The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1919-02-18
THE VOICE
BY HELENA N. KENNEyA

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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 Uncle 10
and Aunt Betty. Uncle 10 had written
her to come and live with him--.and
here she was. II 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 off they
went Arriving at the farm. she found
Aunt Betty waiting on the porch for
her, and such dear old lady she was.
1t was then $3.50 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
tcrfiies, and, gathering an apron full
of apples, she went down to the little
brook. II was nice and cool and she
was enjoying herself when-"HelIo,"
said voice. She looked up, but saw no
one.
II say. hullo," again came the voice;
this time 1t seemed to come from the
tree that was across the brook.
"HulIc. 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 are"
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 up
the next morning, it 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 it 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 Mt ease.
Molly Brown was Nellies 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 adj
mtted five young people who had come
to spend the afternoon. Soon a boy
about a year older than herself came
in and was introduced as Billy Brown.
What a good time she had. and what I
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 go. Mrs.
Brown shook hands with them all, and
so did Molly and Billy. When Nellie
arrived home she could not help think
ing what nice boy Billy was, and |
she blushed when she thought how he
had given her hand a tiny, unneces-
sary squeeze.
The days that followed We're the /
happiest ones she had ever had. Long /
rainbles with Molly and the Tucker
twins, picnics, and often she would 4
go for long walks with Billy. She |
liked Billy very much and Billy liked !
Nellie. But she did not forget the |
voice. Every day she would go down
to the brook and talk and talk with it.
She would tell it of the nice times she
was having, and went so far as to tell I
1t of Billy. Thus two weeks passed
on and Nellie thought she was never
going to see the voice. when one day
the voice told her that she would see
1t tomorrow, sure. TO be sure, Nellie
was there at the appointed time, and
the voice said: IF come down, will
you promise to give me one thing"
Wondering what it could be, but GU.
rious to see the voice. as she had call
ed 1t, she readily said. Eyes" 1t slid
down the tree and there stood-Billy!
"You--you--T" she gasped. Billy
smiled and said, "Your promise" She
was so surprised she did not know
what to say. At length she said, "What
do you want?''
"a kiss" he replied.
"Oh--h" and she turned to flee up
the hill. but Billy like a fash caught
her. 1t was useless for her TO try to
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