The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1914-09-10
q quiet Dom ana nome comrorI Tor
the dear little one.'

the dear little one"
y will go with you and carry hes
over here at once" declared Alan read
Hy. "She shall have my room Both
OF you are indeed welcome.
Mrs. Woods, when she returned.
good soul that she was, at once set
about acting as nurse for the little pa
dent. Mr.. Woods grumbled q little,
but kept it to biIaself. The circus
company moved away 4s hours later.
but neither Miss Mercy Lester nor Ida
lila went with them.
The child was now under medical
care. She had developed Slow, vast
ing fever. The elephant was leased to
the circus and q substitute for Idala
found. This insured an income to the
little patient, and should she not re-
turn to the sawdust arena, good bulk
figured from the sale Of the elephant.
4 "I take It all back-an said or
thought OF those circus folks de-
clared Ephrairn contritely to his wife,
one evening a month later They just
make the evenings delightful"
twas true. Little Idalia, still weak
and Ill, was a pgecocious child, full Of
bright intelligence and an exquisite
singer. MISS Leslie made the old piano
ring with harmony. Alan was Ike a
new being under the warm, generous
influence OF loving hearts.
Even when another month had
passed by little Idala was not yet
entirely well- Then some important
news came The circus. stranded, had
gone to pieces It's proprietor wrote
Miss Lester That the elephant would
be sent back to her in charge OF one
OF his men. Suggestions were volun-
teered as to where the animal might
be sold and ne advised that she hold
for price Of $4,000.
But month went by and neither
man nor elephant appeared. Alan
started an Investigation, in the Inter
ests Of its little owner. There was no
doubt that the messenger had stolen
and hidden the elephant, for after q
protracted search neither could be 10
Gated.
One evening, still in quest of some
clue as to the whereabouts Of the
missing animal, Alan happened into q
moving picture show One OF the films
depicted days life Of one elephant.
The moment Alan saw the first reel be
recognized the missing animal from q
peculiar mark on its breast.
Il did not take long to run down the
subject Of the picture. The unworthy
messenger had leased the use Of the
elephant to some film makers in an
isolated movies camp, and was enjoy
ing 8 regular income.
1t was the evening after Alan mad
returned home~ e~to report to Miss Les.
ter that ne had not only found the ele-
phant, but had an offer OF s1a,o68 for
the animal, that little IdaAa and the
family were discussing the future
plans OF their guests Mss Lester
had just told OF her desire TO buy "a
modest little home in a near by sem
mary town.
But there are good schools here"
instantly cnimed in little Idaha u
don't want to leave Uncle Alan and my
dear friends here"
.And we do not want you to, dear"
said Alan, lovingly stroking the gold
en-haired child Nor you, Miss Les
ter he added inpulsively, before all
OF them. You have read my heart
long before this. VIII you stay-as
my wife?%
I shall never love any man as I
love you, said Mercy frankly, placing
her hand eonddingly within his owr.
ITO both of US this dear place and no
other could be home. sweet home!
copyright. 1914, by ". G. Chapman-)