The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-12-23


you dear little SOUL" said Miss
Nab. warmly; you shan't have any
more lonesome days. II can help 1t
Miss Nab watched anxiously the
meeting at the corner. The child did
not nestle her head on her fathers
shoulder, as was her custom; she was
talking to him eagerly and pointing
across the street to the little brick
house set In the midst Of q wide gar
den. She did not wave her answer.
Miss Mab's heart began to beat tumu'-
tuously. when she saw the tall man
come striding across the street through
the snow. She threw the door open
before he knocked. He bowed courte-
ously.
| MY little girl has told me Of your
goodness" he said. "It is kind OF you.
very, very kind. do not know how to
thank you. We shall be very happy
to come. do not mind the loneliness
much for myself, but for Cynthia. left
alone all day in our bare little room,
the thought Of II stays with me con-
stantly while | work" Cynthia hung
delightedly over her fathers shoulder
| Whispering IN uiis5lul lIichuhnoos "
the gray cat.
Twas a bold thing to do. invitin'
strangers this way" said Miss NAB.
apologetically The scarlet blushes were
chasing each other across her cheer
full face. 81 didn't say anything
about the little girls mother. because
I didn't Just know" She stopped hes
itatingly.
"Cynthia's mother died when she
was three days DID," said the man.
slowly: "she has had to grow up with
hardly anybody to care for her but her
father. He isn't quite as good as a
mother would be. is he. dearest?"
Hes pretty nearly as good" whfs-
pered the child, stroking the careworn
face
Land sake!" cried Miss Nab. with
a strange. choking sob; land sake,
II is hard lines when the father has
to do the motherin'. tool"
I'VE are very happy together. aren't
we, Cynthia?" The child nodded en-
phatically.
"The worst Is her loneliness, only
she will be going to school pretty
soon: and our Christmas IL assured
cannot thank you cordially enough
madam, both for Cynthia and myself
We will be delighted to come" The
child waved a goodnight as they
crossed the street. and Miss Nab wiped
her eyes furtively when she sat dowr
in her big rocking chair. "It IL more
blessed to give than to receive" shs
said to herself; somehow. It seems ts
bring such warm comfort into YOU
own life"
After the dinner had been clearet
away Miss Nab summed herself In thu
, iovous warmth Of fellowship. The gra
r cious wood fire wrapped the little grouI
in its friendly glow and the very spiri
, of Christmas seemed to hallow tn
; homely. coy living room
: II was a wild, cold winter. with grea
, snow storms whirling over the countr.
, and city streets blocked with hug
! drifts but there were no more lionel.
days for Cynthia The room In the desc
r late boarding house was almost deserte
! between morning and night tn
I radiance Of gracious friendliness an
E blissful warmth constantly awaited tn
e child in the house across the street
a Maltie's welcome was as cordial as tina
: of his mistress. Every morning. afte
j he had eaten his comfortable breakfast
e he Jumped In the living room window t
3 cur, himself up in a gray ball with ex
( pectant half shut eyes fixed on the brio
!. building across the street He watche
: till the door was opened by tall mar
= who carried a lunch box and q littl
cIinging bundle wrapped in a feec
q brown shawl He always chose the sam
II path; he came striding across the stree
r to the red brick house set In the Wild
I yard. Then Maltie with a sudden cage
D leap went to find his mistress. and fo
lowed her, purring loudly, to the fror
. door. He could scarcely wait for th
: little visitor to be unwrapped. Mil
e Mab's hunger for fellowship was no les
ardent than that of the gray cat. The
Il what days followed. It seemed like
: Sudden burst of sunshine come ini
n Cynthia's lonely life.
. The careworn look seemed to be IA,
ing from her fathers face. When ev'
n ming came and he stopped at Miss Nab
, door to gather the little girl back In b
>. arms, there was time for few moment
q cheerful conversation. Cynthia's far
"a wells were always tempered by the a
:, surance of her return in the morning.
"a One night the child, tucked in
:. blanket. laid her cheek against b.
m fathers. when their bedtime talk W,
nearly finished. She whispered: Don
"A you love Miss Nab, father?" Il do"
|. said In low voice.
She's just as good as a fairy go
Ia mother, isn't she?" questioned 4
:, child; almost as good as the godmoth
N who came to take care of the poor lit
Of pink princess"
vi Twice as good" laughed the faths
" T couldn't have her for a really, trul
IN own godmother, could II" she aske
tr anxiously.
8 TT would be very nice"
And then she makes such go
n things to eat. I could have a ginge
nj bread man for tea every night"
,r And what could We offer for all
40 that. the home and the goodness and
m 'Why, we could love her." said t
a child: you and could love her with
IN our hearts; that would make her We
ID happy"
tn Would 1t. really?"
to ct know 1t would. Won't you ask b
ID II we can Gomez" Cynthia pleaded
o "only we have so little to offer" 81
her father.
Ie Loving people isn't little, is it?"
"a sisted the child.