THE FANSHAWE FAMILY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 65, 18 March 1933, Page 19

THE FANSHAWE FAMILY

(Original.)

■|i_SVi,KIOJTE said it was such a pity about the Fanshawes, and everyone III* as sorry. It came as a blow, when early in the month of April the family was reduced from five members to four. . Mr. Fanshawe died quite suddenly—"Heart disease," the paper said; "following long yeays: of hardship during the war." "What would happen Gloria could not foresee, but Eon would have to give up studying for that architect scholarship, and Dora's schooldays would have to come to aa end. Perhaps Eon, who was clever with figures, would get a position in aa office. Perhaps, Gloria, practical for her eighteen years, knew too well that there were not many such positions offering. Then ]S"ancy—she was such a delicate child—they'd have to look after her, all of them. Slowly, the bitterness of grief began to wear away, ami once more Gloria resumed her singing.as she went about her household tasks. "Hullo, young'ouef" ' ■ "Oh! Mr. Selwyn, I'm so glad it's you! I've been looking for gold, but I only found this," —holding up a butter cup. "That's fairy gold, Fay. Coming with me Nancy 1 I'm off to the seashore to discover a book I left thero last Wednesday. Maybe we'll find real; gold dowa there." "They reached the sea, and they found the. book. Then the man and the child sat on the rocks and watched the great waves break on the shore. Suddenly the man pulled the child. "Look, little 2fan, look down there! • There's your gold!" And. there, in a crevice of the rock, showed what appeared to be a golden streak. The little girl's hand slipped down, into the crack, and slowly withdrew. There on her palm lay a. bright gold ring with one single diamond! . . s"- 4- Sol<l mine ana a diamond one!" laughed Sehvvn, fingering the dainty thing. . " "Oh! Do let's hurry!" cried-Xaney. "Do let's hurry and take it home to Gloria!" . Up the steep pathway they went, and Gloria met-them there. "I've been looking for you, Nan/* she said. "What's the joke?" "We found it,, dida't we?" smiled Nancy* nodding her head. "We found a gold mine—a real one this time." "In your pocket?" laughed Gloria. "Yes, hero it is," said Xan, producing the ring. ''It's a pretty, dainty little thing," said Mr.'Selwyn. "Not much value, tut it must belong somewhere. You'd better keep it." ;"That night, sitting atone by jthe fire-side, Gloria, turned idly the pages of "The Evening Post." It was strange there in the quietness all alone, with no one to discuss the news with. Quito suddenly her ■' eyes caught something, and her attention became riveted on an advertisement: "Lost, in the vicinity of Island Bay, gold ring, one diamond 'inset. Reward. Eer turn 32 Belgrovo Eoad." Gloria's hand slipped into her pocket, and the ring—the very ring—tinkled as it fell on a chair. . Going along to the bedrooms, Gloria found everyone asleep, then acting on impulse"' she slipped on a warm coat 'ami' hat aiid was shortly speeding along in a taxi in the direction of Belgrovo- Eoad. Having arrived at her destination, sjio knocked at the door and was received by a young girl. "Is this the place that advertised about a lost ring- in tonight's 'Post"?" asked Gloria. "Yes," replied the girl, "but Mrs. Burnett, the lady who advertised, is out. It was something she valued very raueh." Then Gloria produced the ring- and explained its finding. "Would you 'give me your name and address?" asked the girl. "Mrs. Burnett will bo wanting to see you.'* ■ ' ■ So Gloria did so, and set off home. The night air was chilly, and as she entered her own door she wondered exactly why she had so promptly returned the ring at such an hour. ■ Neat'morning near the breakfast hour the door bell rang- and Eon Tan to answer its summons. "Is this Fanshawcs?" asked a well-dressed lady.

<*May I.see .Miss Fanshawei lam Mrs. Burnett." ; ■ "Oh," said Gloria, in her friendly manner. "Please come right inside." ■■ Mrs. Burnett was one of those persons whom, everyone- loves. It -was not long before Eonald, Dora, and Nancy had taken her into their confidence. Even -Nigger, the big; black Pom, had made himself amiable. , The kind lady's face changed as she gazed at the' photograph hangin" over the mantle shelf. "That's our Baddie," said Nancy.' Then: quietly "Daddies dead." "Alfred Rodney Hugh. Fanshawe," murmured. Mrs. Burnett. "That's all Daddies name!" cried Nancy. , "But could it be he? Oh, you poor children! I understand it all. He was my brother, brother, Chicks. Come and listen. He went to the war, and after that wo lost all traeoof him, and had to think he must have gone with, all those other brave soldier-boyswho lost their lives during the -war.." :: She nervously- fingered her locket and showed, them; the photograph inside —an exact, replica of the enlargement. ■ ■ "We didn't know he had anybody belonging to him," murmured; Gloria after a while. '(Does, seem a bit liko- a fairy story, Aunt Isabel dear,'' ■: ■ Nancy slipped off her new aunt's knac. "Now* * where aro rou off butterfly?" ' • . "Just-in next door to tell Mr. Selwyu there ARE fairy godmothers— leal, ones.! . And there are gold mines, amiI' —but she was gone. ■a-^-^&ey-Jeft-<-Prinee&>-Str<>GtSfw.Bclgrove Eoad. It wasn-'t: a; castlel-after-all, but they found happiness there, and save for those trying now-ahd-a^ain happenings that occur in the lives of every one of us, they did all of them live happy ever afterwards. ' "WAXDEEING "WATER" (15). ■ Waimana. '