The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-14

Time had neither dimm"i The luster OF
her eyes nor marr-d her features. am! there
was d mature. an almost ma@culin".
strength in her face that gave an added
charm to her conversation.
What she longed for AMI most needed
was companiorship.
There are moments WHEN the busiest Of
women are thrown back upon themselves
intervals when their natures demand rum-
munication with some thoroughly cpn@enial
person. This was eminently true Of Sarah
Clopton.
Francis Bethune had arrived at an age
| when he could be depended on to take care
of himself. and 1t was Rot to be supposed
that he would continue 10 hang to the
apron strings OF his aunt.
Besides Francis Bethune. there was Elsie
Clopton. the young widow of Sarah'~ broth
er, McGiflivray Clopton; tut there were
| streaks of frivolity and folIy in the char
, acter of Elsie. that the elder woman found
unbearable.
A widow with the airs, ways and 70
mantle notions of a schoolgirl i not thu
most attractive person in thu world.
The young widow had some attractive
qualities. but none that So far offset her
silly rOmancing as TO commend her To
- ANA Ai.'Ata~llP
Then there We're Doctor Randolph Dor
%rington, and his daughter, Nan.
Both of thes were indeed the objects Of
Sarah Clopton's affecticna;- appreciation.
but they We're what they Were.
One, d practicing physician. busy some
times day and night; the other the most
delicious and surprising little girl in the
world-and not 50 small, either. when you
came TO think about II, but bubbling over
with the high spirits Of JOYOUS and limo
cent youth.
Moved. therefore,. By an impulse which
she could not have explained If she had
tried, Sarah Clopton caused an advertise
ment to be inserted in the Malvern Pc
corGer. This notice was wordec To the fol-
lowing effect:
WASTED-sy a middle.ased lad: q nl~sas, a
refinement. and possessed OF som. musical a.
coIRpiishments preferred. The position will not
be u serv.ie one. Applicant sh0Uii cyrI= we'll
recommended.
To this were added the necessary details
covering the address.
A few days after the notice appeared in
the Malvern newspaper. Father Martin. who
had charge of the small Cathnlir com
Inunity in that city. gave an entertain
Inent TO a missionary priest, who was on
his way TO Canada from New Orleans.
To the care of his guest Father Martin
intrusted a trifiing souvenir, to be delivered
to the mother superior of the Convent of
the Sacred Heart at St. Hyacintie.
At this convent Father Martins only sis
ter had died while attending the school.
Whatever the token NAV have been he
wrapped it in a copy of the Malvern Re
corder, tied the bundle neatly, and saw that
this guest placed it safely IN his travelling
satcheI.
This particular copy of the Recorder con
tanned Sarah Clopton's advertisement.
The souvenir reached its destination in
due time and was received with pious ap-
probation.
Then, when the mother superior was find
ing 4 place for il. where II would rrlnin,I
her of the sender. and especially of tie
young girl, dead long ago. one % the sis
tiers. moved by curiosity. smoDthed the
wrinkles and creases OF the wrapper. and
almost the first thing or which her eyes
fell was the advertisement Of Sarah Clop-
ton.
She called to zepherine Dion. and. for
b~revity's sake. turned the matter rapidly
into French. though Zepherine could read
and write English fairly well.
1T is on the way to New Orleans" the
sister suggested.
Now. this was intended as a piece Of
pleasantly. all the sisters knowing % Zern-
crimes expressed purpose To 90 in search
Of her father when the oppor'une moment
should arrive.
To the surprise of the sister. ana. indeed.
of all. Zepherine took the suggestion seii-
ously.
BIT. yes. my sister" she remarked. with
gentle gravity. lit is true. 1t IS on the
way there. Do ] go by yoGr advice"
silly child" the sister cried, taken
abaek: you will DO nothing of the kind.
You take me too seriously"
Zepherine shook her head solemnIy.
No. my sister; to-day l am IS. l have
finished here. Now l must find my dear
father. He is there She waved her hand
toward the South.
"Oh, folly. folly" cried the sister.
alarmed at the serious attitude of the girl.
You know not where your father is. the
poor man. Perhaps the good God has taken
him: you know not"
But l feel he is there. my sister" Zeph- |
crime persisted. Hourly l pray to be set