New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-06-09
AlyRE'!m%A7 yE'!m

o.
Richard Steel was the son of one OF those small
landlords who are fast disappearing from Merry
Old England His father left him the sole pos
SCISSOR Of twenty five acres Of arabic land and
a snug little cottage, which had descended from
father to son, through many generations.
The ground plot, which had been sufficient to |
maintain his honest progenitors for several ages,
in the palmy days of Britain's glory and indie
pendence, ere her vast resources passed into the
hands of the few, and left the many to starve, |
was not enough to provide for the wants of our
stout yeoman and his family, which consisted at
that period of three sons and one daughter,
lovely. blooming girl of ten years, or there
abouts. Richard and his boys toiled with un-
ceasng diligence the wife was up late and
early, and not one moment was left unemployed;
| and yet they made no headway, but every sue
eeeding year found them in arrears.
| Jane, said the yeoman one evening Thought
fully to his wife, after having blessed his homely
meal of SKINNED milk and brown bread
couldst thee not have given us a little treat
tonight Hast thee forgotten that 1t j. our
Annle's birth h-day ::
q No, Richard, l have not forgotten; how
could forget the anniversary of the day that
made us all SO happy But times are bad; |
could not spare the money to buy sugar and
plums for the cake and wanted to sell all the
| butter in order to scrape together enough to
nav the shoemaker for making our darling s
shoes Annie knows that she is infinitely dear
to us all, though We cannot give her luxures to
prove it,
8. 1t wants no proof, dear MOTHER said the
Young girl, finging her round, but sun burnt
arms about her parents neck Is Your precious
i love is worth the wealth of the whole world to
me- | know how fond you and dear father are
of me, and am more than satisfied.
.. Annie is right said Steel, dropping his
|. knife and holding out his arms for caress
= The world could not purchase such love as We
: feel for her; and let us bless God that, poor
though we be, we are all here to night, well and
strong, aye, and rich, in spite Of our homely
fare, in each others affections. What say you
= nv boys And he glanced with parental prid'
=, on three fine lads, whose healthy and homes
i. countenances might well be contemplated witt
pleasure and afford subjects for hopeful antici
pations for the future
\ eve are happy. father" said the eldest
). cheertully.
y The cakes and spiced ale would have mad
: us happier said the second. Mother make
such nice cakes.
} so she does,' cried the third. % 1t seems s
n dull to have nothing nice on Annie's birthday
ed should not care fig if it were Dicks birth
bi. day, or Owens, or mine but not to drink An
!" MES health seems unlucky."
You shall DIR nix it, said Annie, laughing
"In what y askel both the boys in a breatf
p Z" In fine spring waterI' And she filled thel
n mugs
hn Better God never gave to his creature
ins ins How bright it is! How it sparkles! | wi
his never from this day ask for q finer drink. Hel
W. is a health to you, my brothers, and may v
'. never know what it is to lack draught OF pul
water
Annie nodded to her brothers, and drank {
her mug of water and the good -natured fellow
3. who dearly loved her, followed her example
5o Oh, little did the gay hearted girl think,
coN. that moment of playful glee, of the price 81
4 8. drn nt "
in The crops that year were failure, ana I
cid heart of the strong man began to droop.
rba felt that his labor in his native land would
NJ longer give bis children bread and unwilh
The 10 sink into the lowest class he wisely resolve
sn while he retained the means of doing So to en-
vsrs CRATE to America. His wife made no oppositl
VIZ =, TO his wishes, his sons were delighted with
prospect of any change for the better, and II a
an, ME felt passing pang at leaving the dais
ana fields and her pretty playmates, the lambs,
hid il from her parents. The dear homeste;
us n'. with its quiet rural orchard, and trim heds
s. rows, fell to the hammer; nor was the sunbu,
cheek of the honest yeoman unmoistened VIII
etc; tear, when he saw it added to the enormous
-, sessions of the lord of the manor
= After the sale was completed and the MOI
-. it brought duly paid, Steele lost no time IN P
pairing for his emigration In less than 10
,v. night he had secured their passage to Newfo
and they were already on their voyage acf
'f the Atlantic. Favored by wind ana Weath
oct. after the first effects of the sea had worn
they were comfortable enough. The steer
'O.i passengers were poor, but respectable Eng
E, emigrants, and they made several pleasant
qumntances among them One family esp
ally attracted their attention, and so fur
49,. engaged their affections during the tedl
voya age, that they entered into an agreemen
settle in the same neighborhood. Mr.. All
was a widower, with his two sons, the ages
Richard and Owen, and an elder sister-a
sst. m,tive, gentle, old woman, who had been {
both wife and mother, but had outlived all
family Abigail Winchester (for so she
d. called) took an especial fancy to our Annie
~ whom she fancied that she recognized stl
resemblance to a daughter she had lost
affection was warmly returned by the kind
rect who, by a thousand little attentions, stroy
Leaf, evince her gratitude to Abigail for her
oo,t. opinion.
They had not completed half their voyage
fore the scarlet fever broke out among the
sengers, and made dreadful havoc among
by younger portion. Steers whole family
.rset. down with it at the same time, and, IN spi
the constant nursing of himself, and his de-
partner, and the unremitting attention OF
gail Winchester, who never left the sick
for MANY nights and days, the two you