YOURS WITH ALL MY HEART 



and barrel, and recess they flashed their 

 tallow torches, all to no avail. 



Three square brick chimneys were set, at 

 equi-distances, through the center of the 

 long, dark cellar; they came to the end of 

 their search near the south one; here grand- 

 ma stood still, loath to leave the field, silent 

 and troubled. 



'It's no use, mother- -he isn't here," 

 yawned the elder sen, wearied with the 

 search, and not attaching quite so much 

 importance to a little black-eyed bunch of 

 white ostrich plumes, in view of his own 

 group of boys and girls. 



But grandma's only response was to call, 

 for the seventy-seventh time: 



'Flossie, Flossie! Come, little Flossie!' 



Then she stood intent, in listening atti- 

 tude -for I've heard her tell the story over 

 and over till I could paint her picture, 

 standing there, if I were only one of those 

 artist men with a brush. But all was dark 

 and still in the great shadowy cellar, as the 

 echoes of her voice died away then sud- 

 denly - ah, what was that ? Was it the 

 faintest little smothered whine, or was it 

 the night wind ? Grandma gave a start. 

 62 



