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THE HESPEKIAN ' 6"
No, not all, for tliero wero throe little girls, the tail stranger to tho house, vainly hoping
Hetty, Katy, and Emma, who woro very that thoy might loam who tho stranger was,
fond of tho old woman, and called her and what ho wanted. But the tall man gave
"grandma" with real affection. no reason for his visit, ho moroly thanked
Sometimes when thoy visited hor, thoy them when thoy reached tho little rickety
camo out to the corner of tho fence to talk to gate, and sent them back. His call on
their acquaintances, lingering outside on
their way to school; and when they spoke of
"grandma," their little friends, who always
associated that name with a quiot, sweet-
Granny Soars lasted about an hour.
All that evening, people gossiped about it
and wondered what it could mean. But the
strangor stayed in his room all evening, and
faced, old lady, with a white lace cap and the hotel clerk, who had found some excuse
gold bowed spectacles, pitied thorn, and to go to him, said that ho was busy writing,
thought how awful it must bo to have such a and had tho room "all littered up with
grandma. Thoy would not bo convinced by papers."
Hetty's stout assertion that she was "real Some of tho .women, for whom Granny
nice, and not a bit cross." Sears had worked, were even bold enough to
Nor were tho children tho only ones who go to see her that evening; but they came
avoided her.. Grown people lot hor alone away again with their curiosity unsatisfied,
too. Some of the women woro as much Tho next morning, the stranger was seen
afraid of her as tho children were, and do- going back to tho little old house with a big
clared thoy "wouldn't go past her house tablet under his arm, and all day long the
after dark for anything;" others pitied hor; curious public waited in suspense for him to
others never noticed her, except to smile at como away, so that, if possible, they might
her grotesque appearance; and others dealt learn tho moaning of his visit. But it was
with hor purely in a business way, giving her almost five o'clock, about half an hour bo
work and paying her for doing it. These fore tho evening train time, when he went
last were the only people she over had any- back to tho hotel, then hurried down to the
thing to do with. station, boarded tho trdn, and was gone.
For years she lived on in tho little weather- No one over found out what ho wanted
beaten old house by tho road, weaving car- with "Granny Sears," and things went on
pets and taking care of the cow and chickens, just as before.
juBt as she had done for so long. Her About six months after tho stranger's
grandchildren wore growing up now, aud mysterious visit, tho booksellers began to ad
did not come to see hor so often as thoy vortiso a now "Biography of Abraham Lin
used to. coin." Tho book at once became popular.
But one day, a man, tall, with long hair Never before had so much been known con
combed straight back, and wearing eye- cerning tho very early life of America's most
glasses, got off the train at tho little station,
and asked if anyone could toll him where
to find "an old lady by tho name of Mrs.
Sears."
Then there was excitement. Yes, of
remarkable man.
"Many of tho facts here published," so
said tho introduction, "were obtained from
an old lady, now living alone and unknown
in a western town, but who, in hor girlhood,
course, everyone know where "Mrs. Soars" was an intimate friend of the Lincoln family."
lived. But what in the world could this One day a package came to Old Granny
fellow want with her! Wua ho some rola- Sears. She carried it homo from tho post-
tivo? A son, maybo, who had run away office, pulled down tho blinds of hor little
when a boy. sitting room windows, lit tho lamp, and tore
A half dozen, or more, offered rto guide off the wrapper. Inside was a volume, neat-