Page:Her Benny - Silas K Hocking (Warne, 1890).djvu/281

Rh play over the air; then there was a long pause, for Eva's thoughts had wandered away elsewhere.

"We are all attention, dear," said Mrs. Munroe.

"Excuse me," said Eva; "but I was thinking of something else. I will tell you all about it directly, if you care to hear." Then, clear and sweet, rang out the words—

There is beauty all around When there's love at home."

And Benny felt thankful that the lights had not been brought, for in the gloom he could hide his emotion. When the song was finished, Eva swung herself round on the music-stool, and said—

"You will think me very silly, I have no doubt, but I never sing that old song without thinking of what happened years ago." "Dear me, how old you talk!" laughed her cousin.

" Well, Dot, I am getting old ; but never mind, I was only a little girl then. Pa and I were returning from Chester, and when we landed from the railway-boat, a pale hungry-looking lad came up to pa and asked him to carry his bag. Well, pa had been delayed, and consequently he was in a hurry, so he said 'No' to the boy in a stern voice, and pushed roughly past, and I saw the boy turn away and begin to cry; so, scarcely thinking what I was doing, I went to the boy, and asked him why he cried, and he said he was hungry and cold, that he had no