OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 880, 11 January 1889, Page 5

OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

AN ANGEL IN AN ULSTER. By Washington Gladden.) (From St. Nicholas. (Concluded.) Mr Todd has listened to this story with a changing expression of countenance. When his friend first mentioned the shipwreck, a sudden light of intelligence sprang into his eye, and his lips opened, but he quickly shut them again. He is greatly interested in what he hears, but he is not greatly pained by it. His friend wonders whether Hal Todd has lost some of the old manly tenderness of the academy days. ‘ Well, Brad Johnson,’ he cries, drawing a long breath, after the short recital is ended, ‘ this is a strange story. But, as you say, this family of yours can be found, and shall bo. Como with me. There is a policestation down this way.’ The two men walk on, arm-in-arm, in the direction of Denison.street. * How much is there of this missing family ?’ asks Mr Todd. * There’s a wife and two children—l hope,’ answers the other. ‘ The best woman in tho world, Hal, and two of the brightest children. Sing like larks, both of ’em. Bless their hearts !’ says the sailor, brushing away a tear ; ‘ I thought I should have had ’em in my lap this Christmas day, and J t’s tough to be hunting for ’em in this blind fashion.’ ‘ It is tough,’says the lumberman, choking a little. He has stopped on the sidewalk, on Denlson-street, just opposite No. 45. He lays his band on his friend’s shoulder. ‘Look here, Brad Johnson,’ he says, ‘we are going to find that wife and ohildren pretty soon, I suspect. And you’ve got to keep cool. D’ye hear ?' ‘ What do you mean ?’ gaspß the sailor. The eye of Mr Haliburton Todd is quietly lifted to the window of the second story opposite. His friend’s eye follows, and falls

on the picture we saw there a little while ago—the mother intent upon the book, the children intent upon the mother’s face. Thera is no outcry, but the father lifts his hands, as if to heaven, staggers a little, and then plunges across the street. Mr Todd is after him, and seizes him by the collar just as he reaches the foot of the stairs.

‘ Hold od, man !’ he says, decisively. ‘You musn't rush in on that women in this way. You’d kill her. She’s none too strong. Wait here a few moments, and 111 break it to her.’

‘You’re right,’ answers the father, pressing his hands against his temples, and steadying himself by the wall. * Bub you won’t keep me waiting long, will you ?’ Mr Haliburton Todd knocks at the door, and is let in by Ben. ‘ Oh, Mr Todd, how good you are 1 Thank you a hundred thousand times !’ cry both the ohildren at once.

* Well, I’m glad if you’ve enjoyed my little gifts,’ he answers. ‘But I’ve been thinking that your good mother ought to have a little of the cheer of this Christmas as well as you.’ ‘ Just whab we said,’ answers Ben. Mrs Johnson colours a little, bub before Bhe can Bpeak Mr Todd goes on. ‘Pardon me, madam, but what your minister told me yesterday of your affairs has led me to take a deep interest in them. How long is it since your husband left home ?’ e More than two years,’ answers the lady. ‘You have had no direct intelligence from him since he went away ?’ • None at all, Bave the painful news of the loss of his vessel, with all on board.' ‘ Have you ever learned the full particulars of the shipwreck V ‘No ; how could I V Mrs Johnson turns suddenly pale. ‘ Be calm, I beseech you, my dear lady. I did not suppose that you could have heard. But I met just now, in the street, an old friend of mine—and of yours—who knows a good deal about it. And I want to assure you before he comes in, that—the story as it reached you—was —was considerably exaggerated, that is all. Excuse me, and I will send in my friend.’ Mr Todd quickly withdraws. The colour comes and goes upon the mother’s face. ‘ Merciful Father !’ she cries, ‘ what does it all mean ?’ She rises from the ohair ; the door that Mr Todd has left ajar gently opens, and quickly closes. We will not open it again just now. That place is too sacred for prying eyes. It is a great cry of joy that fills the ears and the eyes of Mr Haliburton Todd, as he goes softly down the stairs and walks away to his hotel. An hour later, when the shock of the joy is over a little, and the explanations have been made, and father and mother and children are sitting for a few moments silent in a great peace, the nature of the human boy begins to assert itself. ‘lsn’t it,’ ventures Ben, timidly, as if the words were a profanation, ‘ isn’t it about time for dinner ?’

‘ Indeed it is, my boy,’ answered his mother; 'and I’m afraid our dinner is spoiled. Open the oven door, Ruby.’ Ruby obeys, and finds the poor forgotten chicken done to a cinder. ‘Never mind,’ says the mother. * Our dinner will be a little late, but we’ll find something with which to keep the feast.’ Just then there is a knock at the door opening into the new neighbour’s apartment. ‘What can they want?' says Mrs Johnson. ‘ Perhaps, my dear, you had better answer the knock. They are new comers to-day.’ Mr Johnson pushes back the bolt and opens the door. The room is hung with a profusion of Christmas greens. A bright fire blazes on the hearth. A table in the middle ol the room is loaded with smoking viands. A Bmiling coloured waiter, with napkiu on arm, bows politely when the door is opened. ‘ Ef you please, sah, dinnah is ready, sah !’ ‘ Whose dinner V demands Mr Johnson. * Your dinnah, sah. Do folk’s dinnah’n dis yer front room. It was ordered to' dem. ’ ‘ Where was it ordered ?’ ‘Copeland, sah.’ ‘ Who ordered it ?’ ‘ Gen’l’mn with gray uloerated coat on, sah ; I seen him kim up t’ yer room ’bout ’n hour ago. I was to get it all ready 'n’ call you jea’ half-past two.’ * Another of Todd’s surprises, ’ exclaims Mr Johnson. ‘Well, my dears, the dinner is here ; and we should be very ungrateful not to partake of it with thanksgiving.’ What a happy feast it is ! How the laughter and the tears chase each other around the table ! How swiftly the grief and misery and dread of the two desolate years that are gone, fly away into a far-off land | By and by when tde cloth is removed, and they are Beated around the open fire, Ruby says, musingly: ‘Papa, did you really and truly know Mr Todd when you were a boy ?’ * Certainly, my darling ; why do you ask ?’ ‘I can’t quite think,’ says the girl, ‘that he is a real man. It seems to me as if he must be an angel.’ While she speaks the angel is knocking at the door. They all fly to him ; the father hugs him ; the mother kisses his hand ; the children clasp his knees. * Help ! help !’ shouts the hearty lumberman. *1 didn’t come here to be garotted.’ TheD, with much laughing and crying, they tell him Ruby’s doubts concerning him. ‘Well,’ he says merrily, ‘I may be an angel, but if so, 1m not aware of it. Angels ore not generally addicted to the lumber business. And you needn't make any speeches to me, foi I' haven’t time to hear ’em. Fact is, this has been the very reddest of all my red-letter days ; the merriest of my Christmases; and you people have been the innocent occasion of it all. And I’m not done with you yet. I’ll have you all up ! to my lumber-camp next summer; there's a nice cabin there, for you. Pine woods'll do you lots of good, madam. Great fishing there, Ben! You’ll all come, won’t you? It’s almost train-time. Good-bye 1’ And before they have time to protest or to promise, Mr Haliburton Todd is down the stairs, rushing away to the station of the Eastern Railroad.—St. Nicholas. ; [The Ekp,]