But on the day--when Mary Alice Smith was
to return--what was all the gallant tumult of the
town to us? I remember how we ran far up
the street to welcome her--for afar off we had
recognized her elfish face and eager eyes peering
expectantly from behind the broad shoulders of a
handsome fellow mounted on a great high-stepping
horse that neighed and pranced excitedly as we ran
scurrying toward them.

"Whoo-ee!" she cried in perfect ecstasy, as we
paused in breathless admiration. "Clear--the--
track--there,--old--folks--young--folks!--fer--
Mary--Alice--Smith--and--David--Mason--Jeffries--
is--come--to--town!"

O what a day that was! And how vain indeed
would be the attempt to detail here a tithe of its
glory, or our happiness in having back with us our
dear little girl, and her hysterical delight in seeing
us so warmly welcome to the full love of our childish
hearts the great, strong, round-faced, simple-
natured "David--Mason--Jeffries"! Long and
long ago we had learned to love him as we loved
the peasant hero of some fairy tale of Christian
Andersen's; but now that he was with us in most
wholesome and robust verity, our very souls seemed
scampering from our bodies to run to him and be
caught up and tossed and swung and dandled in
his gentle giant arms.