St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-09-07
Mrs. Bailey's Mistake
BY LILLIAN GREY
Copyright, by Joseph B. Bow1es.o

SSpo bOWieS.J
expressed his thanks, and stepping
over to the open door of the kitchen
where Dell stood, placed coin in her
hand, saying: Here's trifie for your
kindness in waiting on me, my little
friend"
He strobe hastily out and away, and
the girl in her surprise let the coin
slip from her fingers, when it went
rolling across the door stone and out
into the grass. They all dropped their
work and came out to help look for
it, and Kate, the eldest Of the sisters,
found it.
Gold! as true as Ina q Twin sim
ner!"
All crowded around, and the moth.
er reached out and took it In her eager
hand.
Yes, it's a ten-dollar piece, I dc
declare! You're in luck for once,
Dell!' but the girl was flying down
toward the gate. Child! come back!
why, do believe she's crazy enough
to try an: give it back!"
That had been her first thought, but
the wayfarer SO newly rested and re-
freshed, had made wonderful speed
and was out Of sight.
"Oh, dear! he's got away over the
hill, and he must have made a mis-
take. Here's trifle,' he said. II
I hadn't dropped it, should have had
time to return it to him, but now what
can l do?"
"Why, keep it, Of course, you little
goose!" said one sister.
ooh, girls!" gasped their mother
'T do believe with all my heart an
soul that was your Uncle Oliver!" and
in the shock Of the terrible conviction
she sat herself down fiat on the kitch'
en- floor.
Good erasmus, mother! you can't
mean it?''
"Tm-I'm deathly afraid it was! an
If it's rely him. we're outdone for
ever!
"An' to think how talked to him, u
moaned the other rocking herself
back and forth.
DO you s'pose he'll come back
again, mother?''
Back? No, indeed! We've lost him
forever-money an all; an what will
your father say? He's sot sech store
by his comm ever sence we got that
letter about it, an so have l."
Don't you think pa had better &C
10 ho 1ri11o If hn
find him? I guess he could coax him
to come back"
When Mr.. Bailey came in the ap
pearance of the stranger had to be
infinitely described again and again
and then he said:
Yes, Uncle Oliver always was q
dretful quiet, soft-spoken sort of a
man; but yet can't seem to think II
| could have been him-though do sup
pose he might have grown round
shouldered an gray in 20 year. But
why didn't you ask him right imp
"'Cause we never had suspicion
till he was clean out Of sight, an
we see the gold piece he give Della;
then we put some bits he said along
with that; an yet we don't know fol
certain, only we're afraid twas him
Dell went out when her father was
Harvesting and handed him the GOLD
| coin.
eff you find the man, and he isn't
Uncle Oliver, want you to give hin
the money, for know he must have
mistaken 1t for silver piece, and
tell him he was perfectly welcome tt
! the little I did for him"
Toward evening Mr.. Bailey returned
with the same person who had SO I'M
expectedly called on them. The mer
came in the house together, and the
| duly-gresented uncle, whom he proved
to be, was very smiling and gracious
and seemed to all appearances totally
oblivious of the fact of his previous
| call; but when Mr.. Bailey went out
to care for the horses, his wife began
a profNse and abject apology, second
ed by her two elder daughters.
But the good uncle begged then
not TO distress themselves, and sale
i that he bore no malice, and it was
partly his fault in coming in suct
a manner, though he had no suspicion
at first that 1t was his nepheW's
house; and then giving them NJ
chance for further speech, he wen
on to tell how glad he was to SEE
his nephew, and how many change:
had taken place in the village, and
so on, until Mr.. Bailey came in, and
then the mother and daughters pro
aceeded to set the supper table load
ing it with profusion of good things
but it was very subdued circle whC
sat around it.
But in the course of the evening he
found chance to slip again into Del
las hand the ten-dollar gold piece
saying with genuine feeling:
1T was no mistake, my dear child
although was not positive that YOU
were my niece until / made inquiries
at the village; but you were kind ant
tender hearted when you thought me
a common wayfarer-as indeed / was.
RAsE-RAWLED NURSERY RHYMES