Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-09-10
i was though, very pleasan, place.

strangers. They were grateful for work, bu
| they would not take cent without earning it
and those earnings were slight enough The
widow Lyle had always been of delicate health
and The cares of her new loi soon proved ioc
much for her Yet she worked ard worked
nigh, after night. she aud Annie plying theil
needles by candle-light. often far toward morn.
ing, until exhausted nature gave way, and she
was laid on bed of sickness
The w!nrer was just opening when This took
place, The second winter after her widow hood
and the symparhies of the people, which al first
beat warmly in her favor, had found time TO
cool No, that any body loved her or little An
ME less bur then folks did not think of them
so often, and did not any longer 60 out of their
way 10 assist Mrs. LyIe's family. Thus Annie
found herself alone, with long winter before
her, and necessity Of providing from day 10 day
for all their wants. She struggled on for a
while and then her heart came nigh breaking,
for she found that her utmost exer,ions failed
10 supply them with fuel and bread
Bul where was Edmund Dale all this time
he who should have saved her ftem suffering
Times had changed since he used 10 wander
with her through The buuon-wood grove, their
light laughter making The stage traveller turn
back with God bless Ihemr Edmund's ia.
ther, too, had died, and died before Mr.. Lyle !;
aud Edmund had been taken away by his guar
dian, an uncle in the city. He had cried all
he afternoon before he had departed. and An
ME had cried 100, though her little lover had
wiped the tears from her eyes with her apron,
and s,roTe 10 soolhe her. A, first they heard
from him occasionally, for he wrote long letters,
in his boyish style, TO Annie; but these gradu-
ally became scarce, and for years Annie had
heard nothing Of the absent boy.
Poor Annie! Many will no, believe what
am going 10 tell them, and will laugh at child
of ten being in love; but if pining for The ab-
sent and thinking of him daily from ten TO six
teen constitutes Iove--and it is more like true
lore Than many thing that goes by that name
then Annie was in love with The bold, frank,
rosy-cheeked boy who used 10 fight her battles
and bring her The first apples and strawberries
Of the season. Now, when reduced in fortune,
and often at the very door of want, Annie would
sigh and dream of Edmund Dale; and all her
visions Of future happiness had him for part
Of the picture. Poor Annie, have said, was
sill girl-an innocent, irusful girl--,hough
fast learning the destiny of womauhood, and
growing old premalureIy.
Many wan line now began to be traced on
AEnie's face and The dimpies that once sport
ed around her mouth like sunshine around rip
pies, assumed sad, sober expression, as if a
sorrowful angel had come up from her soul and
fixed himself there, TO tell the world what she
was TOO proud to reveal, that her heart was
breaking. People a, last found il out. They
began TO suspect tha, the widow Lyle's power
iy was greater than it seemed, though the chill
dren always looked tidy, and not even they ever
complained. So kind neighbor undertook to
find oct The truth. The youngest child was Sc
duced into The house at dinner time, when his
wis'fui eyes he looked on the wholesome
food, and his eager appetite as he parook of it,
revealed the secret.
Poor little DEAR" said the kind-heared
neighbor " it would have made you cry TO see
how famished he was Bul what can we do
Tor Annie There she sits, nigh, after night,
sirsinng out her eyes sewing, too independent
to AK aid, or fear accept 1t, though her heart
and hesiih both break"
just at this time the village school mistress
goi married. aod some kind hearted neighbor
proposed that Annie Lyle should take her place
Everybody wondered tina, 10 one had ,hought of
the plan before. Annie was very young, it was
true. but then all loved her; and so it was soon
settled that she should have trial, at least.
I, was new world TO Annie, and she ,retu.
tled as she entered the cheeress school room !;
bu, her mother was sick at home, and this was
the Orly resource lefi from starvation, or what