Grandpa is the kindest man and he has the most Beautiful horse, her name
is Essecks made. He let me sit on her back and give her Sugar. Cosin
Elloees is the prettiest one of all. She has things that make her sorry
but she is very kind to me. She washed my hare today and she helps me
get the lesson. There is a docter here he is lovly. He tried to cure me
when I had a claim but Mrs. Lewis did. Cosin Elloees reads S. and H when
we get throo the lesson and I think she will be glad Pretty soon and
not afrade Grandpa doesn't want her and Ant maj. She won't let me tell
grandpa she is kind to me, but I can Explane beter when you come home.
Grandpa's kindness is inside, and he Looks sorry but noboddy cood help
loving him. I love you both every minnit and the leters in my pocket
help me so much.
Your dear
JEWEL.
Mr. Evringham had scarcely finished reading this epistle when Jewel's
head slipped on the polished woodwork against which she was leaning and
bumped against the side of the chair with a jar which awoke her.
Seeing her grandfather standing near she smiled drowsily. “I fell
asleep, didn't I?” she said, and rubbed her eyes; then noting the sheet
of paper in Mr. Evringham's hand, memory returned to her. She sat up
with a start.
“Oh, grandpa, you haven't read my letter!” she exclaimed, with an
accent of dismay which brought the blood to the broker's face. He felt a
culprit before the shocked blue eyes.
“To--to see if it was spelled right, you know,” he said. “You had me do
it before.”
“Yes, I wanted you to then,” returned the child; “but it is error to
read people's letters unless they ask you to, isn't it?”
“Yes, it's confoundedly bad form, Jewel. I beg your pardon. You didn't
mean me to see those sweet things you said about me, eh?”
“That was no matter. It was cousin Eloise's secret. She trusted me.” The
child's eyes filled with tears.
The broker cleared his throat. “No harm done, I'm sure. No harm done,”
he returned brusquely, to cover his discomfiture. For the first time he
made an advance toward his granddaughter. “Come here a minute, Jewel.”
He took her hand and led her to his chair, and seating himself,
lifted her into his lap. The corners of her lips were drawing down
involuntarily, and as her head fell against his broad shoulder, he took
out his handkerchief and dried her eyes. “I hope you'll forgive me,” he
said. “After this I will always wait for your permission. Now what is
this about cousin Eloise?”
Jewel shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.
“You can't tell me?”
“No.”
“Then don't you think perhaps it was a good thing I read your letter
after all, if it is something I ought to know?”
The speaker was not so interested to discover the secrets of his
beautiful guest as to set himself right with this admirer. He did not
relish falling from his pedestal.
“Do you think perhaps Divine Love made you do it, grandpa?” asked the
child tremulously, with returning hope.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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