What happened to Tad

by Mary E. Ropes

So one lovely afternoon, in full spring, Marie and the baby, Tad, and Phil, took leave of the kind gipsies, and going on board the trim little schooner, glided out into the crimson sunset, with a fair wind and all sail set.

Marie's husband had gone back to England two weeks before, being unable to wait till the baby was well enough to travel. A letter had been written to James Poole, and sent to the address of Tad's former home, whence it had been forwarded to the new house, near Southampton, to which the Pooles had recently moved. To this letter Tad's father had sent a kind reply, promising to meet the voyagers on arrival.

Marie had at first intended herself to take the baby to his home, accompanying Tad thither. But on learning that James Poole was to meet his children, and remembering, too, that in stealing the baby on that never-to-be-forgotten Sunday evening, all those months ago, she had exposed herself to a serious risk, and indeed to the certainty of punishment by English law, she thought she had better not show herself at all to the child's father, but find her way to her husband's people as quickly as possible.

Of the parting between Marie and her adopted child we need not say much, but sad as it was, she went through it with courage and determination.

James Poole, as was expected, met the voyagers at Southampton, and Tad was surprised to see how much softened and how gentle his father's face and manner had become. When Tad introduced Phil, James Poole greeted the boy very kindly, and cordially invited him home.

The Pooles had a nice roomy cottage just out of town, and on the way there, Tad's father told him that Mrs. Poole had been a great invalid for four months and more, and quite unable to do any work about the house, so that life had been very hard for all. He said that Nell and Bert were well, and good children on the whole, but running rather wild for want of looking after, and that Mr. Scales the grocer, Tad's former employer, had quite recently written to inquire after his late shop-boy, saying that since Tad left, he had been unable to find a lad to suit him.

On reaching home, it was a sad sight to see Mrs. Poole lying on a couch quite helpless, dependent upon an old woman who came every morning to do the work of the house. But on seeing her baby boy and receiving him into her arms again, the poor mother was so full of joy and content and thankfulness, that the look of suffering passed from her face, and Tad thought he should not be surprised if she got well after all.

In the general rejoicing, no one thought of scolding or blaming the runaway lad, and all listened eagerly while he told his adventures.

Phil too was made much of, and when, in relating his story, Tad told also not sparing nor excusing himself—how Phil had been his good angel, his loving, faithful friend, ever since they had first met, there was not a dry eye in all that little company. And James Poole wrung the little slender hand in his strong palm, Nell and Bert hugged him round the neck, and Mrs. Poole patted his head and called him a dear good lad, till he felt quite shy, for he had never been used to much kindness or attention.

Presently, when the little ones had gone to bed, Mrs. Poole asked Tad to come and sit down by her, and when he did so, she said: