Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-03-15
A Country Cousin.

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The news and the dessert were
served simultaneously. by George,
if l hadn't nearly forgotten" quoth
Stafford pere. He rummaged in an
inner pocket. Cant find the letter.
Must have left it at the Office. Any
how, it's from my cousin. Godfrey
Chester"
Now, Henry" interrupted the mild
voice of Mrs. Stafford in amused eX-
postulation. why will you keep up
that fiction about the cousinship? 1t
is mythical and you know it,"
Its certainly remote" conceded the
beaming Daterfamilias at the opposite
end of the table. but there once was
a relationship long time ago, ad-
nit. But Chester and | have taken
the world as we found it. He's a good
fellow and I've always been urging
him to manage that our young people
may become acquainted. He writes
chat his daughter will pass through
Chicago tomorrow on the way to New
York, and will spend few days with
us. He says he wishes one of my
family would meet her. Bless my
soul, here's the letter after ALL" He
put on his spectacles and read
aloud:-
"'You can't mistake her. She's q
curly-headed little girl, in a gray gown
and hat with gray feathers. She's
u nice child. and I'll be glad to have
Ier meet your youngsters There!"
"a child!" groaned Ralph, who was
20 and studious.
He swallowed his cafe noir at
Gulp and rose disgustedly.
youngsters, indeed" cried Dick
disdainfully. Does he take us for
kindergartners?
Ross, who was the eldest. smiled in
quite a superior and disinterested
fashion. He boasted q flourishing
mustache. He was studying law.
Plainly, the subject had no interest
for him.
"Eh, but one of you must meet the
child" cried the head of the house.
you'll go. RalDh?"
Cant, sir. I'm doing an article on
the architecture of the tenth century.
1t takes lot of research. I'll be all
morning in the Newberry library"
Henry Stafford. huge of girth, rose
ate of visage and twinkling of eye,
| turned his harvest moon face implor-
ingly toward his youngest son.
You, Dick?"
Got golf match on. Can't make
it, sir"
Dear, dear! If your sister were
only at home"
She'll be back tomorrow after
noon," put in Mrs. Stafford.
But the little girl gets here in the
morning. She must be met. She is
from comparatively small town.
She would be quite bewildered were
she to find herself alone in Chicago.
Besides, I'm under several obliga-
tions to Chester in business way"
He sent the good looking young fellow
with the mustache an appealing
glance.
81 wonder now. Ross. If you"
Ross laughed leniently.
"You poor, perplexed old chap.
Yes, I'll see that the child gets here
all right"
Good" said Henry Stafford, with a
sigh of relief. Good"
But when the Western train disgorg-
ed its jostling multitude in the Union
depot the following morning Ross
Stafford, standing close by the iron
gates, found that he had undertaken
task of greater magnitude than he
had at the time imagined. There was
such crush of people, stout and thin,
tall and short, big and little. There
We're children-procession Of them.
But they all seemed to belong to the
folks who hurried them along Never
glimpse could he catch of a curly
headed little girl in a gray gown,
wearing a hat with gray feathers. Or
was the dress brown? BY Jove! He
wasn't even sure of that.
The last laggard group trickled
away. Ross knew the conductor OF
/ the Denver train--spoke to him as he
came hurrying along.
"All off your train, Brigham?"
"Sure."
/ There was little girl coming to
Chicago-had curly hair-a blue dress
/ "a green hat-blest if l remember
Wasn't she on?"
"Alone, was she?"
yes"
"No, sir. Didn't come. Sure?
/ Course am"
Ross wheeled around.
well, I'll telephone the folks that
she wasn't on. Dad can wire her peo-
pie and find out beg your pardon."
And he suddenly found himself bow
ing profoundly. hat in hand, before a
young woman with whom he had al
most collided in his haste, a slender
young woman, graceful young wom-
an, lovely young woman, as his sus-
ceptible heart instantly acknowledged
She accepted his apology with n