The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-06-05
Misrallaaautl5.
THE ONE CALICO DRESS
ny cARoLINE A. soULE.

You've not here yesterday" said the gentle
eaeher Of a little village school, as she PLACED
her hand very kiudly on tue curly head of one
ot her pupils, 1t was recess time, but the little
Girl addressed had not gone out to frolic away
the ten minutes, nor even left her scat but sat
absorbed in what seemed a fruitieSs attempt to
max. herself mistress of a sum in long division.
Her face and neck crimstnedf at the remark
If her teacher but looking up, she seemed some
what.re-assured by the kind glance that met her
and answered, mo, ma'am, was not, but sister
Nellie was.'
Il remember there was little girl who called
herself Neli, Gay, came in yesterday, but. did
not know that she was your sister. But why
did you not come? You seem to love to study
very much" ."
1T wasn't because didn't want to, was the
earnest reply, and then she paused, and the deep
rose flush again tinted the fair brow, but but,
continued she, after a moment of painful emLar-
rassment, mother cannot spare both ofus conYe-
niently, and SO We are going 10 take turns. L
am coming to school one day, and sister the next
and tonight am to teach Nellie all have
learned to-day, and tomorrow night she will
teach me all that she learns while here. 1t is
the only way we can think of getting along, and
we both want to study very much, so as to some
time teach school ourselves, to take care ofmother
for she has to work very hard to take care Of
us."
With genuine delicacy Miss M--forebore to
question the child any further, but sat down
beside her, and in moment explained a rule
over which she was pnzzling her young brain
so that the difficult sum was easily finished.
"You had better 60 out now i'll the air mo-
ment-you have studied very hard to-day" said
the teacher, as the little girl put aside her slate
II had rather mott might tear my dress.
I'll stand at the window. and watch the rest"
There was such a peculiar tone in the voice
of her pupil, as she said, might tear my dress
that Miss NJ was led iustiuctiyely to notice it.
1t was nothing but aninepenny print Of a deep
pink hue, but it was very neatly made, and had
never yet been washed. And d-while looking at
it she remembered that, during the whole previ-
Gus fortnight, Mary Gay had attended school
regularly, she had never seen her ;wear, but one
dress She is thoughtful little girl "said she to
,herself and does not want TO make her poor
mother any trouble / wish had mole such
scholars" - G..
On the next morning Mary was absent, but
her sister Nellie occupied her seat. There was
something so interesting in the two little sisters
one eleven, andthe other eighteen months youn-
ger, agreeing to attend school by turns, that
Miss NJ. could not forbear observing them very
closely. They were pretty.faced children of
delicate forms, rfairy.like hands and feet-the
elder with dark lustrous eyes and chestnut curls
-tba voun0er with orha- iika fha atu of June
her white neck veiled by wreath of golden
ringlets. She observed in both the same. close
attention to their studies, and as Mary had tar.
RED within during play titne'eso did Nellie; and
upon speaking 20 her as she hsd'to her sister,
she received, too, the same answer, II might tear
my dress"
The reply caused Miss N. to notice the garb
of the sister. She saw at once, it was off the
same piece as Mary's, and upon scrutinizipg it
very closely, she became certain it was the same