Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-08-04

!
speaking to her about it, and telling
her 1t was wrong for her to leave me
at such busy time, aud she said,
Mother, | will be at home tc do it all
next year. Yes, it Is a year, and |
should not BE- surprised if she should
come this week,
=" Perhaps she viii not come at al! ,"
! said Mr., Atkins, with gloomy look,
''she has written us bat few letters,
and they have been very short and I'M
satisfactory. suppose she has sense
enough to know that no news is bet
ter than bad news, and having nothing
pleasant to tell about herself, She thinks
she will tell US nothing at all. But if
| ever get her home again, I will keep,
her here. | assure you, her first year
IN Lowell shall also be her last.'
''IIusband, told you my fears, and
| if you had set up your authority, Abb
I by would have been obliged to stay al
home, but perhaps she is doing pretty
well. You know she is not accustom-
ed to writing, and that may account
for the few and short letters we have.
received, but they have all, even the
shortest, contained the assurance that
she would be at home at the close of
the year."
! "Pa, the stage has stopped here
said little Charley, and he bounded
from his fathers knee. The next mo-
ment the room gang with the shout Of
"Abby has come! Abby has GOMEZ"
! Ia a few moments more she was in the
midst of the joyful throng. Her faith
er pressed her hand in silence, and
tears gushed from her mothers eyes.
Her brothers and sisters were clamor-
Gus with delight, all but little Charley,
to whom Abby was stranger, and
who repealed with terror all her oyertures
for better acquaintance. Her parents
gazed upon her with speeches. pleas
ure, for they felt there was change
for the better in their once Maynard
girl. Yes, there she stood before them,
a little taller and a little thinner, and
when the flush of emotion had faded a.
way, perhaps a little paler; bat her
eyes were bright in their joyous radi-
ance, and then the smile Of health and
innocence was playing around her rosy
lips. She carefully laid aside her new
straw bonnet, with its plain trimming
of light blue ribbon, and her dark meri-
no dress showed to the best advantage
her neat and symmetrical form. There
was more delicacp of personal appear
ance than when shen left them, and al
so more softness of manner, for constant
collision with 50 many females had
worn off the little asperities which had
marked her conduct while at home.
/, Well, Abby, how many silk gowns
have you got'" said her father, as she
opened large new trunk. Not one,
father,'' said she; and she fixed her
dark eyes upon him with an expression
which told all. "But here are some
little books for the children, and new
r calico dress for mother, and here is a
: nice black silk handkerchief for you to
wear around your neck on Sunday; &C
cept it, dear father, for it is your daugh-
ter's first gift
: You had better have bought me a
pair of spectacles, for am sure I can
not see any thing There were tears
! in the farmers eyes, but he feigned to
laucl and joke, that they might not be
perceived. But what did YOU y ith all
your money!
4 thought I had better leave il
: there said Abby, and she placed bel
bank book in her fathers hand. Mr.
Atkins looked a moment, and the for
ced smile faded away. The surprise
! had been too great, and tears fell fast
rom The fathers eyes.
eItis but little said Abby. 'But
! it Nas all you coul>l save replied he'
father, 'and am proud Of you Abby
yes, proud that an the father Of Sucl
girl. It is not this paltry sum whicE
pleases so much, but the prudence
self-command, and real affection for us
which you have displayed. But Wa
it not sometimes hard to resist teinpta-
tion2'
yes, father, gou can never know
how hard; but it was the thought o
H.is night which sustained me through
It ALL | knew how YOU would smile
and what my mother would say ant
and feel; and though there have beer
moments, yes, hours, that have seer
/, me wretched enough, yet this one eve
G ming will repay for all. There is but
one thing now to mar my happiness
and this is the thought that this little
t fellow has quite forgotten me, said she
as she drew Charley to her side. But
: the new picture book had already eff
fected wonders, and in few moments