OUR LITTLE FOLKS. The Blue Bracelet.

Otago Witness, Issue 1725, 13 December 1884, Page 28

OUR LITTLE FOLKS. The Blue Bracelet.

If you could have heard Dorry stand up with folded hands and sing "Blue-eyed Mary," and " Bounding Billows," and many other swoet, old-fashioned tunes, with the cheeriest of baby voices, and while not yet out of pinafores, you would probably havo thought, as did her parents, that she was designed for a musical prodigy. No time was to bo lost in improving such remarkable talents. A Mr Phoebus was hunted up, who combined, with a very fat body and very short leg 3, a tuneful soul, aud a loud voice with which to proclaim it. He sold Dorry's father a singing book, and appointed the day when first she should attend one of his classes. Arrayed for the ordeal in a new blue merino suit, trimmed with row upon row of steel buttons which at first delighted her soul, and afterwards inwardly terrified her lest she should be mistaken for a policeman, Dorry was made ready for the occasion. The singing school was held in a hall in the city, at least two miles from Dorry's home. The serious question arose, what was to be done with the four-year-old midget between the time when the lessons should be over and the time her father could call for her, an hour or a half-hour later. She could not be left to ramble upon the street ; and it became more and more evident that Dorry would have to be taught to rely upon herself. So it was decided that as soon as lessons were over, she was to start straight for her uncle's house, which was many blocks away. She might not get there before her father would overtake her, but it would give her something to do, and keep her out of mischief ; unless, indeed, she should happen to get run over, or turn the wroug corner, or grow bewildered, as such wee children are apt to do. Lest this latter ca lamity should come to pass, and Dorry forget her name or her belongings, her father, like a wise man, wrote on the flyleaf of her Bong book, " Miss Dorothea Doremus. If lost please return to Colonel Philos Doremus, 95 LamonBtreat." ' "Now, Dorry," said her father, driving slowly over the route she was to take to reach her uncle's, and striving to impress certain corners ana landmarks on her infant mind, f c now, Dorry, never talk to any stranger on the street. Qo straight along, and mind your oWn business, and nobody will trpuble you. But if ever you do get lost, just wait till some kind-faced lady or gentleman^ comes along, and ,then open your book and point to this writing inside, and I guess you will come out all right"; bi^t X hope you will b8 very careful noyerto get lost. Always remember to tiirn to the right as you come out," continued her father, as he left her at the door, ''and you will have no trouble. Turn to the right, and keep on a little way till you come ( to' the green ; and, after you 'see that, I am sure you will know the way. B^ the way, D.drry, which is your right hand ?. " " • Dorry confidently showed her left. The plan seemed likely to fail from the very beginning ; for, if Dorry didn't kbow left from right, how Was she to start safely, or come out according |ib "his calculations ? ' ' ■ *' Jump in again 1 said her father, leading fhe way back to his carriage. "We must fix it somehow so that you cannot make a mistake, pome I" * n • They stopped at the §rst fancy store, and to Dorry s supreme delight she was fitted to a lovely blue beafl bracelet, strung upon a cord of fhe softest and silkiest white elastic ! "Now, remember,'! said her father, as he clasped it round her wrist', " this is your right arm 1 and hand, and you must always go as these litble bsadß tell you. Don't ever take ''it off while you > are .in the ol'ass, and then it will he'Ver A make' any mystake ; because either mimma'br I will put it" on." • "' p.o¥ry was left; aJ6ne at last among strangers, all of whom seemed' tq feel as awkward and strange in their new surroundings as she herself did ', so she had plenty of company in misery, For a long time there was a great deal of noise and little music, but at last Mr Phoebus condescended to teach, them tunes, and then Dorry really began to enjoy it. . Several times had she come and gone up those dark, mysterious stairs, and out through the open door into the air and bright sunshine. Always on the stsp she had consulted her blue beads, and always they had told her right ; and Dorry had never yet gone astray. But one day, in an evil hour, she accepted the friendly advances of a too friendly little girl, and allowed her to Blip off the precious blue bead bracelet and wear it until the hour of departing, came. Then the bracelet was hurriedly slipped -on to the wrong arm by this false friend, who thought she knew when Bhe didn't, and at the door they parted. This time when the blue beards were consulted they told wrong, for they were on the wrong wrist 1 Nevertheless, true to her habit of turning the way they pointed, Dorry hurried on, wondering why everything looked so strange and unfamiliar. She went on and on, thinking that ehe should come to the familiar green before Long. Instead, she^seeined to grow more hopelessly lost in aj region of great solemn 'and owlieyed^warehouses that scared at her in long rows w,itli tightly closed doors, being evidently com'^ posing, themselves to], sleep after . their « day's trimc., wao done. >„ . • - •* " ( * Itf^reVdarUSr and darker as Bhe struggled soDbingly on, holding fast to her book as the only link between her and her vanished homo and friends. Oh, why wouldn't some kindfaced lady or gentleman speak to her, so that she could show them the leaf her father had written upon so long ago? At last, when it was quite dark, and her little feet ached with wandering, and her eyes ached with searching and crying, she saw, with indescribable joy, by the lic;ht of a street; lamp, a door-step that looked familiar. She was sure that, at some time, she had passed up that step, and into that door with her mother, on-some happeir occasion. ( >'To be sure", it was only 'the dressmaker's, but it was a link. It was someone who kuet? i her" moth or, aaf} v/ho 4 perhaps. Kjighjt >tell .lie? how to, reach >hbtiie,if .only ,Bhe"oouid gather pourage to knqck'; : ' '< '' i '•' » >t ' { ■ v ' : Timid 'and hesitating, she dropped sobbing upon the step, when suddenly a pleasant voice accoated her and kindly arms enfolded her, and the grieved little waif had found a friend at last. He was a stranger, but he had found a child (bat was lost, which was enough, H-

inquired her story, peered into the myatery of tha writing in the book, and shouldering the stray child bore her bodily off. She fell asleep in his arms, and only walked as he mounted the steps of her uncle's house, with the sound of the 9 o'clock bells in her ears, and the father's joyful thanks as he took her from the gentleman's arms. Aftor hours spe.nt in searching he had just returned, almost hopeless, to Bee if anything had been heard of Dorry, to meet her rpscuer as described. How glad and happy she was, I need hot say, nor how carefully she guarded her blue bracelet ever after from meddlesome fingers. — Mrs S. T. Stone, in the Congregationalism