The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-04-07
THE VOICE
BY HELENA M. kENNEY.
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The train rolled slowly out of the
station, leaving a girl standing On the
platform. Nellie Windsor was fifteen
years old. Her mother and father were
dead and she had no one but Un0ls 10
and Aunt Betty. Uncle 10 had written
her to come and live with him-and
here she was. 1t was fully ten minutes
before Uncle 10 came. and when he
did he gave her hearty kiss and Lift
ed her into the buggy and OF they
went. Arriving at the farm, she found
Aunt Betty waiting on the porch for
her, and such dear odd lady she was.
1t was then 8 80 o'clock, and the rest
of the afternoon was spent In unpack-
ing her clothes and learning the rounds
of the house. After supper she went
directly to bed, because she was tired
from her long Journey.
The next afternoon she wandered
around, picking flowers, chasing but
terflies, and, gathering an apron full
of apples, she went down 20 the little
brook. 1t was nice and cool and she
was enjoying herself when-'Hello,"
said voice. She looked up, but saw no
one.
81 say, hullo," again came the voice
this time 1t seemed to come from the
tree that was across the brook.
"HuIlo, yourself" replied Nellie.
where are your"
up here In the tree" said the voice.
"Come down." she said.
Nope" answered the voice. No
amount Of teasing would make the
voice come down. 1t was getting late.
so Nellie said: "If come here tomor-
row will you let me see who you aref'
Maybe" replied the voice So Nellie
scampered up the hill and home. But
she was not to see the owner OF the
voice tomorrow, for when she got MP
the next morning, 1t was raining.
Uncle 10 came In at dinner time
with an invitation for Nellie to spend
the afternoon with the Browns, who
lived across the field. Slowly she went
upstairs to dress, sorry because she
could not go down to the brook, but
maybe 1t would be there some other
time; so with this happy thought In
mind she was soon ready, and Uncle
10 took her over to the Browns. She
was rather shy, being among strangers
but Mrs. Brown soon put her at ease
Molly Brown was Nellie's age, and
they took to each other right away
While they were sitting, talking about
nothing In particular, the doorbell
rang and Molly's mother went and ad'
mitted FIVE young people who had come
| 10 spend the afternoon. Soon q boy
about a year older than herself came
| I'm and was introduced as Billy Brown
What q good time she had, and what
nice girls and boys they werel But
| Billy-where had she heard that voice
| The afternoon passed all too quickly
| and when the guests rose to 90, Mrs
! Brown shook hands with them all, and
SO did Molly and Billy. When Nellie
arrived home she could not help think
ing what a nice boy Billy was, anc
she blushed when she thought how h'
had given her hand a tiny, unneces
sary squeeze.
The days that followed were the
happiest ones she had ever had. Loni
ramblss with Molly and the Tuckel
twins, pienics, and often she would
20 for long walks with Billy. Sh'
liked Billy very much and Billy hket
Nellie. But she did not forget thu
voice. Every day she would 60 dow
10 the brook and talk and talk with II
She would tell 1t OF the nice times sh
was having, and went 30 far as TO tel
Ii OF Billy. Thus two weeks passes
on and Nellie thought abe was neve
going to see the voice, when one da'
the voice told her that she would Sc
1t tomorrow, sure. To be sure, Nelli
was there at the appointed time. am
the voice said: IF come down, vii
you promise to give me one thingr
Wondering what Ii could be, but CT
rious to see the voice, an she had call
ed 1t, she readily said. yes" 1t sill
down the tree and there stood-Billy
"You-you-T she gasped- Bill
smiled and said, "Your promise" Sh
was 30 surprised she did not know
what to say. At length she said, "Wha
do you wantr
"a kiss" he replied
"Oh-hI" and she turned 70 nee u
the hill, but Billy like a fash caugh
/, her. It was useless for her TO try Z
get away, sYeR II she NentAd IN