The Hazeley Family   By: Alfred E. Johnson (1879-)

THE HAZELEY FAMILY BY Mrs. A. E. JOHNSON

PHILADELPHIA American Baptist Publication Society 1420 CHESTNUT STREET

THE HAZELEY FAMILY

BY

MRS. A. E. JOHNSON Author of Clarence and Corinne

PHILADELPHIA AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY 1420 CHESTNUT STREET

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1894, by the AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I. THE HAZELEY HOME, 5

CHAPTER II. FLORA AT HOME, 15

CHAPTER III. RUTH RUDD, 26

CHAPTER IV. FLORA'S FIRST SUNDAY, 37

CHAPTER V. THE BEGINNING, 46

CHAPTER VI. SOME RESULTS, 58

CHAPTER VII. A VISIT TO MAJOR JOE, 67

CHAPTER VIII. MORE RESULTS, 79

CHAPTER IX. RUTH'S NEW HOME, 89 CHAPTER X. LOTTIE PIPER, 97

CHAPTER XI. CHANGES, 106

CHAPTER XII. LED AWAY, 117

CHAPTER XIII. IN THE HOSPITAL AND OUT AGAIN, 124

CHAPTER XIV. A CHAPTER OF WONDERS, 132

CHAPTER XV. GOING HOME, 142

CHAPTER XVI. LOTTIE'S TRIALS, 151

CHAPTER XVII. MORE SURPRISES, 162

CHAPTER XVIII. A CHRISTMAS INVITATION, 171

CHAPTER XIX. A HOMELY WEDDING, 180

THE HAZELEY FAMILY.

CHAPTER I.

THE HAZELEY HOME.

Sixteen year old Flora Hazeley stood by the table in the dingy little dining room, looking down earnestly and thoughtfully at a shapely, yellow sweet potato.

It was only a potato, but the sight of it brought to its owner, not only a crowd of pleasant memories, but a number of unpleasant anticipations. Hence, the earnest, thoughtful expression on her young face.

Flora was the only daughter. She had two brothers, one older and one younger than herself, Harry and Alec, aged respectively, eighteen and thirteen. The mother was of an easy going, careless disposition, and seemed indifferent to the management of her household. Especially did she dislike responsibility of any kind. She was well pleased, therefore, to receive one day a letter from her sister, Mrs. Graham, a childless widow, offering to take Flora, who was then just five years old, promising to rear her as if she had been her own daughter.

Mrs. Graham was well off. In her case this meant that she lived in a pretty home of her own, with a nice income, not only supporting herself in comfort, but permitting her to provide a home for her elder sister for many years, who had entire charge of the housekeeping. This sister, Mrs. Sarah Martin, was also a widow and childless. The resemblance went no further, for they differed, not only in manner, but opinions, thoughts, and character.

Mrs. Graham, after a great deal of careful thought, had come to the conclusion to adopt her little niece. In fact she had often thought it over ever since the child first began to walk, and call her by name. She was a sensible woman, and it always annoyed her when she would visit her sister to see the careless way in which the children were being trained. Seeing this, she had long wished to take and train Flora according to her own idea of what constituted the education of a girl.