The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1921-12-24


The train rolled slowly out Of the
station, leaving q girl standing on the
platform. Nellie Windsor was nfteen
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 ne
did be gave her q hearty kiss and INT
ed her into the buggy and on they
went. Arriving at the farm. she found
Aunt Betty waiting on the porch Tor
her, and such q dear old lady b was.
Il 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 vent
directly to bed. because she was tired
from her long journey.
The next afternoon she wandered
around. picking flowers. chasing but
terfiies, and. gathering an apron full
Of apples, she went down to the little
brook. II was nice and cool and she
vas enjoying herself when-"Hello,"
said q 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.
"Hullo. 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. It was getting late.
90 Nellie said: "If I come here tomor-
row will you let me see who you arer''
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 60 down to the brook. but
maybe It would be there some other
time; 80 with this happy thought In
mind she was loon ready. and Uncle
10 tool her over to the Browns. She
was rather shy. being among strangers.
but Mrs. Brown loon 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. tie doorbell
rang and Molly's mother went and ad-
mitted five young people who had come
to spend the afternoon. Soon q boy
about q year older than herself came
in and was introduced as Billy Brown.
What q good time she had. and what
nice girls and boys they wereI But
Billy-where had she heard that voicef
The. afternoon passed all too quickly.
and when the guests rose to 60. 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. and
she blushed when she thought how he
had given her hand q tiny. unneces-
sary squeeze.
The days that followed were the
happiest ones she had ever had. Long
rambles with Molly and the Tucker
twins. picnics. and often she would
20 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 60 down
to the brook and talk and talk with 1t,
She would tell 1t Of the nice times she
was having. and e SO far as to tell
II of Billy. Thus tive weeks passed
on and Nellie thought she was newell
going to see the voice, when M 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 l come down, viii
you promise to give me n thing?"
Wondering what 1t could be. but Gu
rious to see the voice. as she had call
ed 1t. she readily said, YES" 1t slid
down the tree and there stood-Billy
"You-you-r she gasped. Bill,
smiled and said. "Your promise" She
was so surprised she did not know
what to say. At length she said. "WhaI
do you wantT"
"A kiss" he replied.
"Oh-hr" and she turned to fee ~
the hill. but Billy like a fash caughl
her. 1t was useless for her to try Il
get away, even II she wanted to.
Copyright. 1918. by Mcclure Newspaps
syndicats)