Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1855-09-06

HAS your mother no fire at home this cold
weather. asked Annie in amazement
No. said Jessie. Il wished dare bring
her with me here-lt's warmer than at home.
And 1 know mother is i'll, though she won't
tell me.
'Sit there said Annie, placing Jessie in
her warm corner; and don't go out OF school
without me.
That afternoon the two girls went hand in
hand to Jessie's door.
'Havc you plenty to eat, if you've no fire.
asked Annie.
This is the first day mother has been forced
to send nc to school without breakfast, said
Jessie, hanging down her head, as if ashamed
Of the confession.
Here, said Annie, aftcra slight pause, un-
twisting the paper in which were deposited
her first earnings; Il won't go in with you, for
your mother might not like to take it from Il
little girl like me; but'-and she put two shll-
| lincS into JesSic's hand-'that is TO buy you
something to cat, and fire, and, if your mo-
thcr can sew as well as | can, said Annie,
with pardonablc vanity, i can tell her how to
Get plenty OF money to pay for both
No wonder Annes riches increased; the
first Investment was good one Neverthe-
less the concealing of it from her parents she
knew to be wrong; she feared they would dis
approve of it; and she added to her little pray
er at night, after the usual ending Of 'G"d
bless father and mothcr-and forgive NE for
keeping secret that | helped Jessie Wilson,
Could the Recording Angel carry up purcr
prayer to Heaven?
discovered that Mr.. Scamwcll, Of the 'Rcady
made Linen Warehouse, was the grand source
of Annic's wealth. He said there WAS no one
who could work like her, and said that he
would give eighteen pence each for the finest
description of shirt making. This was no
great payment for Annic'S exquisite stitching
thirty years AGO it would have brought her
three and SiXpcncc shirt But Annie Is of
the present, not of the past; and aS she could
complete Il shirt = day, her fingers fl yin% swift
cr than weavers shuttle, she earned nine
Shilings week.
"Good wife, said Mr. Linton. 'wc are not
so poor but that We can maintain our daughter
until she's twenty, and by that time, at the
present rate Of her earnings, she will have Il
little fortune in the bank
But this little fortune ama>Scd but slowly,
for Annie seldom had nine shillimg> NJ the end
of the week-thcre were other Jessie Wilson's
who required food and fire.
Had Annie been a poet, she would assured
ly have written, hot the song, bat !, Son& "f
the shirt for once when she was questioned as
to the dull monotony Of her work: Dull! -
Delightful " said Annie, in advocacy OF her
calling Why, with this rare linen and fine
thread, my stitches seem like >trn@ing little
pearls along the wristbands and collars :. What
an anti-song Of the shirt might not Annie have
written
Annie's eighteenth birthday was celebrated
by tea-pary to all the SeamstrcSses Of Mr.
Scamwell's establishment, where she was now
forewoman; besides being cheerful, kind
! hearted little creature, beloved by everybody,
it was a compliment, Mr.. Seamwcl said, she
well descrvcd-hcr admirable superintendent
of the department allotted her having incrcas-
cd his business tenfold
Some time after there was Il day of rejoicing
in the firm of Seamwell e. Co. The father
had taken his son as partner, and the son
took partner for life-the indcfatgable little
seamstrcss, Annie Linton There never was a
blither bridal Annie-hcrsclf having risen
from the ranks-had present for every work
women. Indeed it was a day of presents, for
on that very morning, and in time to be worn
at the wedding, shawl arrived for Annie, all
the way from India-an India shawl, that
Duchess would have envied Upon it was
pinned paper on which was written wv ear
this for the sake of one who is now rich and
happy, but who can never forget the services
you rendered to the poor school girl-Jessle
Wilson,
'Annie, said young Scamwell after the mar
miage Il fell in love with you when you were
child, and came to our shop for your first
sewing. I also happened to be passing when
you gave part of your first earnings to Jessie
Wilson, was boy then, but 1 said to my
self: If 1 were man, I'd marry Annie Lin
ton but she's so prett'-herc Annie blushed
most bccomingly ly-not because she's so indus
trious, but because she's so kind-hearted'