Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-16
Little Sernena.
By Il. CARR.

By x. CARR.
"Quick, Juan, what IL that7'' said Mr..
Morrison, holding the bushes one side ant
rocking under them. Two great, fright
ened eyes met his.
TT Is Semena. senor," said Juan, bow
ing. for he greatly respected Mr.. Morrison
the boss. who had just come from New
| York. This happened away OF In the
Philippine Islands.
"Semena7' said the boss ''Who Is Sc
mena2"
1t was Mr.. Morrison's first week at the
camp, so he had not yet heard of the
strange little girl. Juan told him In not
very good English. ''She is a little girl
like a wild bird so shy she Is, and of the
| white people is she afraid. Never has she
to the school been, though the beautiful
lady tries to get her. But she ran like q
fish swim. so much she lives In the water. ="
All the time Semena's big. shy eyes
looked at them from her hiding place.
Come to me. little GIRL said Mr.. Nor
rison, holding out his hand. But Semena
only shook her head and drew the bushes
closer. 80 the boss mounted his horse
and rode away.
One day, two weeks later, Mr.. Morrison
was looking out of the window In his
Office, when a man came riding past. Just
as he came near the Office little Semena
ran out OF the woods on the other side OF
the road. The horse stepped to one side.
but he was not quick enough. and one OF
his heavy feet landed on Semena's little
brown ones. She did not cry out, though,
and the man who was riding looked back
over his shoulder without stopping to get
down from his horse. The poor little girl
sat where she was in the road. and there
is no knowing how long she might have
stayed there IL Mr.. Morrison had not been
looking out of the window.
But he had seen 1t all and ran out. Be-
f0ra frx.r,, t.Av-
prise, Mr.. Morrison had her in his arms,
and was carrying her into his Office. He
laid her on the sofa, put some medicine on
some bandages. and tied up her poor feet.
Then he asked her where she uvad, and
carried her home. There he saw her mother
and told her to let Semena come every day
to see him, and let him bandage her feet.
The next day she came. and while he was
dressing her feet, Mr.. Morrison asked her
why she did not go to school. She could
not talk English very well. and said in a
funny little way. 1.-THE beautiful la-ady
have want me, but have not no dress-a."
you haven't any dress?' said Mr.. Nor
rison. why. now2'
My moth'a have not no nothing to
make-a It," said the child.
That's too bad" said Mr.. Morrisonl
'I'll Rave to see about that"
That night when Semena went home, she
Rugged bundle tightly In her arms. She
walked slowly because Of the lame feet.
but her heart was dancing with JOY. AT
last she was to have dress-a real dressI
And she could go to school with tho other
childrenl When Semena's mother saw the
goods she was nearly as delighted as Sc
mena-
A few days later Mr.. Morrison was work
ing at his desk enc evening when the door
opened softly, and q tHmbled head APP
peared. Mr.. Morrison did not 1o3k up, and
very quietly Semene slipped In and came
over near the lamp.
She had come to show him her new dress
before she wore It. She laid II on his
knee-a gay little red dress trimmed with
white. tThe cloth was some Mr. Morrison
had taken with him to make signal flags
WITH Mr.. Morrison looked at the dress
and said 1t was very nice. Then Semena
took 1t and edged toward the door. She
laid a little gold nugget on his desk as she
went. At the door she stopped and said:
MY great friend, sleep we'll. You have
been kind to me. The first kind In my life."
She looked at him for minute, and then.
closing the door. disappeared in the dark
ness.