Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-12-27
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A COUNTRY COUSIN
She came and sax and conquered

! o e~~AN% et~~e>
| The news and the dessert were serv
ed simultaneously.
"By George, if hadn't nearly for
gottenY' quoth Stafford pere. He rum
mayed in an inner pocket.
eCan't find the letter Must have
left it at the Office Anyhow, it's from
my cousin, Godfrey Chester
snow, Henry" interrupted the mild
voice of Mrs. Stafford in amused ex
postulation, "why will you keep VI
that fiction about the cousinship? 1t is
mythical, and you know itr'
Its certainly remote" conceded the
beaming paterfamilias at the opposite
end of the table, Abut there once was
a relationship long time ago, ad
nit. But Chester and 1 have traced
back until we found it. He's a good
fellow, Chester. I've always been urg-
ing him to manage that our young peo-
pie may become acquainted. He writes
that his daughter will pass through
Chicago tomorrow, on the way to New
York, and will spend a few days with
US. He says he wishes one of my fam
lily would meet her. Bless my soul,
here's the letter after allr' lie put on
his spectacles and read aloud: You
can't mistake her. She's a curly head
ed little girl in a gray gown and hat
with gray feathers. She's nice child,
and I'll be glad to have her meet your
youngsters. Therew
"a childp' groaned Ralph, who was
% and studious.
He swallowed his cafe noir at a gulp
and rose disgustedly.
Youngsters, indeedw cried Dick dis
dainfully. Does he take us for kim
dergartners?"
Ross, who was the eldest, smiled in
quite a superior and disinterested fash
Ion. He boasted fourishing mus
tache. He was studying law. Plainly
the subject had no interest for him.
But one of you must meet the
child" cried the head of the house.
''You'H go, Ralph?"
"Can't, sir. I'm doing an article on
the architecture of the tenth century,
1t takes a lot of research. III be all
morning in the Newberry library"
Henry Stafford, huge of girth, roseate
of visage and twinkling of eye, turned
his face imploringly toward his young
est son.
'You. DiekY
s7-* as-sas. r->s.ssaa-aa. Can't make II
sir
~Dear. dearl If your sister were on
at home
She'll be back tomorrow afternoon
put in Mrs Stafford
'But the little girl gets here in ii
morning. She must be met She
from comparatively small town. ST
would be quite bewildered were she /
find herself alone in Chicago
He sent the good looking young fe
low with the mustache an appealin
glance.
81 wonder now Ross, if you''-
Ross laughed leniently. @You poo
perplexed old chap! Yes, I'll see ths
the child gets here all rightr'
"Goodr' said Henry Stafford, with
sigh of relief "GoodY
But when the western train disgors
ed its jostling multitude in the Unio
depot the following morning Ross Sta
ford, standing close by the iron gate
found that he had undertaken a task G
greater magnitude than he had at th
time imagined There was such a crus
of people, stout and thin, tall and shor
big and little. There were children
professions of them. But they a
seemed to belong to the folks who hui
ried them along. Never u glimpse coul
he catch of a curly headed little gil
in q gray gown, wearing a hat wit
gray feathers. Or was the dress brown
By Joye! He wasn't even sure of thai
The last laggard group triclzled away
Ross knew the conductor of the Den
yer train and spoke to him as he cam
hurrying along.
"All off your train, BrighamY
"Sure!''
There was a little girl coming t
Chicago-had curly hair, a blue dress
a green hat t. blest if l remember
Wasn't she on?"
"Alone, was she?"
"Yes."
mo, sir. Didn't come. Sure? Cours
l am"
Ross wheeled around. "Well, I'll tel
ephone the folks that she wasn't Oh
Dad can wire her people and find out
| beg your pardon!"
And he suddenly found himself bow
ing profoundly, hat in hand, before
young woman with whom he had al
most collided in his haste, a slende
young woman. a graceful young won
an, lovely young woman, as his sus
eeptible heart instantly acknowledged
She accepted his apology with
slight bend of the head and a viyi,
blush. Half way up the stairs h
glanced back and saw her standin;
where he had left her. He hesitatee
and went back.
! you are waiting for some one? CaI
1 be of seryice?'
"Thank your What a sweet voice
II am afraid there has been a mistake
No one has come to meet me. May
ask you to call cabY
And when he had done so, when sht
had thanked him, when he stood bare
headed ON the cu-bstone as the vehicle