Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-02-03

/
| A help lassie? A hndrance you meau.u
No, woman, help. GUIDE kin my spirit would
fail me out and out i'll had no Marin 10 keen me
| up-to read 10 me out OF The Lords book-tor vou
Ken am no great scolatd mysel'--and 10 Learn
me bonnie psalms and hymns 10 sing when | am
| dowie (disheartened.')
The picture displayed by these simple words
was touching one but much more touching was
the reality of Antics devotion TO Maria.l. When
heI day s labor was over she hurried back to her
poVery-stricken home; and having swept out and
busted the kitchen, and sci on The kettle for tea
an indulgence which she abored hard 10 afford lhe
inVaId--she would creep up The ladder-hke Stairs
10 the loft, which was her sisters sleeping cham.
Der, and, wrapping her in an old shawl, would car.
ry her down stairs, place her in her own peculiar
chair, and wait upon her with The tenderness of a
sister and the walchuness of slave
When lea was over, the open Bible was laid on
The table splinter of the clear camel coal of The
country, which The very poor of the district frequent,
y used lnsleal OF candles, was set on the upper
bar OF the CRATE and by its hickering light the two
sisters would spend the evening together, the young
er employed in darning and patching their we'll.
worn garments, the elder in reading to her from the
molly volume. Meanwhile /" daft Jeane" would
wander IN and out, backward and forward, some.
times amusing herself with playing spilefu tricks
on Annle-io whom as years rolled by, she SEEM
ed TO take strange antpaIhy-someIimes sitting
covered up on the hearth, maundering and moan
ing, and IN spite ol their efforts 10 The contrary
producing the most depressing effect upon her
daughters spirits. Al such times it was useless 10
Try 10 induce her to 90 TO bed Ter natural perver-
sIiy seemed 10 find pleasure in refusing 10 do so,
I'LL Annie, worn out by her hard days work, was
ready 10 fall asleep IN her chair, and was yet una.
bic 10 go 10 bed ill she had seen her mother safely
in hers.
In spite ol these disadvantages, however, Annie
grew Up handsome, cheerful girl, respected by all
who knew her, and dearly loved by those who
were intimate with her. But she had very few in
tlmales. She had no leisure 10 waste in idle gossip
she could not spend an evening hour rambling by
the sparkling Nelhan wafer, or by the banks of the
stately Clyde; no one ever Iound her loieTing in
the bayfield, after the sun was down; no one ever
met her at kirn {haryest home) or other rural
gayey; and on Saturday al e'en' she would hurry
home 10 Marian, rather than join The group of
merry lads and lassies gathered round he village
well. Marian was her one engrossing thought
TO be with her, her sreaes happiness and no ho-
iday pleasures could in her eyes equal The delight
she felt when OH Summer Sabbalh afternoon, she
carried her helpless charge in her arms TO the top
OF Dykiebuls field, and let her look at the trees,
the sky, and The rushing water and listen to the
song of he aik as il huuered in The blue ether
above them, or 10 the mavs singing in the old ap-
pie Tree ha! hung its branches So tempiingIy over
the oIchard wall.
Bula time came when what had hitherto been
Annie's greatest pleasure, was put in competition
with one far grealer; when The heart hat had law
lshed SO much affection on her crippled sister, and
had stood steady in fa duty 10 a selfish and luna.
tic molher, was subject 10 trying ordeal
One eVentful year, when an early spring and in.
lensely hot summer had caused the cornfialds of
Bimkbonnle to ripen with such unheard OF rapidly
haIthe Irish Teapers had not yet made their ap-
pearance in their neighborhOod, il was announced
throughout the vale of Nelhan, that il every man,
woman and child in the district did not aid in get.
ling The harvest, half the crop would be lost Now,
as David Caldwell, The tenant OF BIiukbonnie farm
was great faVorite in the neighborhood, everybo-
dy who could handle the sickle, responded 10 his
appeal, and made guile ploy' (fele) OF oigoing TO
reap al Bnkbonnie. Marian Livingston. had
been so great a sufferer that season, that Annie had
given up farm-labor Tor sewing work, as she gail
ed embroidery, tha, she might be more at home
with her sister. and secure larger income; but
sedenary empoymenIs we're so repugnanl 10 her
natural active habits, that she eioiced at the neces
silly which forced her 10 JOIN the reapers, for David
Caldwell himself had asked her 10 come, and he
and his family mad been loo steadily kind TO Mali |
an Tor her TO refuse such request even had she
wished it. But she did not wish ii and she was
among The first OF The reapers who appeared at The
farm ....
Blukbonnie was, its suggest, very
pretty place. Siruaed on the slope OF a gentle hill
that faced The souh, it was The earies, farm in that
part OF ClydesdaIe and as The winding river bath
ed the foot oil Ihe hill, aud the woods oi Cfaigne
han clothed The opposite bank, was also favor
lie resort OF the young people OF Ihe neighborhood,
who found drink OF May Caldwel's buermIk, |
Or bile OF her peaSe- soones very pleasant
TO their evening srols. Ia short Blink
bonnie was as popular place as The CaldweIl's |
were popular people, and every body did their Ut
most TO get the corn in quickly. As We have said
Annie Livingstone was good hand al The 'heUk,'
Or sickle !, it natural that the best bendser," |
II binder oi sheaves should be selected for Ihe rar
IF The field where ske was and much rural mirlh |
md wit was thrown ia the endeavors of the two |
seIy different people 10 secure hs honorable title |
md its attendant position. They were Ack Cad |
veil, The farmers brother, ioufneyman carpenter
who had been friendly rivals all Iheir lives, and
usra so in the nraSent Instance hD Annia was hr