Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-07-29


Always"
"And aren't you very lonely?" She
forgot her occupation and, coming
across to him. put her soft. childish
hands in his, and looked up with al
expression that was wlstful and filled
with an understanding and sympathy
beyond her years.
Sometimes, little lady," lie said,
with short sigh. "But you know we
dull, middle-aged fogcys have our day
dreams like other folks
"What arc day-dweams"
"Well, for instance, might imagine
one day that I did not live here but
somewhere quite different. in the coun-
try. perhaps. and that l had little
girl, like you, to talk to-and love and
work for, and that she was merry.
just rs you are, and made the world
seem bright, even when the sun was
not shining. And then. maybe. when
l can almost fancy this to be true I
wake and find it was only dream"
"Is that a day-dweam? she asked.
II has theul," she went on. refectively,
"but-but they are different all about
fairies and gweat, Zig. enchanted
castles, and forests where there are
twees of real silver and gold. and a
good fairy. and bad fairy who wants
to turn q little girl into nasty tond.
Would you weally like to have little
girl like me?" she broke off. abruptly.
A gentlencss came over the mans
somewhat stern face, touching it Tito
kindliness and softncss.
"Yes, little lady," he said. "And now
the kettle fs becoming angry with us"
She laughed Mt the fancy. as he
turned to the kissing kettle, which was
indignantly rattling its lid to call their
attention to its important self.
Turning to the cupboard again, he
saw that it contained nothing to tempt
q child's dainty appetite. Children
liked sweet. jammy things. he remcm-
bcred. and he rang loudly ut the bell.
After a lengthy interval the indivi-
dual who followed the mysterious oc-
cupation OF laundress made her ap-
pearance, with husky apologies, and
was dispatched to the nearest tea-shop
for q goodly assortment Of sweet
meats.
He then gave his attention to the
child once more. poured out the tea,
10 nj n
according to his own judgment. and
looked after her wants in general.
In very short while tie laundress
returned with the cakes which might
have tempted an anchorite.
1t was quite a merry tea-table, and
somehow the barrister felt years
younger. The ma Of age which
had fallen prematur ,.pon him, MS 1t
docs on most VIII, re 10 love to
swecten their da: ind keep them
youthful. slipped suddenly away.
"It must lie vewy nice to live here
all alone" said the child. during Il
pause in her healthy attack upon the
cakes. "No lessons, no horwld gov
erness."
':But I have my lessons. child" be
said, whlmsically. "We all have our
lessons; those are minc," and he point
ed to pile Of papers.
"Are they difficult oncs?"
Sometimes" he said, thinking Of
rtitslish case he.eught. at that moment
to have enmeshed his intellect in.
She seemed to ponder over this, and
presently she slipped off her chair and
climbed on to the barrister's knee. She
looked into his eyes. They were SOM
bre enough usually. but just now they
were lighted by smile.
"Do your lessons ever make YOU
cwy like mine do me?'
"Not exactly that, MY pretty onc.
Men don't cry; they mustn't you know;
oil their crying is done inwardly. DO
you understands"
She nodded q solemn head.
"That's like what mummy does.
She sits in her chair sometimes so
quiet, and looks just like little girls
do when they want to cwy and can't.
/ 'spect it's eos daddy's gone 10
heaven. and isn't likely to come back,
nurse says. Have you ever been to
heaven? And Is 1t fur nwayT'
"No; I have never been, dear; and it
is so for away that when ono goes
there one never, never comes back
agein."
81 s'poso it's vcwy booful. like fairy
land" she remarked thoughtfully.
This reflection seemed to give birth
to q new idea.
"Tell me fairy tale" she pleaded.
~ am so fond Of fairy tales."
The barrister looked at the flushed.
tender face and cudgellel his brains.
The laws grave study does not much
lend itself to the cultivation Of the
fancy. and he lacked the gift Of flc-
ton. Then there came to him a way
out Of the difficulty. He would relate
to her something Of his own life in
the guise Of q fairy tale.
With preliminary cough he com:
menced.
"Once upon time," he said, and
his listeners eyes grew wide with
delight, "there was-let me sea
woodman's SON. The fairies had not
been invited to his christening, 50 that
there were no good gifts to help him
IN life; he had to fight his own way
unasslsted.
"Ris father and mother were not
kind to him-they had 50 many chill
dren and they were very poor-and
his life would have been altogether
very sad but for q little playmate he
had, Of whom he was very fond. She
was little, fair-haired girl very much
like you. She was pretty and gay.
and he was so very fond Of her that
he never dared to tell her Of his fond
ness.
"But he used to have drcam-one
of those day-dreams that / told you Of
that one day he would so out into the
q