ope, and she never shall know a 1
'rd about it if I can help it. wish !
nd fetch me in a basket of nice, dry =
fps. The moon shines SO bright you <
a see to pick them up. I want a
lex fire in the morning, SO I can have
t biscuits for Hopes breakfast. She }
ways was SO fond of them" ii
And Simeon took the chip-basket
went out into the moonlight. his }