Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-12-21

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 casion0llg DaUsiaa to Egs$|&r. . pic uIs shell. which |'7s!S% she was almost sure
 ~%Ia- to cast aside ia3teor- l~~zc z---. e4t5~ a moment later. ssssSS-<7S ssS-z>Ss- She W2s stopping at Es=:e,-s..s, -'z the 0raIda T. aud Q car
 ri&za WAS new waiting her signal at Ho.ch u aa dunes which marked Che 751a ca the sand ridge above the red vs= tsa Coaeina hotel, isolated ard =lac4f4@ Haint. but having reputation for ~o9d yiands and excellent taUza service IL was popular with ihosQ who desired quiet and bathing, a2a there were even now number enjoying the surf just as though it were not the day before Christmas, and along tha beach be- tween them and the hotel were dozen or more children, some playing in the water and some in the sand.
 Mrs. Bigelow Stevens paused, and gaZed at them With dimming eyes She had lost her own little girl but a few months before. and for that req son she was here; not to forget, but to find Rev scenes to awaken her in terest. Presently child of five or six separated from her companions. and came racing up the beach in pursuit of hat which was rolling merrily along before a gust of wind. Mrs. Stevens reached out her parasol and intercept ed the runaway.
 'Thank you!' gasped the little girl, out of breath, but looking up with roguish smile on her bright face "I shall whip it when I get home" Then, instead of returning to her compan- ions, she grasped finger of her new friend. May I walk with you?" she asked, beginning to swing along as though the permission was granted.
 She was silent for some minutes. her lips tremulous with recollections of the past, and during that time the little girl made excursions from her finger to investigate escaping crabs and cu- rious shells, and even the last efforts of waves that sent long lines of shallow water curving up toward their feet. At length Mrs. Stevens lips grew frmer, and she looked down.
 'I suppose your mother Is here," she said.
 The child in her turn became grave. s'1 haven't any mamma" she an- swered; "and my papa doesn't walk with me like he used to- She hesi- Y tated little, and then went on, with childish frankness: "He-he talks loud to me sometimes, and his face gets red, and-and he strikes me. don't have anybody to play with now"
 That evening MT. Stevens was look ing over some new curiosities he had purchased. He did not care much for such things, but this winter he was { trying to cultivate an enthusiasm for them in hope of interesting his wife. There are some really fine Florida sketches in that studio in the new , block" he said, presently, looking up from nautilus shell he had been ex- am1ning. "One of them will make nice souvenir of Ormond. However, If you, do not care for them, you may select anything else you like. This !, year am going to give you two pres ents-my usual one and one of your own choosing as an Ormond souvenir" He turned back to his she'll, only to raise his head again quickly. By the way, l forgot to tell you about a man I met on the street to-day. You re- member Seaton. the bookkeeper. who ran Qw0y with @ 0nnop
 "Yes."
 Well. it was he, but so changed I hardly recognized the man. In his case. crime has certainly proved its { own punishment. Two years ago he was reckless, but was very scrupulous about his personal appearances: now he is only slovenly, red-faced toper." MT. Stevens paused, and ran his fingers through his hair in an irritable, dis gusted sort of way. Tt isn't the man care for," he grumbled. "but a fel- low or his stamp seems to drag so much good into the mire with him. Fortunately his wife is dead, but there 10 child left"
 Did you have him arrested?" Mrs. Stevens asked
 "No: what was the use?" a ,,++,e apologetically. "He has gone through the money-and through himself al. most. When he saw me he was too scared to speak, and just stood there trembling asked few questions and found that the money was all gone and that he owed a months hoard at the Coquina. He even confessed that he was thinking of running away and leaving the child"
 "How old k the child?" Mrs. stevens asked. eagerly.
 "oh, five or six; and she is a very nice little girl"
 Mrs. Stevens rose from her chair with an unwonted light in her eve. "Yes, she is a nice little girl. Nov may l hold you to your word. and take whatever like for my present-rnv