Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-11-01

i
ting the door, she carried her to the
window, pausing to wrap a rug round
her, for she was in her small night
! gown, just as she had jumped out of
bed and shivering violently.
Eyes, yes, you shall stay with me-"
she said soothingly, in her round soft
voice. But what is the matter?
Where are Jane and Harriet"
Jane has gone; she said she was
! not going to stay in this house to-
J night for anything we could offer her.
She just got the gardeners boy to take
her box after dark, and went. l don't
know what Aunt Clare will say, and
harriet will not sleep in my room
without her."
J What! they both slept there?"
Eyes, because of the strange noises
and-and things. l woke up and called
out, and when l got up and felt Har-
riet was not there, and her blankets
were gone, my heart seemed to stop
beating-I could not breathe. All
thought of was you; l should be safe
if could get to you. Something passed
me in the passage; l felt it brushing
against me. 1t was a ghost, wasn't
it?" And she covered down into Mol
lies arms, pitiable object indeed.
Kate was almost beside herself, and
it was long ere Mollie could calm her
agitation. Inwardly the sisters heart
burned with wrath against the two
maids, who in their own ignorant fear
had left this highly-strung child alone
at such time, after the shock of the
preceding year. Seriously alarmed,
she rubbed the icy little hands and
feet. talking cheerfully the while, and
then rocked to and fro until the
breathing grew quieter, and the f1axen
head lay still on her shoulder, while
she hummed the old lullaby which had
sounded in her own drowsy ears when
she was a little child.
Mother sang that" Kate said, sud-
denly looking up with faint smile.
when found l was alone, l said all
l could remember of my prayers-'Our
Father over and over again.
Il am glad of that" replied Mol!ie
| lcdIeu yOu uOl, hdlc
81 am Freethinker in the daytime;
but at night in the dark, when l am
frightened, | always say all l can
think Of" said the child, with quaint
innocence, all the self-importance
knocked out of her for the moment
by terror.
She listened very quietly when Mol
lie tried to show her that this was
wrong, and then her thoughts went
back to the last Easter eve, and she
spoke of her father.
1T was very cold-oh, very!" she
said reflectively. "He took me out in
the dogcart, and l cried with the cold
so he was cross. l did not know he
was going to die, you see, or l would
| have tried not to-"
But you loved him, Kate?" ---s--r-~r
Pretty WE'LL she responded truth
fully, for she had not words to ex-
press what she was sharp enough to
know-that her father had cared for
her for what she had represented to
him. when l went to the study to
say good night to him, he called out
he was busy, SO l went away. Next
morning when l awoke the snow was
thick, and l heard screams and shrieks
so l jumped out of bed and ran to the
| top of the stairs and looked down.
and all the servants were there at
the study door, looking in and wiring
| ing their hands, and crying, and Aunt
Glare, with her hair streaming about,
calling out that they must get a doc
tor and send for Henri. l went fur
Their down the stairs and asked what
was the matter, and they shrieked
more, and said: Take the child
away!' But would not go until nurse
Gained me, and she told me my ia
| Their was dead. l asked what made
! him die, and she said: Want of
breath And then heaps of people
came, and there was a bequest."
Inquest" corrected Mollie, with
SILVER, the little girls words bringing
the whole scene before her with start
ling vividness; then, as she felt that
Kate was again shuddering in her
arms, she added: But we will not
think of it any more"
| 81 can't help it," she moaned,
trembling. Something in black has
glided up and down the passage ever
since That door is heard to open ard
shut when every one is in bed All
the servants know this, and woa't
stay. Ask them"
"Oh, Kate, this is really nonsense!"
Mollie exclaimed in horror; then.
drawing back the blind she pointed to
the still, quiet night without. where
the soft breeze was signing through
the budding trees, the moon riding
serene in the dark blue sky above.
And see, even the weather is differ
ent this year. Look at the beautiful
world God has given us to live in!
And if we are good He will certainly
take care of us; we need fear moth
ing. Why, even little sparrow can
not fall to the ground but what He
sees it; and we are His children. whom
the Lord Christ came to save"
Kate drank !, her words with
look of old intelligence that made her
! seem as if she had never been a child
But as Mollie put her into bed, two
| slight arms were suddenly flung round
the soft white throat, and she whisp-
cred with passionate fervor:
"Oh, l am glad am awfully glad
that God l. s given me you for sis
ter, Mollie,"
But long after the little one had
fallen asleep, Mollie sat by her, think
| ing, thinking-w did it all mean?