Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1855-04-13
THE LITTLE SISTERS.


"You were not here yesterday" sal.
the gentle teacher OF little village
school, as she placed her hand kindly OF
the little curly head OF one OF her pupils
Ii " as recess time, but the little girl ad
dressed had not gone out to frolic away
the ten minutes, lot even LETT her seat
but sat absorbed in wha, seemed fruit
less a,,emp, to make herself mistress o
a sum IN long division.
Her face and neck crimsoned at the
remark of her teacher, but looking up
she seemed somewhat reassured by the
glance that met her, and answered, No
ma IN, | was not, but sister Nelly was. +"
II remember there was little CIR
who called herself Nelly Gray. came III
Yesterday, but did not know that she
was your sister But why did you no,
come, You seem TO love study very
much.
II, was no, because didn't want to- y
was the earnes, answer; and then she
paused. and the deep flush again tinged
tha, fair brow but she continued
after moment Of painful embarrassment
"moiher can't spare us both convenient.
iy, and so we are gong to take turns
I'm going to school one day, and sister
the next, and tonight she will teach me
all that she learns while here. It's the
only way we can think to get along, and
we want to study very much, SO as ,o
sometime keep school ourselves, and take
care OF mother, because she has TO work
very hard to take care of us.
With genuine delicacy Miss Nj
torebore to Question the child further but
sat down beside her, aud in IA moment
explained the rule over which she was
puzzlIng her young brain, SO that the
sum was easily finished.
"You had better 60 out and take the
air moment, YOU have studied yer,
hard to-day" SAID the teacher, as the lii
tie glrl put aside her slate.
Il had rather no,-I nj. .ht tear nv
dress-l will stand by the window and
watch the rest
There was peculiar tone in the voice
of her pupil as she said, II might tea,
my dress,' lha, Miss NJ was lei
lnstinct,vely to notice it. 1t was nothing
bu, nine-penny prin, of deep blue, but
il was neatly made and had never beer
washed. And while looking at it, she
remembered ,ha, during the whole pre-
vious fortnight Mar, Grey had attended
school regularly, she had seen her wea'
but one dress. "She is thoughtful
gr," said she to herself and does no.
wan, to make her mother any unneces
sary trouble. wish had more suct
| scholars"
The next morning Mary was absent
bu, her sister occupied her seat. There
was something so interesting in these
two little sisters, the one eleven and thu
other eighteen months younger, agreeing
to attend school by turns, that Mis-:
NJ could not forbear observing
them very closely. They were pretty
faced, delicate forms, and iairy.Iike hand:
and feet-,he elder with dark, lustrous
eyes and chestnu, curls. the younger
with orbs like the sky Of June. heI
white neck yelled by wreath Of golden
ringlets. She observed in both the same
close attention to their studies, and a.
Mary had ,arried in during play time. 81
did Nelly. and upon speaking to her a:
she had to her sister, she received too
the same answer, ~ mi ght tear my
dress !"
The reply caused Miss NJ to
notice the garb Of the sister. She saw
al once that it was Of the same piece a:
Mary's, and upon scrutinlzlng it very
closely. she became certain that it wa
the same dress. II did not fit quite Sc
prettily Oh Nelly and was 100 long fol
her, too. and she was evidently i'll a
ease when she noticed her teacher look
ing at the bright pink flowers that were
SO thickly set on the white ground.
The discoverDwas one that could no.
but interest hedrt so truly benevolen
as tha, which pulsa,ed in the bosom o
that village school teacher. She ascer
tanned the residence Of their mother, ant
though shortened herself by narrow
purse, that same night having found i,
the only store in the place, few yard
Of the same material. purchased dress
for little Nelly and sent i, to her in sucl
a way tina, the donor could not be de
tected.
|
Very happy and bright looked Mar.
Gray on Friday morning, as she entere'