Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-16
TOPsY ON THE TOP FLOOR
By CLARA J. DENTON.
Copyright. 1901. by George w. Jacobs & Coz
CHAPTER XIII.
Real Country.

The ladies have received a dispatch from
Virginia, saying that their sister is dying.
Miss Julia, of course, is not well enough TO
undertake the journey. and poor Miss Ann
is half wild. She wants to go and see her
sister once more, but she can't bear to
leave poor Miss Julia all alone in that big
boarding house."
80, mammal" exclaimed Nettie, Il know
what Miss Julia can do; she can go to the
sanitarium.''
why, what in the world do you mean,
child?' asked the astonished Mrs. Howells.
Nettie then showed the card given her by
the policeman, and repeated all he had said
about the new doctor.
81 tell you, mamma she went on,
eagerly, you write Miss Verro note right
off, and Daisy will carry it to her, won't
your
What, before dinner? I'm getting aw-
fully hungry
You shall have something to eat here,
said Mrs. Howells. But, Nettie think it
will be nicer for you to write the note, as
the whole plan comes through you. While
you are writing, Daisy can eat a little
lunch in the dining room. Dinner isn't
quite ready, l see, but some fruit and bread
and butter will keep you from furnishing
until you reach home. Come on, Daisy;
and they left the room together, Mrs
HowellS closing the door after them.
In little while Nettie had the following
note ready for Daisy to carry:
AT Home, Wednesday, A. NJ.
my Dear Misses Verro:
Il received your lovely flowers and your
nice note. l was just as glad as l could he
to get both. But mamma has just come
home and told me about the Sad News you
have had. l am going to put in this note
card that the policeman, who picked me up
yesterday, gave me. He is a good man. He
lives at Room 120, Nugent Block. He says
his daughter had Spinal Trouble awful bad,
and this doctor cured her, and now she is
teaching school. And this doctor takes peo-
pie right home to his house. He calls it a
long name that I can say, but 1 haven't
learned how to spell it yet. And thought,
cured while Miss Verro goes to your other
sister. l guess they'd let you take Topsy
there, for Mr.. Brady says she's the prettlest
doggie he ever saw, and L don't believe he'd
like that doctor if he doesn't like dogs.
Goodbye. l hope you will go.
Your Loving Little Friend,
'NETTIE HOWELLS.'
Daisy was ready for the letter as soon as
Nettie had finished it,
I'D like to have you read my note over,
mamma" said Nettie, but please don't
change anything, because if you do 1t
wouldn't be my very own letter. L tried to
spell all my words right; L put in two or
three commas and l guess my capitals
aren't mixed up very much
When Daisy was gone Mrs. Howells took
her lead pencil and wrote something on a
piece of paper which she handed to Nettie.
There, dear she said, ARE the mistakes
you made, and l think it was pretty well
done for a little girl
But, o, mamma, do you suppose it will
be in time? was such long while writing
it, and Daisy's got to get there yet; maybe
they'll both be gone
''Why, no. dear; remember Miss Verro
cannot go until the train does, and the next
Wi n ieh
so there is ample time, you see.''
But. do you think Miss Julia will try
that doctor just because policeman whom
she never saw says he's a good doctor? If
you could only find out something about She
place and could tell her about it / am sure
it would make lot of difference.
Il have heard of his doctor, and I think
all that Mr. Brady says is true, although
we cannot, of course, be sure that he can
cure Miss Julia but to please you, and help
along your good work, l will go to Miss
Verro's again as soon as we have eaten our
dinner. Then l will write you a note and
send it over by one of the library runners
SO you'll not have to sit all the afternoon
and wonder what they think of your nice
little scheme
80. mamma said Nettie. while her eyes
beamed, you are just the Smartest and
best mamma that ever lived
An hour or SO afterward one of the
library boys-"runners'' they were called
because they brought the books from the
shelves to the people who came to the
library-knocked at the sitting room door
and laid neat little note in Nettie's hand.
She curled herself up in the easy chair,
broke the seal and read the following
quaint little note:
ITO the Little Prisoned Bird with the
Broken Wing:
Your messenger brings good news. The
beautiful prisoners who live near the sky
have received from the faraway southland
message full of comfort The sick one is
better, therefore, there will be no fitting to
f1,.f l,cfov Low Iy,,tf l, 10,
prisoner has listened to the advice of the
little bird with the broken wing and
will go to the blessed retreat mentioned.
The silken-haired pet will stay near the sky
and comfort the other lonely prisoner
All this made Nettie very happy for 1t
meant that Miss Ann was not going away
that Miss Julia would, perhaps. get WELL
and that Topsy would not have to be taken
away to strange home.
The next few days slipped away very
quickly for Nettie. She had plenty of books
to read and she also had great many call
erS; indeed, she had not been lonely for
single minutes since the beginning of her
imprisonment.
One bright afternoon, when she had been
reading for nearly a whole hour she heard
a woman's skirts rustling in the hail. and
the next moment there was a tap on the
door.
That's a new rap" she said to herself
Il don't believe that persons ever been
here before
She hurried to the door and was very
much surprised when she opened it to sec
tall and handsome lady standing there.
Good afternoon said the visitor, very
kindly; you are Nettie Howells, l sup
poser
Yes ma'am,'' answered Nettie, politely;
''but will you please walk in?'
The lady obeyed, and looked around with
bright eyes that seemed to take swift
notice of everything in the room
mo, DEAR she said, Nettie placed a
chair for her, Il don't think I'd better sit
down; get your hat, and some sort of car
riage wrap, and come for a ride
Nettie's eyes opened wide.
"Why." she answered, meekly. Il haven
any carriage wrap, or any carriage either"
The visitor laughed merrily and looked so
beautiful that Nettie, who had been reading
about wonderful fairy princess, opened
her eyes little wider, and, for minute,
at least, thought she had in some way
strayed into fairyland.
Then the lady said: "Of course you
haven't any carriage. you darling child; but
I have, and it's downstairs waiting for las.
Did you ever happen to hear of little girl
named Daisy Wood?'
60" exclaimed Nettie, throwing out her
well hand and running toward the visitor,
land you are Daisy's mamma: she didn't
tell me that you''-and then Nettie paused.
She was going to say were so beautiful"