The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-03
CHAPTER VII.

ASA4S Is ~
pretending that she saw, about three
quarters of a mile away, a kind gen
tIeman coming toward them with the
express intention Of giving them
three-penny bit, which would supply
the firm with three small tin mugs OF
stewed cells.
She went so far as to describe bis
dress and his appearances; he was an
old gentleman with white hair, and he
had a stick with a gold knob to it, and
he had children Of his " at home
who had sent him out for the express
purpose of giving 2 silver hansel to
Saranne.
TO these e1ravagances Mr.. Deep
dale and Walter, standing in the shade,
listened unobserved.
"Wally," the father whispered to the
son., have you got a three-penny piece
in your pocket?'-
YES" replied Walter, producing it.
Throw it into that pretty little girls
lap, and then let US run"
1t was done; like a silver-Wlnged
messenger from the skies, the three
n piece fell into Saranne's lap, and
away scampered Mr.. Deepdale and
Walter, laughing gleefully at the trick.
They ran till they arrived at Thomas
Dexter's shop, into which they dashed
almost out of breath, for all the world
like boys who had been up to a rare
piece of mischief, which, enjoyable as
it was, might bring some dreadful pen
atty upon them.
The Old Derby was inspected and
purchased, and then Mr.. Deepdale re-
lated the incident to Thomas Dexter.
II think" he said, Il never saw a
more beautiful child's face, though
clouded with sorrow, than the face of
the girl who was sitting by the grotto;
and the ugly n with her stories-told
with a wonderful faith and belief, poor
thing!-it was really as If she were
reading a tale out of q fairy book"
1.-THE child you admire is called Sar-
anne" said Thomas Dexter, land she
and the ugly 4 are sisters. The story
tellers name is Little Make-Believe."
THAT is exactly what she was doing,
making believe. 1t isn't often that her
dreams come true, 1 should say. And is
that the reason Of your calling her
Little Make-Believe?'
Thomas Dexter replied that 1t was,
and seeing that his best customer was
interested in the children, told much
that he knew about them.
He even related his dream, and the
singular episode that followed Of his
being a witness Of his W funeral.
They were more than amused; many
of the incidents narrated by Thomas
Dexter stirred both their hearts with
pity and admiration, and when they
took their leave of the old curiosity
dealer, which was not until past 10
O'Clock, they were animated by a de-
sire which Gid not find expression in
Thomas Dexter's shop.
They had their own peculiar ways,
in the similarity Of which was an un-
derlying tenderness; they were more
like brothers than father and son.
"Well WALL" said Mr.. Deepdale,
stopping at the end of the street in
which Dexter lived, lis it to be homer"
What do you think, dad?
What do you think, Wally?"
dad, 1 am thinking Of the grotto."
! so am I, Wally; we will go and
have another look at It."
They were soon on the spot, but the
scene vas changed.
The grotto was there, shorn of its
Brightness; long before they arrived
the candle had spluttered itself out and
the sisters were sitting by the side of
the house of shells, the third partner
having left them in disgust.
! The night was fine and the stars
were shining, but there was something
exceedingly touching in the attitude OF
these children, the prettier of whom
WAS lying in her sisters arms.
What are you sitting here for, chill
hren?" inquired Mr.. Deepdale. Hav-
allS uOu SOulS CA plC Sbpp " "
be home and a-bed."
/: Were going, sir" said Little Make
Believe, and she assisted Saranne to
rise. But We amt had no supper"
"Why, what became of the three
penny piece"
. "Oh, did yer know about it, SIR" said
Little Make-B Believe, YEARLY. 1--WE
thought it was our'n, but a boy come
up and snatched it away. 1t was his'n.
and he only threw it at US out of q
Joke, cause I was pretending about it
1t was a mean trick to serve US, wasn't
BIT, sir?"
"A very mea trick" said Mr.. Deep
dale. II should not have supposed any
boy would have been guilty of it."
1T was Dot-and-carry-one, sir. He's
always up 10 mischief
$50 that vas the end Of your dream,
then?"
Yes, sir, and now we're going home
Come along, Saranne."
"Wait a minute, children. Well.
Wally, what do you think"
81 think it would be a capital thing,
dad"
$50 it would. Your dream shall come
true, after all, Make-Beliere."
"Oh, sir"
"Wouldn't you like something better
than Stewed ells?"
Couldn't have nothink better, sir
Saranne's set her heart OF '~em-haven'I
yer, Saranne?" SaranIe's eyes gilt
tered. But your only making game OF