Year: 1873

uncommon. And perhaps, if nothing
more had followed. l might have fallen
again into my former thoughts /; but
as l lay for few moments listening
the door was opened, and then there
followed such strange hurried ex-
clamations-half of surprise, half OF
alarm-mingled with such apparently
irresistible bursts of laughter, that my
first dull interest began rapidly TO
change into a far more active feel
ing.


MY love, what's that asked my
father, without looking up.


Il can't imagine nv mother an
.wered, in puzzled tone, laying down
her book


Just ut this moment we heard a
quick step running up the stairs. :. and
all our syes with one accord turned to
the door, which in two or three min
utes was burst open, and to our ex-
tremc amazement, in rushed our serv-
ant Ann with little half-nakc;, child
in her arms. Yes, that little creature
standing on the step, was the only
thing 10 be seen when she had opened
the door.


Upon my word this is going too far. ;
my father exclaimed, angrily, when
We had heard AIMS story. 1t isn't
two months since the same trick was
played in town. Ann, call Tom, to
get lantern Immediately, and follow
me. We must make a search though
indeed it's hopeless to think of catch
ing any one on such night as this.
Whoever has done it is out of reach
by this time. My dear he turned
round As he was hurrying from the
room, don't do anything with the
child until l come back; I'm afraid
she's ill., and lie closed the door.


shall never forget what q poor lit
tie object it was. 1t had scarcely an
atom OF clothing on it-just a torn old
frock that would hardly hang together,
and its poor little white shoulders and
arms were all bare, and wet with the
heavy rain. Her pretty fair hair was
wet too, but her face was what attrac-
ted and astonished me most, for III
spite of the bitter coldness Of the night,
1t was glowing like fire, with a spot of
the brightest scarlet on each check,
and her large blue eyes so unnaturally
bright that 1t was quite painful to look
at them. Yet such sweet face it
was


My mother made her kneel beside
me on my couch, and we talked TO her,
and kissed her, and taking off the old
wet frock, wrapped my mothers shawl
around her; but all the time, and
though she was certainly more thaa
two years old, she remained as per-
fectly unmoved as though she had been
little statue, only those great bright
eyes were fixed upon my face, until l
began to get absolutely frightened at
her.


In about twenty minutes my father
returned from his useless search.


We can do nothing more tonight
he said, In tone of considerable
vexation, as he joined US again. Poor
child, she's very feverish indeed why.
exposure on such a night is enough to
kill her. Ny love, you must put her
TO bed; there's no help for it, and I'll
see what can do for her. But really
it's little too much to expect that all
the sick children of the neighborhood
are not only TO be cured for nothing,
but to be housed too, by the physician
And my father left the room to change
his wet garments, in no very contented
state of mind.


My mother put out her hands to lift
the child from my side, and then for
the first time q moaning sound broke
from her, and leaning forward she
caught my dress with her little hands,
and held it tight, half crying, as if she
feared TO 90 away. i pressed her to
me, and clasped my arms around her.
l couldn't help it-and she let me do
it, and laid down her head upon nv
bosom, the dear child! with that
plaintive moaning sound again. Twas
almost weeping myself-half with
pity, half with love- Tor l loved her SO
much already, as We love all things
that cling to US, all things that
weaker than ourselves-appeal to US
for protection. And so, for l could
not bear that against her will she
should be made to leave me, still keep.
ing her in my arms, l had the couch
wheeled into my bedroom and there
in Kate's bed we laid her, poor littl,
weary suffering thing.


1t would be too long 70 tell you al
about her illness, for she was i'll fol
many weeks; how patient she was
how. in spite of a few cross words a
first, my kind father tended her with a
much care as ever he bestowed upol
his wealtbiest patient; how my dea
mother sat up night after night witt
her, as though she had been her Owl
child; how the little thing crept 81
into all our hearts, that when at las
i one evening my father announced he