The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-06-20

pltal pet. Sne was very pIcIly, Ho"
that she was clean and we'll cared for;
and she was such an active, happy,
little busy body. The pale little bed
ridden invalids who filled the cots in
the Children's Ward bri shtened at the
sight of her, and so did the grown-up
sufferers downstairs. Sometimes she
was miscllicvous. Sister Agnes ap
pearcd once just in time TO see her
offering cake of soap to little lame
boy, with the information that it was
the incest candy he ever tasted in his
life, and the confilng little fellow was
opening his mouth for a large sized
bite, when Sister Agnes came TO his
rescue. Another time she hid Sister
Theresa's prayer book, and made her
late to chapel. But generally speak
ing she was very sweet and biddable.
She even went so far as to learn several
long hymns to please the Sisters, but
l don't think she enjoyed them much.
For the most part she was happy
from morning till night. Only Oh Wis.
iting day she used TO look rather sad
and wistiul, Tor the other child en- were
al! SO happy over seeing their fathers
and mothers and brothers and sisters,
and nobody ever came to see Geral-
dine. Then there was a rich little
girl, who had room all to herself.
Geraldine used to 60 in to see her some
times, but she always came away look
Ing trife depressed, for the rich little
girl had way of showing Geraldine
all the pretty presents her mamma
brought her each day, and talking to
her about the trip to Europe she was
going OH as soon as she was well.
Geraldine knew very little about Eu-
rope, but she was greatly impressed.
"Ain't there no place farther otf'n
Eurup?' she asked the young doctor
one day, and when he told her that
China was twice as far away, she
heaved long sigh of relief. After
that the blessings of the rich little girl
seemed less over -powering.
At last, one Friday, when three
o'clock struck and the visitors were
allowed to come upstairs, Geraldine
gave cry of delight. jumped off the
big rocking horse she was bestriding,
and flew across the room to throw her
self into a woman's arms. 1t was her
mother. Geraldine had forgotten all
about the saucepan and the burned
arm. She only knew that she had a
mother like the other children, and
that her mother had come to See her.
"I'm goin' hom,! I'm goin' home!
Me mithcr's come ter take me homeH'
she cried out joyfnlly few minutes
later when she caught $. CHIT OF Sister
Agnes.
Sister Agnes felt big lump rise in
her throat. The child was perfectly
cured. They had no right to keep her
if her mother wanted her. But how
they hated to give her up! They felt
little hurt, too, over Geraldine's s
cheerfulncss in leaving them. She had
been so happy, had seemed so fond of
them, and yet here she was going back
to dirt and neglect with positive rap
turc.
girl. Her Whole face slowed with a
sense of Importance.
"Me mither's come to take me home
in kerridge wild six white horses" }"
she announced, impressivcly. And
she's brung me a diamond necklace
and a velvet dress
Lets see them," said the rich little
girl. with languid interest.
"They'v been all took down ter the
kerridge,' returned Geraldine, un-
abashed.
"And is your mother going to take
you to Eurom?' asked the rich little
girl.
"Aw, Eurup ain'L in it, Miss Grral
dine replied, with scornful toss of
her head. I'm agoin' ter Chinyr'
So Geraldine went home with her
mother: and all the people in the hos
pital felt as If a ray of sunshine had
gone out of their lives.
A month or so a:lerward, rs one OF
the Sisters was passing through the
hall she saw the big front door swing
open slow y and uncertainty. A small
figure, with red plaid shawl over her
head, appeared from behind it. She
looked even smaller than she was, be-
cause the front door and the entrance
hall OF the hospital were so very big.
"I've come back" said voice from
under the shawl
"Why, Geraldin.!" exclaimed the
Sister, running over to kiss the dirty
face under the red folds, "is this really
you? How's your arm?'
"Oh, me arms all right; it's me
mither."
whats the matter? Is she iil?'
Her? Divil Bit" said the child,
contemptuously. Its drunk she ISL
"Oh!' gasped the Sister, dismayod
by such language.
80 I've come back here ter stay"
Geraldine went on.