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 



