That boy Teddy.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 20 June 1891, Page 4

That boy Teddy.

(Concluded.) " "Well, Mr Teddy Ford, what can I do «or you?" he asked tremulously, for he could not imagine what was coming. Teddy slowly advanced, and vjth all the confidence of his age and innocence, placed himself close by the old gentleman's knee. "Do you know Mr Heatherlie, your son?" he began. "Well, he was at our house last night, and I was sleepin' on the drawin'-room sofa, and I .bad to listen to what Miriam and him was sayin', 'cos I couldn't get out. And, oh, *:iease sir, they're very miserable, 'cos you won't let him come back here, an' I don't wonder at it, 'cos it's an awful nice place, and Mr Heatherlie said he would never come back no more till you came to see Miriam. 1 think that was what he said ; and, oh, ple&rc sir, I think he cant make any money oi something, but I dur,no, only Miriam cried like anything, and. Mr Heatherlie looked just awful, an' he's awful nice, and gives nze chocolates, at least he used. Oh, please sir, won't you come and see Miriam ; so's Mr Heatherlie'll come back to here ?" and Teddy finished up his breathless and rather incoherent oration by a burst of childish tsars. ■ > • . ; " Did they send you here to say all this ?" queried the old gentleman, in a very curious voice. Instantly Teddy took his knuckles out of his wet eyes, and looked scornfully into the querist's face. " Not likely, I wouldn't have got if they'd known, and I believe ma '11 lick me awfully for gettin 1 lost. I took all my pennies out my tin bank, and walked to the station and got into the train, aud came all by myself— isn't it seven miles ?— an' I walked every bit up here, an' oh, I'm awful hungry, 'cos it's past tea time. Do you keep any tea in this place ? Why, what are you crying for ? Are you miserable too ?" To Teddy's amazement, he felt himself suddenly lifted in the old gentleman's arms, and called by a great many endearing and affectionate names. "My little man, you have done me and mine an incomparable service this day," he said, brokenly, but these words Teddy could not quite understand. " If you'd give me some tea, please,, and let me go home, 'cos you know ma '11 be in an awful state," he said, philosophically. •' Likely the bellman '11 be out, ringing for people to look for me." " You shall have some tea, certainly, mj boy," said the old gentleman, with a ver> tender smile, " and then I shall drive you home." "Oh, that'll be nice, and you'll see Miriam, and Mr Heatherlie 'il not go away to London to-morrow like he said he would," gaid Teddy, in tones of satisfaction. So the bell was rung, and Anne, much mystified, brought in the teai and carried her master's orders to the coachman to get a carriage ready to drive to Sleaford. And while these orders were being executed, Teddy, as happy as a king, drank his tea, and consumed an unlimited quantity of cake, while the old gentleman, with a tremulous happy smile, looked on, thinking what sunshine the child's happy presence made in the gloomy place. " Do you console yourself, dear mamma,M said Miriam, soothingly. "If Teddy has only wandered in the town, Will will certainly find him. Why, here he comes ! Have you heard anything, dear ?" " I have been at the station, and Burnett tells me Teddy took train for Heatherlie at half-past three," said Will, with a puzzled smile. ." What : do you suppose; was the young man's object in undertaking a journey to Heatherlie, of all places in the world?" The three looked at each other in speechless astonishment. Thus, in her relief at hearing something definite about her darling, | Mrs Ford burst into tears. I Just then there came a rattling of wheels in the quiet street, the stoppage of some vehicle at the door, and presently the voice of Teddy himself. . ' "I'm here, ma; I'm not lost at all!" he cried, and with one bound was in his mother's arms. But there was another and a heavier step than Teddy's on the stair, and presently a tall figure stood upon the threshold of the little drawing-room. Then Miriam grew pale, so did Will, but stepped resolutely to her side. Mrs Ford, still holding Teddy in her ' arms, rose to her feet. " I am happy to restore your dear child to you, madam," said the deep tones of the master of Heatherlie Honour. " I owe him a debt of gratitude which I shall make it my endeavour to repay. With my dear boy I was harsh and unjust. Forgive me. Let me hold the dear girl you have loved so long in my arms. Now, I have fulfilled the part accorded to me by Teddy. Will you come back now to Heatherlie Honour?" Smiles, tears, laughter, looks of wonderment, and, best of all, deep, true, un-looked-for joy, how can I describe them all ? Far better, is it not, to leave it to the imagination of the reader ? When Sir William's carriage again turned from the unpretentious home in Hatton Place father and son s"at in it side by side. And it seemed to the happy hearts they left behind— only, however, for a little while — that the sun shone out after a, long day of darkness and cloud. Needless to say th£t when the quiet wedding of Will and Miriam took place in a few months' time, Teddy was the hero of the hour. It was not to be wondered at that' he became the idol of Sir William's heart, and that hi? was not dethroned from his pedestal. e>en by the advent of the young heir himself. •'■<e'4 '■> "How could you ever do it, T«5?" Kitty inquired for the fiftieth time. ? " I just thought of it and did it," .was Teddy's serene answer. ;; V "I never could have done such an awful thing," was Kitty's next remark. '•// r.-JW,' " No," answered Teddy, philosophically. " But then you're only a girl." ;