The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-06
Our Daily $bort Story

The judge turned, uttered little, tn- I articulate CT. Sand came up to the girl. taking both l. hands in his own. She turned very pale, and kept her eyes in- tently on his.
 T am glad to meet you" she mur- mured.
 My dear young lady," replied the judge in 2 voice shaken by emotion. 'do l remind you of any face you saw in childhood?
 "Yes,' she said. faintly, your face is the one I have always seen in my dreams of my father" And you" he said, "are the image of my wife. and you have the eyes of my little girl. What name did your father call you? Was it Mary?' The tears came to her eyes Tt was-' the mist before her mem ory suddenly cleared. Tt was Pussy" The judge took her into his embrace with a sob.
 T am afraid you are both building up hopes that the facts in the Case will destroy. A chance resemblance--the imperfect memory of a child--a coin cidence.
 And above all,'' replied the judge. slightly releasing Mary, "a conviction from the heart that speaks louder than ali.",
 But, judge, consider. Mary's namo is Blodgett"
 No! That is not my name" replied Mary. lifting a happy face from the judges arm. "Blodgett is the name Of the people who adopted me. When they legally adopted me they changed my name to theirs" The judges face grew excited" Yes, yes!" he cried, but go on!" The next morning I made the &C., quaintance of a little girl in the car whose name was Nellie. and we played together all the morning. At noon papa and mamma went into the diner. I wasn't hungry then, and I stayed with the little girl and her folks. ] took her in our stateroom and just for fun-to play a joke on you--we changed clothes. She ran out to show her people how she looked and I stayed in there."
 ''oh. I see it all!' cried the judge. Why didn't we seek the little girl who was saved. But my wife was so Ill and prostrated we went home and from there abroad"
 "Then.' continued Mary, "came that awful jolt and crash, and I next re- member being at the farmhouse, and then was very i'll. was told my father and mother were killed and that the little girl was killed. The people who adopted me/were good, kind. we'll educated people, but they lived a quiet. secluded life, and never heard or tried to ind out who the parents of the little girl I met were"
 Now, my little daughter" said the judge. T will tell you how It hap pened we did not find you, When the awful crash came, those in the diner miraculousiy escaped. Those in our Pullman they said were all killed save little girl in our stateroom. We supposed and hoped 1t was you until we came upon a little bruised and mangled form we could not identify save by the clothes--your clothes! The shock was too much for your mother. and I got her away from the scene as soon as could. That little girl Nell lie was buried as our child. I often thought of the little one who was saved and left orphanless, and suG- gested finding her and adopting her. but your mother could not bear the idea"
 There was one thing" said Mary. "that I did not put on the little girl when we changed clothing. It was a little gold chain and locixet. In the locket is a picture of beautiful wo- man"
 Have you it?" cried the judge.
 She left the room and returned with the locket.
 ''Your last Christmas gift from me-" he said. He opened 1t and beheld, as he expected. his wife's face. The last doubt was now removed.
 Come with me, now. to your moth err" he said.
 ''We must wait for Dick" said Mary.
 A look of jealous pain came into the judges eyes.
 T forgot Dick" he said, slowly.
 q never can. papa!''
 At that long g-unheard, familiar word he clasped her in his arms agaiu.
 There was knock at the door, and Dick entered. Mary joyfully told him of the establishment of her identity.
 "She wouldn't go to her mother. Dick. until you came."
 Dicks dark eyes lighted.
 Its better so, Dick" continued the judge. "I'll go a little in advance and gently prepare my wife for the joy. and you bring Mary to the house in half an hour"