The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-03-28
wiE:Al. tiny.
BY M. ATWOOD STUART.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The train rolled out of more than
Egyptian darkness and stopped sud
denly.
The flare of many lights, the rum.
BILE and roar of traffic, aud the throngs
OF people in the streets, proclaimed
the station TO be city, and great
one.
The passengers whose changing
place OF destination is was, poured
out, pushing aud jostling against
stream of people coming in, for the
train was through one and the time
limited.
Among the last to reach the plat
form was n young girl, clad in mourn
ing, evidently a stranger. She booked
about her wonderingly, as though
with the commoion and noise and
confusion she could hardly think.
Presently, by tue intercession of the
station master, she secured a carriage
and rode away.
By-and-by she reached her destina-
ton, and because she so desired, in the
cour of events she found herself in
the presence of the master of the
house. In his hand he held the letter
brought him by his careful heuchman,
who state | that the bearer waited be-
low. Having perused the letter, the
edict had returned that she appear
before him.
Have you come straight from
homer"
eyes"
"How long has it taken you?"
She told him.
"And what is your name?"
"Woalthy."
"Humphl Don't fit your present
fortune"
A pause.
'How old are you?'.
sixteen my next birthday"
"Umph"
Another pause.
'Well, Dorothy, I suppose we shall
have TO let her stay"
Let her stay! and the pale orphan
girl, mere child, without father or
mother, was his own brothers daugh-
ter, stranger in strange land al
most, homeless and penniless; and
the Dunnings could have housed a
regiment, and were fairly rolling in
wealth.
A-trembling with the strangeness
of the reception, scarcely comprehend
ing the right and the wrong of the
whole matter, and already homesick,
timid little Wealthy stood with down
cast eyes brimming over with tears,
while they so positively decided her
fate.
Mrs. Dorothy Dunning put down
her work.
''Come with me, "she said. Wealthy
followed to an apartment containing
two beds. Hore she was told she
might sleep. ''This bed will be
yours" indicating the bed containing
one child, land you can have the care
of these three children" pointing to
the other, in which were two, three
boys in all. sleeping soundly.
''You can dress them in the morn
ing, hear their prayers, and open the
room to air. Then come to me and
will tell you what next to do"
Wealthy silently acquiesced by an
inclination Of the head.
Left alone, she gave up, heartbroken,
to real, genuine grief.
''Oh, papa, papai" she sobbed, as
she crept to bed at last, weeping.
Poor little Wealthy!
"On the whole, 1t is quite MS well, :"
said Mrs. Dunning, when she went
back to the drawing-room. I'VE will
discharge the present muse for
Arthur, Rob and Joe, and she can
serve instead. She told you she was
nearly l6, and she looks capable.
''her name will do very we'll for n
servant" remarked Lou, the olde,t
daughter, and young lady oftne fa 4ly,
looking over the top of her music
sheet.
Extraordinarily a servant. You
must remember she is your cousin.
you know" said Doctor Dunning.
evincing slight twinge OF con.
science.
''She needn't try CONSUMING me-"
muttered Lou, turning away to her
own affairs; and at the end of week
Mrs. Dorothy Dunning had decided
the same, and mentally vowed that
the handy Wealthy should forget the
relationship, and keep her place with
the children and mind the housework,
which she could perform with such
dexterity.
So Wealthy found herself one of
the nurses, who were employed to
take care OF the six Dunning chill
dren, her charge being the three