Show A p story of X the vision e I 1 beautiful 31 t X K by EDWARD LEVINE 1 S I A v 4 Q 1024 western newspaper New paper union TS THAT your little daughter up s 1 a stai t ainsel rii I 1 asked the ewings Ertl next moment I 1 regretted regret feil fed tit iving as asked ked that question an expression of incredulity came on ewings face of pain on his cifes I 1 1 theres no child upstairs muttered hwing I 1 said no more it I 1 was nt at the dinner table and one cant flatly contradict ones host I 1 had never been in the ewing couso before beford they were new friends of mine though off afterward they became dear ones they had a big old home in the country and after we had met at the beach hotel they invited me with them to spend the week end I 1 had understood they lind had no children some neighbors child or perhaps a servants I 1 supposed who had strayed in only here was the odd thing there r were ere toys tos scattered everywhere about the big well lit room that I 1 had to strayed into A childs room had they lost a little littie one that might account for it A servants sen ants child no doubt the einings kept lie five it had been a tactless remark that I 1 had made but what a loc lovely child I 1 and liow how radiantly she had smiled at roe me when site she turned her licad hend at my entrance I 1 had wanted to caress tier to smooth the fair hair nang about nebout tier her shoulders should d aps cps but I 1 am ain shy with children and then tile ho little one had been so busy with tier her toys playing ln after that erst smiling glance at me as it if site hail had not seen me or had forgotten me she played placed so nicely too she put the blocks so quietly one on top of tile the other I 1 had anticipated anticipate some delightful hours witcher with her for I 1 am fond ot of children and I 1 find quietly withdrawn to my room and washed for dinner flin nerl and then gone down to ask that tactless question I 1 saw reproof in tile the eyes of old aunt alary n formidable dowager a sister of mrs mis lowing ewing the other guests ahree of them did not seem to see anything chii tiling queer in the situation aunt mary and I 1 lind had a little talk that night after a while I 1 was encouraged cou cpu raged to speak of my tactless ness hut but whose can the child have been I 1 asked they lost h a child she answered you mean I 1 was horrified yes others have seen tier her sometimes up there mr har ewing obstinately asserts that flint it Is all imagination agi nation but I 1 think lie he believes it ft too ills wife has had never neer seen tier lier and what breaks tier her heart she only hears of tier lier ot liers you believe that i you see tier I 1 had no more to say aunt mary alary continued tat it la is very pitiful and tragic you see eee the parents were rigid discipline disciplina rians they brought her up in tho the mistaken idea that children must be forced to obey and little doris darts was willful and obstinate they tried to break tier her will they whipped her they thought they were doing right by tier the mother whipped her the day before she wits was taken ill with scarlet fever whipped the he obstinate little thing filing and sent tier her to bed ten days later slip was dead she thinks the reason why she has never seen tier her Is because she whipped her it nearly kills her when others say they have seen her mr ewing its as I 1 said pretends not to believe li eve dont say another word no im sorry I 1 blundered into tills this I 1 answered still half lous have you seen her oil oh yes heaps of times but she never seems to notice just goes gaps on playing with her toys they left that room just as it was after she died when I 1 left aunt mary mrs ewing came up to me ine in a hesitant sort of wit way Y you you know now she whispered piteously yes I 1 know and im so sorry I 1 answered site she was a dear beautiful little girl if I 1 could see her only once moaned ined tile the mother 1 I knew tier her secret sorrow of course coue bl hut I 1 let her know what aunt mary had told me if I 1 could believe ashes happy 11 why I 1 said her smile was radiant I 1 iller her smile she he looked at me ma earnestly then a smile came on tier her own face a smile of utter happiness ju jut st like e the little girls tier her smile it Is the first time she A has been seen emill smiling ng I 1 shall bo happier pier now I 1 know how much that means to her he r |