The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1855-01-18
THE LITTLE SISTERS.

u IL SIS NJ Ss
were not here yesterday" said
the gentle teacher of the little village
school,as she placed her hand kindly on tie
curly head of one of her pupils 1t was
recess lime, but the li;tle girl addressed had
mot gone TO frolic away the ten minutes,
not even left her seat, but sat absorbed in
what seemed frui,less attempt to make
herself mistressof a sum in long division.
Her face and neck crmsoned at the re-
mark Of her teacher, but looking up she
seemed somewhat re assured by the kind
glance that met her, and answered mo,
ma'am, ! was not, but sister Nelly was"
"I remember there was a little girl who
called herself Nelly Gray, came in yester-
day, but l did not know she was your sis
ter, But why did you not come? You
seem to love to study very much.
sit WAS not because didn't want to-"
was the earnest and then she paus-
ed and the deep flush again tinged that fair
brow; "but," she continued after mo-
ment Of painful embarrassment, "mother
cannot spare both of US conveniently, and
SO we are going to take turns. I'm going
to school one day and sister the next, and
TO night | am to teach Nelly all have
learned to-day, and tomorrow night she
will teach me all she learns while here.
It's the only way we can think Of getting
along, and we want to study very much, so
as to sometime keep school ourselves. and
lake care of mother, because she has IL
work very hard to take care Of us. ,.s
With genuine delcacy Miss M--for-
bore to question the child further, bu
rat down besid her. and in moment eX,
planned the rule over which she WAS puz
zling her young brain, SO that the Difficult
sum was soon finished.
"You had better 90 out and take the ali
n few moments, you nave studied very hare
to-day" said the teacher, as the little cir
put aside the slate.
% 81 had rather not-Imig1t tear my dres,
II will stand by the window and watch
the rest"
There was such peculiar tone in The
voice of her pupil as she said, Imightha,
my dress, that Miss NJ was led in
stInctiyely TO notice it. 1t was nothing
but nineponny print of deep hue, bu
il was neatly made and bad never yet beer
washed. And while looking at it, she re
membered that during the whole previous
fortnight Mary Gray had attended schoo
regularly, she had never seen her weai
but that one dress "She is thoughtful
little girl" said she TO herself, and does
not want to make her mother any trouble
Iwish had more such scholars.
The next morning Mary was absent, but
her sister occupied her seat. There was
something so interesting in The two little
sisters, the one eleven and the other eigh.
teen months younger, agreeing to attend
school by turns, that Miss M---could
not forbear observing them very closely -
They were pretty faced children, Of delicate
forms, and fairy like hands aud feet-th,
elder with dark lustrous eyes and Chestnut
curls, the other with orbs like the sky o.
June, her white neck yelled by II wealtl
of golden ringlets. She observed in both
the same close attention to their studies
and as Mary tarried within, during tn
play time, SO did Nelly; and upon speakin,
10 her as;she had TO her sister, she receiv
ed the same answer, II migM tear m
dress"
1.-THE remark caused Miss No motto
the garb of her sister. She saw at one
that it was Of the same piece as Mary an
upon scruiinzing it very closely, she bc
came certain that Il was the same Dress
1.did not fit quite so pretty on Nelly, an
twas too long for her, too, and she wa
evidently i'll at ease when she noticed he
teacher looking at the bright pink flower
that were so thickly seton the white ground
The discovery was one that could nc
but interest heart so benevolent as tina
which pulsated in the bosom of that vii
lage school teacher She ascertained III
residence OF their mother, and thoug
sorely shortened herself by narrow purse
that same night, having found at the onl
store in the place few yards of the sam
material, purchased dress for little Nell,
and sentit to her in such way that III
donor could not be detected,
Very bright and happy looked Mar
Gray on Friday morning, as she entere
the school at an early hour. She waite
only to place her book in neat order in he
desk, ereshe approached Miss NJ, an
whispering in q voice that laughed in spi
Of her efforts to make il lpwan deferenti
@4"After this week sister Nelly is comm
to school every day, and o.i, | am SO glad!
s.a..i....