The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-24
"a Book to Be Thankful For.
By ALFRED OLLfvAN1.S
oyprlsht,, 1873, ~ Doubleday & Moc


Trying back with her to tho house. 4 II q
.t"Eh, ma pet. are go lllrted, dcarie?i
David could hear her asking tearfuliy,
as lie crossed the yard and established Il
himself ~ the door. 5 az
498s..yVeil,t said lie, iii banternE .ones
"yo'nl a. nice wencli to ila charge o DOR
Anne!t' i HI 4 @ 81
56 1t was a sore subject with the girl, and
we'll he knew Eit.,s Wee Annie, that go'den-
haired imp OF mischief, was forever cvad
Ing her sister-mothors eye and tempt
Ing to immediate herself. More tnansonce
she had only been saved from serious
hurt by the watchful devotion OF OWs
Bob. who always found time, despite llts
mans labors. TO keep a guardian eye OF, +
his well-loved lasse. In tile previous
winter she had been lost on q bitter
climbed into Held with tic Highland
bull. and barely escaped with her life.
while the gray dog held the brute III
check; but q little while before she had
q been rescued from drowning by the Tall
less r yke; \ there had been numerous other
}mischances and now the present mishap.
But the girl paid no heed 10 her tor
mentor in her Joy at finding the child
all 58unhurt. }s$ Il lS .5s ~
20 baint so mitch as scrat-
ted. ma precious, Is yo'?" She cried.
4" Rim DOT agin, then and tho baby tod
SOleu 9JOyluily away
Maggie rose to her feet and stood with /.
face avcrted. Darid's eyes dwet loving
3iy upon her, ainilil,g he pose OF Li1e nch IL
] head with Its thatch Of pretty brown
hair; the slim figure. and slender ankles,
&peeping nodcstly from beneath her print
Sfrock. Y N N ;l, ss is8
o. hoo his Annie -'. mo broke OF Into
d long-drawn whistle M
g.5 Maggie kept silence: but her lips 8uuiy-5
cred, and the flush sdecpened on her
cheek. e
'I,ln fear'd Iii ha' to tell him. the
boy continued. ."tTis but ma duty tsS b8
g}s = 70 y ma ystcll whaln so u like what 30.
like, the girl replied coldly; yet thereS
was a tEemor in her voice.
First yo' throws her In tho strea m,
David went on renlorselessly; then 20
ctluck ks her to tho pig. d nd 1t had not bin
for met s3sss fs f ~ iss5 g3ss
sindoed!'',' she broke in con temptu-
$ousl i. u 10y q twas OVID sob rcsksed
her. Yo'd sno~t TODD WI Il, icept lookin'Es
on-bout what yo're II for.
g5:I tell yo."" David pursued ubborn-
~. ian 1t had not bin for mo yo wouldn't
have no sister by moo. Shed be lytns,
she wond, pore little lass cold as Ice.
pore mite, wi no breath in her. An ri,
when so u dad COON home therc.d be no
Wee AMMO to rim to him. and climb on
his knee. and #yamn1 r. to him. and beat
Ibis face. AM he'd say. Whats gotten
I to- oor. Il Annie, as II left vi 80 And s3i
then 20 d have 4 o tell him. | ncyer8took
no manner o. fash a tier her. dad !2d'reckly
Syo' back was turned. y l. q f
II The girl sat down. buried her face III +
her apron. and Indulge In the rare lux
sury OF tears. 4 i8S 58S
the crclest mon as iyer5 was, 4
David IL N adam @ she sobbed, rocking
TO and fro. rs 5iS5i
Ia, ,gnt Il
derby bending over her.
Eth, Maggie. butfI n>i5 sorry, la S. g
I She wrenched away from beneath his &
hands. ss ,a8 5Sls 81
- i,a tes yo'.' she cried passionately.
5s He gently rem owed ls err hands from
be fore her tea -stained d face. Fl HI, III KY
was mob. Sbut a lnfIiI,', Mage e,,'5 he 81
pleaded . ". 80 @ forg ie me- s4s5s
s$..I don't, she cried NJ struggling. 3.
think yo're the hatcfullest lad 8ns iverIis533
lived. - j:5s
#ss The moment was cridical;! It was !
time for heroic fn,ea sures.
& 70. yo' don't. lass he rernonstra ted
z and, pleasing hcrsw is, lifted the little
$drooping face, wet as 1T was like Tho Il
earth after a spring shower, and, holding
III be tween his'two big hands, kissed II
twice. Is 81 5s RI {ss5$ w Ssss L li$
4 70 y. coNa I'd ~ she cr4S, a. flood OF
warm red scrIn,sonlng her checks; and s1
struggled vanly to be free. q
q used to let me, 81 he reminded her
in aggrieyed tones III III
- niyer did L" sha cried, more mug Il
nant than truthful. IS
B Yes, yo' did, when we was little uns; Il
tina Is. 4yo' was allus for kissin' and 4
was allus agin It. And moo. with whole
souled bitterness. 81 lnayn't so much as
;keek at yo' over a. ST one wa L. = 4 III s
2 However that nigh t be- he was keeklng
a t her from closer range now: and in y
tina t osltion-for! he held her firmly still
Isl o could not help but keek back HI
'penitent yet reproach full; . his own eyes
a little moist: and withal. his old auda
cious self. that. despite herself her am,
ger grew less hot. 4. lg3s}s &C.
Say yo#i forgie me and ~ I'll let yp'
go., 4; 555 & .s53
ed firmly; but there was less conviction Z
In her heart than voice. s5
5tiIss 70 do, lass. he coaxed, and Il
kIssed her again.
n She struggled family. 5
Hoo daur 70 ~ she cried through her q
VIII $yo's moo n he asked.
She remained dumb. and he Kissed her
again. si3;s Il sss
b 5' 'Impldence!'' she cried. Gt n.
<. .Ay, said he. closing her mouth
I5. wonder ut We. Ioavie!" she said sur
rendering. 3 535 # II ~
IF After that Maggie must needs give in; IN
and It was Well ind ersto od. though notl- ;;li
Ing detinite4had been said, that the boy
and girl We're counting, And In the Da: Q AZ
the unanimous opinion was that the
young couple would make a gradely
pair surely II 4 sS
54t NJ Adam was the last person to hear NJ
the news, long after It llaa been common
knowledge In the Vi ago. IT. was In the
Sylvester Arms he first heard Il II and
;stralghtWay fell into one of those foanling
frenztes characteristic Of him. s
s.tThe docter q Moore o. Kcnn,uir. we
say? sic "a dochter b Fl sic a man The 4
dochter O. til man In I he 3warld that's
harmed me aboontthe rest 4 mo ha8 be-
lieved 1t gin ye'd no tell It me. Oh. David. 35
David III d no ha! thocht It even d you.
III son as ye'ye aye bin to me. think
he might ha' wal ted till his aud dad was &
gone, and he'd no had n TO wal lang the
moo, Then the little man sat t Town and
burst Into tears, Gradual " however, he
resigned himself. and the mcye readily "a
W ized ha Da viii hts ar