The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-14


knowing OF Zepherine's expressed pur-
pose to go III search of her father when
the opportune moment should arrive. TO
the surprise of the sister, and, indeed
of all, Zepherine took the suggestion
seriously
But, yes, my sister," she remarked,
with gentle gravity, "it is true. 1t is on
the way there. Do I go by your advice?"
"Silly child" the sister cried, taken
aback, you will do nothing of the kind.
You take me too seriously
Zepherine shook her head solemnly
mo, my sister: today 1 am eighteen /
have finished here. Now I 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 I feel he is there, my sister,"
Zepherine persisted Hourly 1 pray to
be set right; but it is alwaye the same.
/ I have the strong feeling that re is
there waiting for me-. my sister"
but will you have reason, silly child?"
/ cried the sister.
'It is reasonable; my sister, to have
the strong desire to find my father" re-
piled Zepherine.
At any rate, it seemed reasonable to
the girl; and as she was to so away from
the convent and out into the world in
any event, the Mother Superior decided
to take the matter into her own hands
So she wrote to Father Martin at NAL
! vern, making such inquiries as the ma
/ ture of the case and her strong inter
/ est in the girl called for. Father Martin
! knew the Cloptons we'll, and he lost no
time in placing in the Mother Superior's
/ hands such information as was calculated
/ to set her mind at rest. So, at last,
! after considerable correspondence, the
matter was arranged definitely, and She
! young girl came South 20 begin, as she
| thought the search for her father.
! 1t was the beginning of summer Whon
Zepherine reached Shady Dale. As for
| Zepherine she felt she was taking long
/ step in the direction of her. father, and
/ there was never moment when she re-
GREETED it, save during the last hour Of
! her journey, when depression seized her,
and all sorts of doubts and fears and
grim forebodings took possession of her
mind But, after all, matters fell out
very well. Who could have dreamed that
/ Sarah Clopton would take the girl in her
arms at the first moment OF their meet
| ing?
The little French Canadenne, shy as
a wood blossom, very quickly made
place for herself in the hearts of those
who came to know ner well She was
/ tmid and sensitive to degree, and yet
had a certain form of pride that stood
| her in good stead. For one thing this
pride compelled her to learn English very
| rapidly, and there was certain dainti
ness in her way of speaking the difficuft
tongue that tickled Mr.. Billy Sanders i'm
mensely.
! 'Be jigged eff she don't know the die
tionary by heart" he declared on one
occasion. Shes like the gal in the can
dy store that guesses what you want by
the way your mouth dribblCs. This
French girl picks out the purtiest words
you ever heard in all your born days
And there was a good deal of truth in
what Mr. Sanders said, and he was partly
responsible for it, With no particular
knowledge of literary English, Mr. Sand
/ ers nevertheless had a very keen car
for the vernacular, and a broad smile
/ used to spread over his benevolent coun-
tenance when Zephorine tripped in her
English. There were times when she
/ thought she hated Mr. Sanders, but his
a5niles spurred her on until she came to
handle the vernacular much more cor
rectly than any of her acquaintance
but always with a quaint accent which
Nan Darlington thought the most beauti-
full sound her ears had ever heard.
Mr.. Sanders used to contend that he
inc and John Barleycorn. Nan, who was
only thirteen. spent more than two thirds
of her waking thought IN the land Of
romance. TO her, Zepherine was beau4
tiful girl, who was the victim of some
malicious fairy She would find her faith
err, and then the spell would be broken.
| If she didn become princess she would
at least marry some handsome young
man. AMI be happy forever after. rs
for Mr. Sanders, Nan regarded him as a
man who could work magic if he had turn
ed into beautiful prince right before her
eyes she would not have been in the
least surprised. She knew perfectly
well that he could find Zepherine's faith
or. or tell her now to find him, when
ever he thought the proper time had
come Such was her confidence in the
saw TO him when they were alone to-
gethcr: Don't let's find Miss John S
father too soon. she might go away.
Mr.. Sanders always humored Mans
romances. When her mischievoUsDess
became uncomfortable, Mr.. Sanders had a
way of making a very demure young wo-
man of the child. Don't be sech a
rowdy, Nam he would say. Frank Be
thunc owes you whippini an I'll make
him pay you off eff you don't behave"
The melton of Bethune's name always
had a SOLDERING effect on Nan The two
were supposed TO be sworn enemies, and
were not even on speaking terms.
After the advent of Zepherine the old
Clopton homestead no longer had an
empty appearance. Nan came every day.
and in fact spent more than half of her
time there
Mr.. Sanders took a great fancy to the
stranger from the first Otter the old
man would draw her gently toward him.
/ as she had seen him draw Nan. and
say I'll be your pappy honey, till YOU
( find q ,ott0r ono " She knew from th0