The Irish standard., 1899-02-25

kitchen with its smudge. but nobody
poticed 1t. Trotty bent over the baby's
high chair; she hid her face against
bis chubby, warm cheek.
1--WE been here" she cried, with sob,
s'most ever since l can remember
ever since Lily was a baby, and the
arst thing you did you made me red
plaid dress with pocket in it--and-I
Il don't want to go and live with any
Taylorsl"
One evening five weeks later Mrs.
Rouse went over to the Hornbecks'.
Mrs. Hornbeck was darning stock
ings, and Lily was helping her, with
her awkward little fingers. Charley
was In chair by the stove. with fan
mel cloth tied round his swollen cheeks.
Charley had the mumps.
"Wcll," said Mrs. Rouse, II can't get
used to 1t. Ii does seem SO funny here
without 1rottyl"
Funny" said Charley. somewhat
fercely; "if you call it funny!" .
There, Charley" said his mother.
Giles been crotchety, like that, ever
since Trotty has been gone" she ex-
planned to Mrs. Rouse. "And | don't
know but we all have"
"lsn't it most month";" said Mrs.
Rouse.
ITS four weeks yesterday" said
Mrs llornbcck. For. once the decision
had been made that it was best to let
Trotty go TO the Taylors, Mrs. Horn
beck, with sad frmness, had lost no
time in putting the plan into execution.
ut seems like four mouths"
"lf 'rrotty WAS here shouldn't he
darning stockings from Mondays wash
TO Saturday night; Trot,y darned all
the stockings-she would do it. / do
my best to keep ahead of my work, but
without Trotty. somchow-thcrel
won't complain another world"
81 suppose she's contcnted? You can
tell by her letters" said Mrs. Rouse.
"Wcll-" said Mrs. uornbeck, du-
biously.
"She isn't contented!" Charley burst
out. The words were like cork burst
ing from bottle. "She lfou't like it;
know she don't She don't want to live
way OFF there with the Taylors."
"No, she DON'T" said Lily.
"She hasn't any business Off there;
she belongs here" said Charley, in u
querulous climax Of unhnppinexs; it
hurt him to talk. and lie growlcd.
"Wc're so lonesome we can't stand it.
And everything bad that's happened
has happened since Trotty went away,
mother. hasn'tit? ldou't believe" suid
Charley. I'D have had the mumps at
ul if Tro,,y'h been here"
mo, nor | shouldn't have cut me with
the bread knife. Nor--nor Mr. Nelson's
shop wouldn't have burned up!" said
Lily. with conviction.
Mrs. lIornhcrL laughed lifting tho
baby from the floor But her laugh was
trcIuuous.
Suddenly. in the silence that followed,
Charley started up. lie had heard the
click of the gate latch.
It's father" said Mrs. Ilornbcck;
but Charley sprung from his chair.
That light, swift step on the walk was
not his fathers. Mrs. lIornbcck
paused, motionlcs.. but Lily sclrried
to the door.
"Trutlyl" she shriekcd; "oh, Trottyl"
II was Trotty; Mrs. Rouse could make
out that much, though she could SEQ
nothing but the feather on Tro,ty's
Int. Trotty herself was lost in what
seemed "hirlng vortex, composed of
Charley and Lily and their mother, with
the bnhy on her arm.
ayes, it's me-" said Tro,ty; at is.
NoS I'rn 70,
here, and Jim Parks is going to bring
IL up. Yes. the Taylors knew | was
coming"
'rr",ty, DEAR" snid Mrs. Hornbccls.
her voice shaking, what does IT
mcnn?"
"l was so lonesome. mother" said
Trotty. simply. They were good to
me; splendid. And 1t was all just us
father snid; it's a big house, and
great porch with white pillars. And
there's lovely things in the pnrlor, be-
sides the piano-hig pictures and plush
chars-bu, 1t didn't make any differ
encc." said Trolty. al was SO lone
some all the time, lonesome for all Of
you.
81 didn't shy anything. But it kept
getting worse. and | guess finally
showed IT., because Mrs. Taylor asked
me If ! wns homcsick. and | said yes.
And the very next day" snid Trotty,
"ihe letter cume"
"'I'he letter." snid Mrs nornbcck.
yes" said 'rrotty. "l've got it," Sho
found IT In her pocket and read 1t out
Dear Tr"ity: Come back home, be-
cause we can't stand IL my longer
without you Charley wrote 1t, and
he and, Lily signed it. and the baby. l
guess they helped HE baby some, but
he signed IT," said Trotty, with tender
laughter.
"Wrll, we'll! Inever dreamed Of It. |
never knew one word about i'll" said
their mother.
Trotty folded The letter. "Ishall keep
It," she said, always. | showed IT TO
Mrs. Taylor. and she asked me II l
wanted to come; and Didn't know
what TO say. but II cried some. And
then she and Mr.. Taylor talked it over,
and-wcll, here nm," sud Trotty, Joy
ously.
1t was moment when words would
have been vain and feeble. Nobody said
anything but the baby, and he crowed
loudly and pounded Trotty with his lit
tie soft fist.
AS for Mrs. Rouse, her feelings were
too much for her. She cried softly into
her apron. And there might have been
general flowing of happy tears II