The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-02-26

Mike? 3 Don't you remember she said we
were lazy, good-for.nothings. because we
went to q clam bake on, Saturday after
noon? She called US grown.up babies,
and said we had enough better be to work.
Iwonderiwhat she would think of this.'3
Sure enough SAID Mike Hastings.
And what would she think if she was to
see my wise father and DIR, Green, and
Mr.. Larkins, and worse than all, farmer
Goodwell's cane, go limping to party.
My father aoiH go,fI know he will. He
likes Miss Harlow so well.'a oe
'And farmer Goodwell shall go, too,'
said Job, 'and his wife. Poor old folks!
they don't take much comfort of life.'
The day for the picnic arrived, and a
fine day it was. The children, in their
clean clothes, with their clean, bright,
laughing faces, were assembled at an ear
ly hour. Annie, dressed in pure white,
with single moss rosebud peeping from
her wavy brown hair, reminded one Of
purity and love embodied.
'Aint our schoolmarm pretty?' asked Job
Brewer, for the hundredth time; and .aint
she,' was repeated with strong emphasis
by the boys. 20 ea aoa ~
'She is coming this way said they, for
she had not yet recognized them, al.
though they had done their best TO attract
her attention.
Then such a brushing of hair and ele.
vating of heads was seldom seen, plainly
proving that no common character was
near. And they, as she kindly took them
by the hand and greeted them cordially,
well knew that they were objects Of interest
to her. Kindly she smiled on all, both old
and young. Jobs dark eyes beamed his
qualification, as she seated herselfbetween
the rough old farmer and his wife, and
commenced conversing in gay and pleas.
ant tones, as if resolved that they should
be led to feel the joys Of the occasion.
And he knew that the old mans heart
grew tender while listening to her, and he
was glad; for ofen had Job spoken her
praises at home, in glowing terms. Some
times, too, they looked at him, and he
knew they were speaking Of him, and his
heart beat, but not with modification or
fesr. Z iaaa1
MY mudder has tum, Nit Harlow said
Mary Lee, joyfully, as she presented q
pale, hsggard-looking woman, though in
earlier days she must have been strikingly
handsome, for each feature was faultless.
'Mudder, here's my pretty, dood little
toolmarm,' continued Mary; and Annie
extended her hand. bright blush Grim
soning her cheek. called forth by the child's
artless praise.
g u am happy 10 see you here, Mrs. Lee
said Annie. But you look tired and warm.
Go with me, and sit meath that shady
oak, and rest and refresh YOURSELF
How kind, how innocent, how beautiful
thought Mrs. Lee, as Annie led the way,
and the poor, neglected woman, SO little
used to the voice OF Kindness, wiped away
a tear with her coarse handkerchief.
Mary Lees mother had seen other and
far better days. Once she was as innocent
and fair, and happy, too, as Annie Harlow.
But he to whom she had given her young
heart had become drunkard. Poverty
had followed, friends had deserted, and
the hapless one, instead Of seeking for
comfort from the right source. had turned,
in the wildness Of her despair, to the in
toxicating cup. Now slept her husband
in drunkard's grave, and only Mary was
left her, and though she loved the child,
the force Of long. continued habits clung to
her tenaciously. There were no Tempe
rance Societies there, and the case Of the
confirmed inebriate was viewed as hope
less. ,,a,s... r,a esu l.i, t,-.,.-..a,
But Mrs. Lees heart was not at all
hard, and as Annie talked so respectfully,
even tenderly, to her, and spoke in glow.
ing terms of little Mary's loveliness, a
feeling slightly. akin to hope and pride,
crept through her desolate heart, and she
wished 60 how vainly,) that she might for
get her own degradation. And then. when
Annie's swanlike notes foated out upon
the air in words that breathed Of new life
and hope for the poor inebriate, she wept;
and hers were repentant tears 7s,ibJ
'h Mr.. Larkins, too, who, when it had first
been announced that Annie would sing,
had turned suddenly away, declaring that
he would not hear any Of that nonsense,
not he, indeed, as the soft, sweet sounds
fell upon his ear, had been drawn nearer
and still nearer, as though under the in
Auence Of a powerful psychologist; and
now he stood close to the spot from whence
the sounds proceeded, bending forward
with breathless anxiety, one ear'upturned,
as ififearful to miss asingle note. Not ill
recently had he heard OF the new arrange
ment for singing during recess, and not
tillto-day had requested the COMMITTEE
man to put a stop to .such nonsense. 1t
seems needless to say the request was
never repeated; and though Mr.. Larkins
did not say it publicly, he acknowledged
to himself, that of all the good and pleas
art things Of that day, the singing was the
best. Is hsEaag esd slteb yFh'%s1 yssg
4 Just as DR.. Green, Mr. Fortescue and
Annie were discussing, in an under tone,
the power Of moral sdasion, in the very