Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
Do YOU want to leave

answered father. Do you Want to leave
us, Mab?'~. -.
"'No, no, daddyI cried Nab. running to
father side and grasping his arm. i don t
want to go! want to stay with you!
But this is not your home, inter
rupted the gentleman. Your aunt and
l are your natural guardians, and our
home IS the proper place for YOU
What you say may all be true said
father; but how am / to know it?'
Haven't l just told you all the Cir
cumstances of the case?' answered the
gentleman The girl is the image of her
mother, and anyone who knew my sister
would know that this girl is her child
Yes; but you see didn't know your
sister, answered father.
Then the gentleman grew angry and
said, My good man, your intentions are
all right; but you are much too offlcious
in this n after, and we shall have to insist
that the girl prepare to come with us at
once
with these folks Mab?' asked father
"'No, mol A thousand times mol cried
the girl, clinging to father and beginning
to weep.
"'Then,' said father, addressing the
gentleman and the lady, l shall have to
ask you to 60 outside the house and do
your insisting; for the girl shall not 60
with you against her will
"'1'n bring the sheriff and take heri
answered the gentleman angrily will
not be bullied by an old fool like you'll
eco and get the sheriff if you wish,
said father; but go quickly, or III start
you on your way with my boot: reckon
you'll have to get a writ from the court
a writ of habeas corpus-before the
sheriff will interfere The sheriff happens
to be nv brother I should like to call
your attention to the door. You can get
out one at time, l reckon, and that ii
be fast enough for me, if you hurry:
THE strangers left the house, declaring
that they would soon return, armed by
the law, and would show u.s..
What they intended to show us, we
did not know; but in general way we
supposed that they meant they would
take Nab away from us.
That was a sad day at our house. |
Nab wept nearly all the afternoon, and
chung to mother, father, and my sisters
with piteous appeal for protection.
"Balser went home for the night, and
next day we went back to the cabin,
loaded our furs on the sleigh, and aban-
doned our quarters for the winter. II the
strangers were coming to take Map,
wanted to be at home when they arrived.
1--WE lived that winter IN constant
dread of losing Nab; but when winter
turned to spring, and spring to summer,
we began to lose our fear, and by fall we
had settled down to the glad belief that
she would not be taken from us.
hid you go back to get the bear!'
II asked a small boy.
Indeed we did," answered Uncle Tom
Andy Bill. 1T weighed nearly five hun
dred pounds, and was as fat as butter
Did you get his hide!' asked the
Yes" answered Uncle Tom Andy
Bill, and we gave it to Nab
All the older members of Tom Andy
Bills audience knew that Nab had been
his one and only sweetheart, and there
was not one among us whose heart did
not beat in sorrow and throb with love
for grand old Tom Andy Bill, who had
lived his long life true to his one love, and
would die with her image and hers alone |
nesting in his heart of hearts.
Amid the pictures of bears, robbers, |
swamps, and caves that he had drawn
for our entertainment, could see tower |
ing above them all the tall, strong fgu1e |