The Little Immigrant | Page 2

church bells was a startling sound
and Paula exclaimed, as the three stood still listening: "Oh, listen to the
music box!" Solemnly they walked on and wondered that the world
was so large and full of beautiful things. Itwas a long time before
Renestine realized that they had gone a great distance. "We will return
now," she said. But when they turned to retrace their steps they found
themselves in a wood of large, dark trees with heavy gray moss
dropping from their branches and a solemn stillness over all. It was
growing dusk, too, and the trees looked ghostly in the falling gloom.
"Do you know which way to go?" asked Yetta.
"Oh, come with me and I will show you," said Paula.
Trustingly they followed Paula. But the brave girl, after a half hour's
vain effort, had to admit that she was puzzled herself and did not know
how to get out of the wood. Yetta showed the nearness of tears, but
Renestine set to work to extricate themselves. Before she had decided
what to do they all three heard horses' hoofs trampling down
bush-wood and dry twigs not far away. The riders, or whatever it was,
came nearer until the girls saw a young man on horseback, a boy
accompanying him. The horsemen reined in their horses and stopped
when they saw the girls standing before them. The older man, who was
about twenty-eight, asked how they came to be so far in the depth of
the trackless woods. When they had told him, he dismounted, throwing
the reins over his arm and leading his horse, he walked along by the
side of the girls guiding them out of their difficulty; the boy followed
on his horse which carried the saddle-bags containing the personal
belongings of both of them. As they walked many questions were asked

and answered and in a little time the woods were left behind and the.
girls were opening the gate of Renestine's sister's home. The young
rescuer, after seeing them safely disappear in the doorway, got on his
horse again and trotted off to his hotel, the boy following.
CHAPTER II
SEATED at her work table in her sitting room, Mrs. Bilter was putting
the last stitches in a white Swiss dress that Renestine was to wear that
night to a ball. The puff sleeve close to the shoulder was the last of the
dainty dress to be put on. Mrs. Bilter took eager pleasure in dressing
her pretty sister in the daintiest of gowns. When she looked up she saw
her husband coming through the gate for his noon dinner. She put down
her sewing and moved to meet him on the porch.
"Well, dear, how are you getting on with the ball dress?" For Mr. Bilter
was as interested in his little sister-in-law as his wife was. "Renestine
will have to look her prettiest to-night. There are some visiting young
men in the town and they will be at the ball."
They went in together and were received by old Aunt Mary, a colored
family servant who was much respected and held in affection by the
members.
"Dinnah jest put on de table, Missus."
"Has Miss Renestine come home?"
"No'm. I's hasn't seen her; prehaps she's kept in fer not knowin' her
lessons."
Just then Renestine came in, her cheeks rosy and her large black eyes
luminous with the exercise of walking home from school. She entered
the dining-room laughing and sat down next to her brother-in-law.
"How were the lessons today, Renestine?" he asked, patting her hand
that lay in his. "Arithmetic right?"

"No trouble at all. Oh, I am so glad that you both had the idea to send
me to school, I love it. I love to be puzzled over a question and find it
out for myself. I love to feel myself gaining knowledge and
understanding many things that used to be dark and incomprehensible
to me and that seem plain now. I rejoice that I am able to think and
speak English," and Renestine turned her head toward her sister and her
eyes were moist. "You are very good to me, Aldine, and besides you
are spoiling me with all the pretty dresses you make for me."
"Oh, do come in right after dinner and look at your dress for to-night. It
is just lovely with the little rosebuds around the shoulders," said Mrs.
Bilter.
It did not take long before the three were admiring the fluffy white
dress and predicting its success at the ball.
Renestine hurried home after school and sat down by the side of her
sister to help sew rosebuds on the flounces of the wide skirt. When the
dress was finished Renestine took it to her room and pinned it up on