El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-11-25
The Bachelor and His Diary
His Little 8Ianette Becomes Lost
During His Absence From
Home on business.

- CT. 9O.-This is Halloween I
can hear the children of the
- ueighborhood making merry by
playing tick-tacz oP f-aR- doors
But all this merriment awakens no
answering smile in me. 1t was the
night when I had promised Manette
that I would let her go out, under
TOmpkins' guidance. and play her lit
tie game of tick-tack on the Speu-
GERS front door, and / had told her
she could have dress like that Of
the old woman who rode across the
heavens on a brOOmstick.
You can tell AUntie Jack" I had
said, that you came In a witchs air
ship"
Richards had bought the material
for the Witchs gown and cap, a gay
red, and that night Mauette insisted
on having the material across the foot
of her bed. The dress was to be cut
out the next morning The next
morning. How little We knewi
Picture of Health.
Manette had at last closed her eyes
in sleep, and 1 had carried her to her
bed, where Richards tucked her in. 1
was called down stairs to the tele-
phone. A long distance call that told
Of urgent business that necesSitated
my departure from home early next
morning. / found by consulting a time
table that j could leave at five and
to drive me to the station, I went to
bed. I was hurried next morning and
did not get time to take a goOd-by
look at Manette, nor to leave any mes
sages regarding her.
/ win tell the rest of the story,
Diary as Richards told it to me, with
white face, and eyes that were wild
with apprehension and grief L re-
ceived' a telegram about five in the
afternoon from Jack Spencer 1t read;
Come at once, for Gods sake"
There could be only one cause for
sending such message, Manette!
And I was on my way home within
five minutes after received it Jack
met me
Riehards's story.
Briefly, and with an effort to make
light of the situation, which did not
for a moment deceive me, he told me
story that Richards told me, Diary,
that I will tell.
When Manette awoke Mr.. Max, her
first thought was OF you, and I told
her you had been called away, and
that she could not have her ride to-
day She was so disappointed that 1
tried to make her forget it by calling
attention to the material for the
witch's gown. Ny baby flowers, I
wanted to be sunshine to my baby
flowers she kept saying Uncle Max
promised me 1 could see my baby
flowers today
Mr. Max. I had heard you telling her
something about her flowers but
hadn't paid attention"
Then he broke down and cried and
1t seemed to me he could never go
She had her breakfast I'D In the
nursery, and after she had eaten I
made a cap out Of a newspaper and
pinned it on her head. and told her
how she would frighten her AUntie
Jack Shell think you are a really
IL I m O. I
couldn't get her interested.
She seemed so disappointed that I
dressed her and took her for a walk,
and she coaxed me all the way to take
her to see some baby flowers I didn't
know where they were, OF what she
ment, and on the way home I stopped
in at Mrs. Spencers. She was always
so happy there I thought she would
forget what seemed to be troubling
her poor little baby heart"
Manette Lost.
That was the last Richards saw Of
her. Mrs Spencer insisted on having
the child remain for lunch, and Rich
ards went home. Shortly after lunch
Manette, always restless. and more
restless than usual. insisted on going
home. Mrs. Spencer stood on the front
porch and watched her till she was
hidden behind a Syrlnga bush at the
corner Of my lawn. Then she went
back into the house. She felt no un-
easiness, for only a moment before she
ndQ seen IOmpklnS on the front lawn
That little vision Of the child,
dressed in the white she always wore,
and with a. scarlet cloak and hat. was
the last any one had seen Of her
Mrs Spencer returned indoors, salts
fled that the child was safely home.
Richards cut out the witch's gown
and cap, cOntented that Manette was
with the Auntie Jack she so dearly
loved
Manette left the Spencers at
o'clock Richards went over for her
at three and found she wasn't there.