Show 14 t r jc 4 2 i 11 r t t y AN ORPHAN GIRL by amy randolph tl it folliott had bad 1 1 just fi finished nihed his dinner mr folliott Fc lliott wa was 9 a verv ery ri rih rich h man I 1 I 1 I 1 i and his cook had 9 I 1 I 1 once been a pupil I 1 of the great soyer n 1 I so that the meal alth cush unostentatious in everyne every respect was of the best and choicest the asparagus soup soud a delicate young baked shad roast ham with champagne sauce a salad coffee sweets all these things mr folliott enjoyed because in their way they were perfect and he was just culling out a few monster strawberries from among their green leaves when a footstep sounded on the veranda he looked quickly up A tall child of at 13 stood there her face flushed her hair disheveled and her thick boots powdered over with the fine dust of the roads 1 I am so hungry burst involuntarily from her lips cant I 1 have one of those cakes mr folliott frowned and shook his lead bead if you are a beggar he said you had better go around to the back door mrs hanford will give you rou something I 1 dare say the child blushed deeply and drew herself up with something of unconscious dignity im m not a beggar she said cant a girl be hungry without being a beggar I 1 have come here to look for paul folliott my name said the old gentleman a little suspiciously then she said composedly 1 I have come here to be your little girl I 1 ani am grade bellaire my papa was colonel bruce bellaire and when he died he said that you would take care of me here are ills his letters and n now 0 w please let them give me something to t 0 eat and this was the way in which grace bellaire came to the house se of her fathers distant kinsman paul Fu folliott lliott she was a pretty child when the dust was washed out of her dimples and the shining brown curls were brushed into something like shape she had bruce Bell alres large dreamy eyes and exquisite greek profile and mr folliott even while he fie experienced a thrill of consternation at ait this new charge felt his heart warm arm toward her my dear said he be you are a nice little girl but what can I 1 do with you 1 I could stay here and play 1 I said grade innocently but there Is something else in the world for little girls to do besides playing said mr Pol Fol llott and so BO he took counsel with good mrs hanford his bis housekeeper dear heart sir said that kindly personage it seems to me plain enough why dont you send her to mrs mm john folliott Po lliott dont you remember be last summer glimmer when she was here and you yon helped her out with the debts that trola troubled bled her so badly she declared she ghe would do anything in the world to show ghow her gratitude and ashes got daughters ot of her own she who is there in all the world that could bring miss grade up ud better than she mrs hanford Han tord you are a genius said bald mr folliott Fol llott why on earth I 1 think of that myself mrs john Fol Po llott lliott came to the grange at once a portly salling matron the darling she cried enthusiastically embracing oracle who looked rather awed at the sight of so much ep splendor lendor 1 I shall love her as dearly as it if she were my own poor dear cousin bruce how well I 1 remember him you sweet one you are the very ve ry picture of your papa so mrs john folliott Po lliott greatly rejoicing jo icing returned to the brownstone brown stone house bouse in new york whose rent was unpaid and to the daughters whose expensive dresses were yet written up on the wrong side of mile Sur litora books its positively providential said mrs folliott A thousand dollars a year clearly added to our income but there is that great awkward child to bring up said madalena folliott a handsome brunette who had just made her debut in society oh that does not signify said the serene matron her cost will be absolutely sol nothing and so in the course of a few weeks grade gracie bellaire Bell alre found herself settling flown down to the position of ladys maid to the three misses folliott she sewed the buttons on matalenas Mada lenas boots she ran out on rainy days when the very chambermaid I 1 objected on account of the weather to match sh shades ades of worsted and for alinette All cette the second daughter she washed florences bences poodle tor foi her and wept many a tear of bitter the while and by 07 debrew her shoes grew worn and rusty I 1 her healthy young growth outstripped the limits of her coarse serge gowns itei her bonnet and mantle became 60 shabby aabey that lt we she could not go out except amder coyer of the friendly a to desperation she abe oon P iles white chadean and soft beal licki jacket 0 but she never repeated W ta the ex experiment R e m ent tor for mrs vol fol lio 1 11 em stairs aud and flashed bashed the tae u ghr her great grea black eyes upon 11 IV iii al arul 7 appal leng I 1 1 aar 2 UI 7 V te rj W I 1 J t aft I 1 ae 6 do such ak ji iv fiand fia td d we she in aa tow voice 4 f idia i q 9 V yon shall a h au be cju I 1 e water taga 1 emr oa tx A M f lr ar 7 JA 4 ar 41 bal ej a ak 44 teab t t of W 1 1 v 1 I 1 MR 1 I 1 I 1 1 1 I 1 I 1 alf t i i f f I 1 I 1 I I 1 1 berr cothes athes c are good en enough ough said ralo mrs birs folliott Fol FoI llott sharply there is nothing so sinful as vanity ran ity but when I 1 go to school bagan grce grace are not going to school sad rad mrs folliott it Is your business to sta here and nd help jane with the china and silver and make yourself useful you are rot ret a young lady like miss licette Mi cette arl and miss florence you are only a working girl child though she was grade bellaire comprehended the injustice of all this kind old mr folliott meant this when he gave her over into mrs john Foll Folli lotts otts change he must have forgotten to send the money grace thought or she never would have been treated thus its a shame said honest bridget the cook the child ought to have ex arcise at least sure it if she was the cat they take less notice of her said norah the waitress and just look at the clothes of her said fannie the smart chambermaid ashes kept me awake with her ber cough for two nights said bridget and all the paregoric I 1 give her dont loose it up a bit for mrs folliott under an extra breasure pre asure of company had ordered grace to sleep with bridget tor for a night or two and when the company was gone nothing had been said about her resuming her little room again the girls need it to keep their summer dresses in said mrs folliott and grace is just as well off with bridget they care if she coughed herself out of the world entirely said norah worse luck to ern em said fannie put but nobody ever yet ground down the orphan and the fatherless without cheze was a judgment on em tor for it mr folliott all this time was begin ning to be a little uneasy his elegant city relative wrote at stated intervals bat her communications were eminently unsatisfactory 1 I 1 should like to see the child he be said within himself and last night I 1 dreamed that bruce bellaire came to me just as he used to look and asked me what I 1 had done with his one ewe lamb I 1 dont believe in supernatural warnings I 1 never had any faith in signs and omens but I 1 believe I 1 will go ga down to new york and see tf ff grade gracie Is well and so late one snowy december night there came a tremendous peal at the doorbell of mrs john Foll Folli lotts otts mansion that lady was absent at a fashionable reception with her three I 1 daughters norah and fannie had gone t visit a friend in a neighboring kitchen and bridget half asleep stumbled to the front door and opened it miss grace is it she stammered sure it if step in the parlay ill send her up to you up repeated the keen old gentleman where is she I 1 e 4 4 I 1 Y ra I 1 A i III V 2 II 11 I 1 i ft I 1 I 1 1 OH TAKE ME AWAY in the kitchen sir confessed bridget bridgel 1 I will go where she is said mr folliott Fol Hott take me to her at once poor little gracie sat before the etchen fire the meekest and palest of Cinde rellas in an unconsciously dror ping attitude her dress was worn and faded her hair brushed back in a plain plait her cheek transparently pale and there was an expression in her eyes as they looked into the red embers that made mr Folli Fol Hotts otts heart ache ive not come any too soon he thought and hen ben he said aloud grader gracier little Gr oracle acle with a sudden sadden cry she sprang to her feet and ran sobbing into his arms oh take me away she exclaimed oh I 1 am so miserable here the old man looked at her with tears in his eyes 1 I have made a mistake grade gracie said he no man can do his duty by proxy I 1 should have kept you myself never mind little one henceforward he nce you shall be all my own he turned to bridget pack flack her clothes said eald he and lost los no time bridget stared are you going to take her away sir said bald she mr folliott Fol llott nodded and its glad of it I 1 am said the honest girl for though its lonesome ishall be without her lva its no place for a gentleman gent lemans a daughter is this aved black beetle haunted etchen no more mom it aud and when mrs folliott Fol llott and her daughters returned tired and cross st at 2 lockIn oc ther the morning there was wag no patient grade to do the duties ot of a lady fades maid to them and a note from their rich relative lVe on n therall th the etall tall table ex ei pla ined n mrs folliott Foi liott lott grew pale as she read tha in wh which cousin panl pal ip expressed aw d bu meanings I 1 I 1 We ishall ae a cent cant 4 ft rom M him h agathas ag atnas as 1 I long i a we ae uie live 0 said she ba M IC lk 1 1 I 1 abl aft r 11 1 ak am 47 V t 13 i 4 M I 1 I 1 iva M 1 4 I iv I 1 I 1 a I 1 bermed like nothing bat a troubled lea dream prom from which she had awakened thank heaven N new v york le ledger adger |