Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-02-23


seems more like the being Of dream thar
the child she was, climbing trees, walking
beams, or sliding down the fragrant hay.
mows. She was the very soul Of indepen
deuce-seldom going far astray, for her
native good sense, and the reinemcnts Of
home restrained her buoyant spiri.-yet
never asking, "What will people say7"
One day, in her rambles, Maria saw a
pale-faced little girl, standing before mi
seraole looking house, who smiled as the
little lady approached, and held up some
thing she wished to show her. Children
use little ceremony, and soon become &C.
quainted. :'What is your name? ?" asked
Maria. "Lydia White," replied the pale
girl, "you may have that, if you want i" )"
and she held out towards her piece of
broken glass. 1t was dark green bottom
of a bottle, very concave, and as the chill
dren gazed through it towards the sky, it
made dark and mysterious little land
scape Maria was thankful for the gift,
and priced it more than she would have
done a jewel in years which followed. So
they stood talking together, when suddenly
a coarse, drunken man turned around the
corner, and taking angrily to himself reeled
past them into the house. Poor Lydia
hung her head, looked very much ashamed,
and the tears began to fall from her eyes
She raised her tattered apron to her face,
and Maria, although she was too kind to
ask question, was sure that that dreadful
man must be the father Of Lydia. So she
said, softly, "Don't cry, Lydia, "it isn't
your fault-you can't help it." Lydia
did not reply, but ran away from Maria
into the door Of the wretchcd house.
She had been so happy for few minutes
with her new friend, but now she was mis-
erable. No good child would ever come
near the house, for fear Of her father, and
she did not love to play with the wicked
children who thronged the court where she
lived and she was sure she should never
see Maria again.
But she was mistaken, for one day Maria
came to the door and asked the disconsol-
ate looking mother if she would let Lydia
20 down to her fathers brentwood to play
by the spring with some little girls. The
poor woman was as much pleased as Lydia
was, for she longed to see her daughter,
like other children, joyful and free-hearted.
snow you can wash your face and comb
your hair at the spring before the ether
girls come," Maria said, and" untying
her own pink apron, "put this on-for !
know mother will give it to you for your
own, and you will look as we'll as any"
Poor little Lydia was much pleased to
play with clean children, and to look clean
herself, but she could not forget her worn
out shoes, and all the afternoon she tried
to conceal them beneath the skirt Of her
fated frock. Until sunset, that little group
arranged and re-arranged their bits Of
broken china on the velvet moss, s,and dipp
ed up the sparkling water with which to
gill their acorn cups and saucers. But
when the dews began to fall, and they
talked Of going home, poor Lydia whisp-
cred to her new friend, Don't lie: any Of
them go round my way-I want to 60
home alone" Maria thoughtfully drew
the others through the meadows towards
her fathers garden, while the little straug-
er slipped of to lber comfortless home
behind the rope-walk.
The following Sunday, VIXEN Maria en-
tered her old Class SO neatly and tasteful.
ly dressed, she was accompanied by Lydia,
whose clothes, although shabby and faded,
were very clean. They had scarcely taken
their seats, when rude girl leaned over
from another seat aud said in loud
whisper, " Maria, that girl next to you is
old Whites daughter; he gets drunk, and
whips his wife and children"
"rm very sorry" replied Maria, "that
she has such a wicked and cruel father;
for she is a very good girl"
"Wasn't you afraid to come along the
streets with herr" Il
"Afraid of what ?" asked Maria.
"Why, Of what people ,could soy, when
they saw you walking sith her; for every
body knows her she picks up all their
wood at the ship yard"
al don't care what people say, when
know I'm doing right. My mother said 1
might go there and bring her with me to
Sunday school and church." said Maria.
The poor child hung her head during
this conversation for although she had
not heard word, she felt that she was the
subject oft.
Lydia proved to be sweet and gentle
scholar, and when any Of the class were
rude in their behavior, or remiss in their
lessons, the teacher used to say I wish l
could see you all like Lydia White" She
was always in her place, and her whole
,.,;,d .peu,ed fxed m the truths she there