Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-15

ening up. .. soroe time.
We drove on In silence for some liz
iii was reused by incoherent exe.ai,,"1l
tin,s fro,,, q bfcvclist and discovered
thai Georgiana was I'm possession o.,,a
pea-shooter. This ! coniiiscateu, ~ I'D no
OF Georgiana's protest tnhl FL III ;nnrrey
wac imnossible without either a caeapuit
or a pea-shooter. However. use,iieu w.
argue the point. and we re acnev ,,,J
ton without any furthes 90, ~ rail-
NO.. :. Si~ c,aysrsiana remarked as she set
tied herself in the corner OF the '"'i""'
carriage. t,dod edo re-
s'na ia ayo oe' sae, like restraining myself
- 49,, sweetly. You've TAKEN
away INV pea-shooter. and ooh 49,
To 90 back TO school; put n eNss -, 10
Uncle Richard. ! don't see any'"'"s - Wv
JUST .srh a. heavenp' | said. and relapsed
into newspaper "a ,,oo.lo,nou of
At the next station an oid seIi'ie',it,n ~
benevolent aspect got lnto k,ndiv ana
lie looked at Georgiana I'm kiiuy a 81,
admitting way. but she, AFTER w d. .,t
Glance ~ him ONLY continued TO gaze ou0
of the window with a melancholy eNP
sion -. ..o,,,o 90
IN Inv .ome MAGAZINES for myseii am
some chocolate for George, anu " Nv, r.
returned the train was just stattiis' -
my establishment Georgiaha my ~ nid
Handkerchief to her eyes. ana the %"
gentleman appeared apOplecucally ansis,.
what In the world IL the tna''e'
injured as the train moved on. ,.,..o,
Your stepdaughter has been ta'hiue
to me" the old gentleman said seNereiy.
"NIy stepdaughter2' / answered III
amazement. ... ,,.,lo sten-
daughter" he replied, cycling me WIN III
dignarion. .,... 60 ber
"You ought TO be prosecuted TIC S"i"
D What in the name Of the mischief have
YOU been doing GeorgianaF ashe"
Don't beat me. fatherr she sobbed.
How dare you" ] began.
Don't YOU attempt to bully her IN my
presence" the old gentleman interrupted
"You ought 10 be prosecuted, anu l IN III
tend 10 communicate with the Society TOT
the Prevention Of Cruelty TO children.
but you don't understand protes-
ted.
II do understand he answered wrath
fully. I'm old enough TO know Whal
brute a man can be. and man who can
beat and starve tender htdle chi'u -
brute. nothing more or less
Il never IN treated her i'm my hte' l
explained "The only fault that can ac.
cuse myself of is that we spollt ner,
you are a contemplate coward! ne
answered. you are a disgrace 10 the
"oh. very we'll" I replied "If you
choose to make an idiot Of yourself you
Il certainly shouldn't ask your permits
sion" he retorted. you mark my WORDS,
sir. before a week is over you'H De IN the
evening papers 20.
/ remained wrathfully silent ana leil
the old gentleman 10 tume and inutlti.
He glared at me and looked with pity
al Cieorgiana who continued 70 sob, eN-
cept for an occasional wink over her nam
kerchef at me. After about ten minutes
the train began TO slow down, ana the OH
gentleman started of again.
I'm getting out at the next station
I'm very glad 10 hear IL" ] SAID. ,
Don't leave me with himl Oh, don't'
GeOrgiana exclaimed.
"YOu needn't be- afraid, my dear he
said. "You shall come home with me ana
stay with my daughters for a few days.
Georgiana fell on her knees and kissed
his hands estatically.
There, there!" he said comfortingIy'
Look here" I said; "once for all. l
warn YOU that YOU are the victim OF a
practical joke, and l will not have my
niece prevented from going back 10
school"
"Oh. she's going back 10 school. is she2'
he answered. we hadn't heard that
before For a man Of your character you
are a very unshllful liar Come along
my dear
pared to follow him, IT forbid you to go.
Think of your grandfather"
"Think of your grahfmotherE we
old gentleman said, and left the carriage
with GeOrgiana.
There was nothing left for me but 10
get out too. 1t was impossible TO leave
Georgiana with stranger whose name
and residence / did not know. she walk
ed of calmy, with hand on MS arm, ana
-,
elderly lady. The old gentleman appai-
emily explained the situation, for she kiss
ed GeOrgiana and took her into the car
riage. Then he sighted me and walked
stillly back
"That. sir" he said, SIS my card. If
you propose TO take any legal steps l
shall be only too happy 10 expose you.
II you attempt 10 modest that unhappy
child while she is IN my charge l shall
have you kicked Off the premises-Nefy
soundly kickedw
sat down and mopped my heated
brow. For the time l had not the least
idea what TO do. | could not remember
anyone within miles who would Nouch
for my identity, and the train was the
last train that day. Luckily. had bag
with me- and | went In search or the
nearest hotel. There l made inquiries
about the old gentleman, whose name APP
peared TO be Oakhurst, and discovered
that he was the squire OF the pace;
Eventually, after some consideration,
decided 10 telegraph for my father. In
about an hour | received reply inqulrihB
anxiously whether anything had happen
ed 70 GeOrgiana. | merely informed nm
that GeOrgiana was quite well, and after
sending another telegram To my house
keeper. | endured bad dinner and
miserable evening in country hotel
My father arrived by an early tram
next day. | explained GeOrglanas pleas
antry with some vigor, and he looked
grave.
George is at times inconsiderate." he
aInconsideratew / said. "she ought to
be hanged
"Remember. Richard" he answered
"she Is a girl of very high spirits, and she
has not the advantage OF "A mothers care
We must 20 and reclaim our little lamb.
We went off 10 Mr. Oakbursts IN
search of the little lamb" and on reach-
ing our destination found the old gentle
man i'm a state OF considerable agitation |
He started by remarking IN a truculent |
tone that my cruelty had driven the |
poor child 90 this. This appeared 10 be
pencil scrawl from GeOrgiana, assert
ing that she had run away because her
stepfather would tract her down and beat
her, and we learned that she had vanish
ed mysteriOusly before breakfast and had
not since been seen. Ny father, who IS
usually the most courteous or men. evil
IDENTIFY considered the old gentleman re-
spOnsible for this new development. and
II was with considerable heat that he fin
ally convinced Dir. Oakhurst Of the truth.
At first the latter refused to believe IT,
and when he finally admitted IL declared
that GeOrgiana was a wicked little girl
and ought TO be in a refOrmatOry. My
father retOrted that she was as good as
gold when not abducted by OiiiciOus
strangers. and left the house in de-
mented condition. He wished 20 commune
cate with the police and furnish them
with a description Of GeOrgiana. L sug-
gested that we should first make inquir-