Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-28
CHAPTER w.
They Meet Again.

door of her sisters room before Nettie had
fairly reached the top floor. What is the
matter?' she called to Nettie, as soon as
she was within hearing; has Topsy seen
cat?"
"Oh. it's worse than cat" said Nettie.
putting Topsy in the arms of her mistress
and dropping into the nearest chair.
Why" said Miss verro. smoothing Topsy.
who had ceased barking the moment she
caught sight of her mistress, lit isn't tve
minutes since looked out of the window
and saw you having a talk with a nice-look-
ing little girl. Who was she?"
Nettfe looked blank.
"Oh, dear me-" she said. I'VE didn't tell
each other our names, but maybe we would
if We had been let alone long enough"
She then gave an account of the interrupt
ton, closing with something very like
sob as she asked:
do you suppose it was because kept her
so long talking to me, that the man scolded
and hurt her SOP"
You were not to blame for that, dear
child" said Miss Verro, kindly, but per-
haps it was only some rude boy who was
passing, and wanted to brighten her; what
became of her, do you know"
oh, no, ma am. was so frightened about
Topsy, she was bound to go right through
that hole, so / didn't wait to find out any
thing. I'm sorry, for she was a kind little
girl; she's funny, too. She has a pet hen,
named Flora McFlimsey, and she said some
time shed take me In her yard and let
me see her. because, you know, I've never
seen a real live hem
"Oh, you poor child" said Miss Julia,
how do wish we could just carry you off
with US to the dear old home in the Shenan-
doah valley"
Yes" said Miss Verro, and maybe we
can some day." and she smiled at Nettie in
a way that sent all sorts of happy dreams
floating through her little head.
But now, Julia, dear" she continued,
isn't 1t time for your medicine?'
THAT reminds me, Ann" said Miss Julia,
my medicine is all gone. 1 rang for bell
boy two hours ago, and told him to be sure
to come up here by half-past three to get
the bottle, so he could go to the drug store
and have 1t refilled."
And 1t is now five minutes of four" said
Miss Verro, impatiently. We'll, there is
nothing else to do but ring again and then
wait another half hour for him to go to the
drug store and back" and she reached for
ward to ring the bell.
Let ME go, Miss Verro," said Nettfe
eagerly. Mamma says I'm good to do err
randS."
why, you little blessing I have a good
mind to let you; it's only a block or so to
the drug store, and know you'd be smarter
than one of those dreadful boys"
She handed the money and the bottle to
Nettie, told her how to find the drug store.
and added:
"All you need to do is just to hand the
bottle to the clerk: the number of the pre-
scription is on the bottle, you see"
Thus with nothing to ask for, and very
little to remember, the errand seemed a
simple one to Nettie and she sped away
gladly.
AS she was entering the drug store a little
girl came around the corner, Nettie at a
glance saw that she wore beautiful clothes
but In her haste she did not look at her the
second time. To her surprise the little girl
came running toward her, exclaiming:
oh there, you are, the little girl that
never saw hen.''
same little girl who had talked to her
through Mrs. Mullards gate.
My name is Nettie Howells,' she said
little stiff1y.
"Oh," said the other girl, laughing, $50
you don't like that way of calling you?
Well, you ought to have said, There's the
little girl that worked for the hen.' Why
didn't your
II don't know" answered Nettie but L
guess it was because 1 didn't think Of it,
She moved on into the store, and the other
little girl promptly followed her. Where is
Topsy, and what are you doing down here?
thought you were coming to my house."
she said.
Nettie did not reply to these questions
until she had handed the bottle to the drug
gist and explained what she wanted, then
she turned to the little girl and said:
Topsy is at her home, and came down
here after some medicine for Miss Julia
Verro, who is sick in bed all the time SO
you see l cannot go to your house today;
be time for me to go home. But who was
it that scolded you, and did he hurt your"
Il should say he did; 1t was one of Mrs.
Mullards bell-boys and he pulled my hair
awfully. I'd like to tell my papa, but IL
l do he'll only say had no business there
at the gate.'
"Oh, dear; I'm sorry I talked to you so
long
open that little door and call after me. 1t
was just that bad Joes fault; he yells at
me whenever see him.
ooh. it was Joe. was it?' said Nettie.
well, he isn't very nice boy, I'm afraid"
We'll, no matter about him now can't
you come to my house tomorrow, and bring
Topsy?"
ri have to ask mamma, and I'll have to
ask Miss Verro about Topsy."
But who is Miss Verro? 1 thought Topsy
belonged to Mrs. Mullard."
Nettie then explained about Topsy's mis-
tress. The little girl listened with great
interest; she had never heard of an in
valid before, and repeated the word many
times.
II am glad that Topsy doesn't belong to
Mrs. Mullard," she said, because mamma
doesn't like her very we'll She told papa
one day"at the dinner table that Mrs Null
lard had told some one that mamma was
an aristocrat. Do you know what that So"
NO. don't believe do. Why didn't Won
ask your mamma?"
ooh, did, of course, but she looked at
papa and laughed and then she said little
girls must De seen and not heard / lust
hate to hear people say that. | should
think they'd rather hear me than see me,
for once in while do say funny things:
anyway, people laugh at them and l know
I'm not beautiful. so they can't want to
see me very much
Il think you have beautiful hairy said
Nettie, kindly. Il couldn't half see YOU
through that hole in the gate. and didn't
know your hair was so long and pretty"
"Oh, bother my hair said the little
girl tossing her long auburn curls. II don't
think it's bit pretty. and l get so cross
when nurse combs it, and now I'll tell YOU
the Secret I promised. you know, about
what I'm going to do with my chicken
money, but you mustn't ever. ever tell;
promise now"
''Tll not tell any one but mamma"
'Oh, do you tell her everything?"
Eyes, don't you tell your mamma every
thing?'
I'D like to, but she doesn't have time to
listen 20 me; she's always so busy, and she
says my chatter makes her nervous But
now, 1 don't care If you do tell your mann
ma this secret, because she doesn't know
my mamma. and SO, of course, she can't tell
her about it..
"She wouldn't. anyway" said Nettie,
proudly. she doesn't tell things that are
secrets. :"