The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-05-21
fore, with her last kiss, breathed

word OF encouragement.
''It is fur your father. Let that
sustain you to the end
A few moments more, and the
stage rolled away, bearing with it the
very sunlight from the dwelling Of
Mr.. Bacon. Poor old man! Rest.
lessly did he wander about for days
after Mary's departure, unable to
apply himself, except for little while
at time, to any work; but his in.
quietude did not drive him back to
the cup hc had abandoned. No, he
saw i'll it too clearly the cause Of his
present deep distress, to look upon
and feel its allurcmcnt. What had
hanishcd from her pleasant home that
beloved child, and sent her forth
among strangers to toll from carly
morning until the going down of the
sun? Could he love the cause of this
great evil? No! There was yet
enough virtue in his heart to save
him. Love for his child was stronger
than his dc?ravcd love of strong
drink. A few more cffectual cff,r;s
were made to turn Mr.. Green from
his resolution to hold Mary to her
contract, and then the humblcd father
resi- yncd himself to the necessity lie
could not overcome, and with a
clearer mind and n newly awakened
purpose, applied himself to the culture
of his farm, which in q few
months, had more thrifty appear.
ancc than it had presented for years.
In the mean time, Mary had en-
tered one of the mills at Lowell, and
was doing her work there with n
brave aud cheerful spirit. Some
painful trials, to one like her, at-
tended her arrival in the city and
entrance upon the duties assumed.
But daily tho trials grew less. and
she toilcd on in tic ful6lment Of her
contract with Mrs. Green, happy
under the ever present consciousness
| that she bud aaysa l,es Gsss;) SSi y;
sashesr esring place of the family.
-d the end of three months, sho
came back and spent week. How
her yonng heart bounded will! joy at
the great change apparent in every
thing about the house and farm, but,
most of all, at the change in her
father. He was not so light of word
and smilingly cheerful as in former
times, but he was sober, perfectly
sober, and she felt that the kiss with
which he welcomed her brief return,
was pnrcr than it had ever been.
On the very day Mary came back,
she called over to sec Mr.. Green,
and paid him thirty-scven dollars on
account Of the loan. for which he gave
her receipt. Then he had many
questions to ask about her situation
at Lowell, aud how she bore her
separation from home. to all Of
which she gave cheerful answers,
and. in the end, repeated her thanks
for the opportunity he had given her
to he Of such great service to her
father.
Mr.. Green had a son who, during
his term at college, exhibited talents
Of so decided a character that his
father. after some delibcration con-
cludcd to place him under the care
Of an eminent lawyer in Boston. Ir
this position he had now been for two
years, aud was about applying for
admission to the bar. AS children.
Henry Green and Mary Bacon had
been to the same school together,
and, as children, they we're much
attached to each other. Their in
tcrcoursc, MS each grew older, was
suspended by the absence of Henry
at college, and by other circumstances
that removed the two families from
intimate contact, and they had ceased
to think Of each other except when
some remembrance of the past
brought up their images.
After paving Mr.. Green the
amount of money which she had
saved from her earnings during the
first three months of her factory life,
Mary left his house, and was walking
along the carriage way leading to
the public read, when she saw a
young man enter tho gate and
approach her.
Although it was three years since
she had met Henry she knew him at
glance, but he did not recognize
her. although struck with something
familiar in her face as he bowed to
her III passing.
"Who can that be?' said ho to
himself, as 10 walked though,fnlly
along. 81 have seen her before.
Can that he Mary Bacon? If so,
how much she has imm ovedr
On meeting his father, the young
man asked if he was right in his con.
A. l. ~