Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-06-12

MY ldLueT, Salu STdnuluoenSt,s
promptly.
And then, as she was really very
polite little girl and wished to behave
properly, she introduced herself, Ant
I'm his little girl, an this is Lydia,
Tree" 3. 4
At the sight of Lydia Trees inter.
esting countenance held up for his tn-i
spection, the stranger seemed much af-#
fected. Probably he had never seen;
anything quite so beautiful. Grand
mother was very much pleased; so
when he asked her if she could get;
him drink of water, as he was very:
warm and thirsty, and politely offered
to hold Lydia Tree while she went to-
fetch it. she consented at once. 1t
would be pleasant and novel. expe-i
ricnce fer Lydia Tree to be on horse
back. She was not the mother to deny
her child any reasonable pleasure or
advantage. Lydia Tree was handed up
to the stranger. and grandmother de-
parted for the water.
1t took her some minutes. for the;
drinking gourd was rather large Tor
her small hands, and she had to walk
very slowly to avoid spilling the water.
When she reached the horse block she
saw Lydia Trees head sticking out
from the top of the strangers jacket.
She looked very much distressed,
grandmother thought, buttoned up in
that way, with her arms inside. Grand.
mother felt half inclined to cry. She
was just about to request Lydia Trees
return, when the stranger finished his
long draught.
II think III take Lydia Tree now.
please" said grandmother, holding up,
her short arm. -
The man cast his rapid glance over
the yard. There was no one in sight.
He gave his horse a sharp cut
with the whip. 1t seemed to grand,
mother afterward that in that one,
jump they were down the road, leav=i
ing nothing behind them but cloud.
of dust.
1t was several moments before her,
poor little brain was pierced with the
terrible idea that Lydia Tree had also;
gone. For a moment she was simply
paralyzed with anguish. Then, with a
cry which brought her mother run:
ming from the house, she threw her.
self on the ground In tempest Of
tears. %
1t was some time before. any one
could make out what had happened.
Poor grandmother could only wiring
her hands and sob: Lydia Trees Of
Lydia Tree" When, finally, she had:
become sufficiently coherent to- give
them some idea of the TRACED y That
s,lefassrlr
and several of the farm hands started
in pursuit, Grandmot was a great.
favorite and everybody burned with inrI
dignation to think that grown man!
should meanly rob little girl Of her.
treasure.
The man had too long start. Never
again had grandmother set eyes on
him or Lydia Tree, although it was
many years before she gave over ex-.
pecting them both. She could not be-
lieve that he did not intend to come
back. Her heart was sore at the
thought of Lydia Tree compelled to
live among strangers. They all decid-
ed that the man was probably sailor
who had stolen this odd-looking baby
doll, perhaps to take to a little child
Of his own.
GRANDMOTHER father tried to COM
fort her by promising that John should
make another Lydia Tree for her. John
somehow understood little girls as few
grown-up people do. So he made her
playhouse instead, for which grand
mother was secretly very grateful. al
though she did not think it right to
say she didn't want another doll, as
her father had suggested it. She and
John became greater friends than ever.
He certainly did have a grandfather's.
heart.
This story of Lydia Tree was An
nie's favorite story. She never tired Of
hearing it. 1t was her secret convlc-
tion that Lydia Tree would return
some day, although grandmother had
given up expecting her. She never
dreamed that she was to have any part
in it.
When Annie was 10 years old, her
father had some business that obliged
him to go away over to Holland, to
the city of Amsterdam. AS he might
have to be there for many months,
Annie and her mother went with
him.a 1t was certainly q great cx-
pcrience for a little girl, and to say
that Annie enjoyed all the wonderful
things she saw on that journey and
the quaint life in that curious old
world city would not express it. 1t
is only with the part of her journey
that has to do with Lydia Tree that
this story is concerned.
"uCu AulllC duu uCI ulOtuSl Aou
been living in Amsterdam about a
month there was great fair held
there for the benefit Of some charity.
Annies father had been told that one
of the chief exhibits was collection
of all sorts of curious toys, which the
children from all parts OF the world
are accustomed to play with. So An
ME and her mother went one after
noon.
1t would take too long to tell of all
the curious things that made up that
wonderful collection-of the tops from
Iceland, kites from Japan. stills from
the Marquesas islands. and what An
ME called "Noah's Arks," from Africa
or course what interested her most
was the collection of dolls. Annie
thought most of them frightful, and
felt great deal of pity for the un-
fortunate children who had nothing
better to play with.
There was very kind man there
who explained a great many things
to Annie and her mother in faultless