The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1853-01-29

sented, with the the resolution of soor
finding some means of paying him anc
supporting myself.
The next day we all went to his house
felt wretched in the extreme. Hi:
sister, who kept house for him, stared a
me and in loud whisper inquired who
was the pitifnl party he was bringing
| saw his look of rebuke as he presented
me to her, and said, Margaret this is :
daughter Of an old friend of my father
II had been in distress should have
received from her father all the aid
needed.
Margaret Barnes was perhaps forty
| knew | could not like her, and when
went to my room | gathered the little
ones in my arms and kissed them many
times. could cat nothing at tea, and
soon retired. with my little charge. Nv
sister was but five-my eldest brother
eleven, the other eight. had no rela-
tive with whom to lelve them, and
knew no person in whose charge | would
trust them. On the morrow Mr.. Barnes,
proposed that should place them at a
school near his dwelling, where he was
sure from the reputation of the teacher,
they would be well cared for. With a
breaking heart | gave them up. The
two youngest wrung. their little hands
and cried, ooh sissy, sissy come back
come back n'-The lady seemed much
affected and strove to quiet them, but az
left the house the only sound heard
was the moaning Of the poor orphans
Mr. Barnes, desired me to remain in
his house, but could not consent. His
sisters lll-will seemed to increase with
every new demonstration of his regard
for Us, and learned if | did not leave
soon | should be driven by her unchar.
table conduct. A place was secured,
and was duly installed as music teach
er IN seminary at seine distance.
From tlne to time | saw Mr.. Barnes.
And at longer intervals visited the lit
tie ones. Hardly less painful than the
first was each parting, At the end of ii
year Mr.. Barnes insisted on having them
at his house. He romped and toyed
with them to their unbounded delight.
He was about thirty tive-with most
pleasant smile; sometimes his face look
ed handsome, and his voice was 80 kind,
that you could not help listening to it.
One evening | saw him looking very
htently at the fire. My little sister
stole up 10 hun and whispered loud
enough for m" 10 hear;
"You're thinking about somebody, |
know
"And can YOU tell who, yon little
fairy; come l'lI buy you something verv
pretty if you tell me who Pm thinking
about"
For moment she looked at me, and
then standing on tip toe, whispered still
louder than before;
"lou're thinking about sister Amelia"
l felt my face coloring, yet recover
ed my composure when he answered in
a soft tone;
"What witch you are-you guessed
it was thinking about your sister"
Little Alice was delighted at her own
acutencss.
The children went back TO school and
after day or so | returned to mine.
About week afterwards, a letter ad-
dressed to my father was delivered to
me. found it came from a firm in
New York, stating he was entitled to
large amount of property in that city by
the death of distant relative. The
same "vening Mr.. Barnes called and pro-
poseda walk. He seemed dlscomposed
and wondering what could be the mat
ter | asked him. This confused him
more; at last he said:
"Have you failed to see what did not
escape the eye Of little Alice! | have
been thinking OF Amelia. Not wan
dering thought, lowering but moment,
but an ever present thought. Listen to
me; am much older than you there is
little in me attractive but can not deep
love make me in some measure agreea.
BILE to you! Words can not avail me
now--and if they could | know not what
TO say.-My heart holds your image
with warm embrace"
|
l knew not what TO say. was Just
on the point of appealing to him as my {
only friend in regard to the letter, and j
never dreaming that he loved me.
was completely bewildered. know i
acted foolishly, for he threw his arms t
arouyd me, and perhaps kissed me; and t
then became sensible at once and told ,
him about the letter, and we talked
ong. | felt so happy and quizzed him :
about being so old; and he was SO gay !;
and kind that was strangely confident. !,
And when we went to the house thought .
hey knew what had happened. Pm :
'ure they could have seen If they had i
ooked.
The property was quite large. NY c
little charge were comfortably provided t
ar and | became his bride, and the sis. i,