The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-10-20
ha had knelt at his mothers fs4t.

much astOnlShment In the vlny2e, nut
to Annie it was a source of deep, heart
breaking grief. Despite her Keen judg-
ment, she had hoped-woman ever does
even in the dal kest hours-and now that
he was gone, without word or token
the little flower that had hitherto bloom
ed amid the winter of her disappoint-
ment, hung its head and withered away
She herself dropped, the roses fled from
her cheeks, and she took melancholy
pleasure in visiting the spots where.
side by side, she and Harvey had pgssed
some Of the delicious spring hours of
their young lives. During one of these
rambles she came to aretired place some
distance from the village, where they
had often met to talk of the future, and
indulge in the poetry of courtship. Il
was the margin ofa brook, beside which
stood an aged oak, in certain hollow
Of which they used to deposit their
messages and love- tokens. Annie al
most instinctively put her hand into the
cleft. Trembling she drew forth a let.
ter, which she perused with futter of
delight mingled with fearful sorrow. 1t
san thus
DEAREST ANNIE :--Grieve not for
me. am unworthy of you. l go away
to render myself worthy of the past as
regards your, sweet self, not with any
views to the future. How could [? Ny
daily prayer shall be for your iappipess
and whether you wed another or not, l
shall be faithful. I hare been SO. and
that is the only self-consolation | can
carry away with me. My intention is
to redeem my errors BY honesty, indus
try, and not sink under either regret or
despair. | take with me some of your
stwn strong angelic spirit. Farewell.
God bless-you, dearest Annie! F. H.
p. ST. need not say to you that
Jimmy Thompson's children are father
less and motherless. l know now what
you meant by the pale face at the wick
ct gate.'' ..
Wet and soiled as this missive was.
Annie placed it in her bosom, as she
mentally said, i shall see Frank Harvey
again. :,
The orphan children were provided
for, Annie undertook the charge Of
the eldest, a girl, and the other two
were placed by the influential ladies' of
the neighbeohood, in school where
they could be reared and educated un-
til able to 60 forth into the world.
Two years elapsed, during which
Andie became thin, and very staid in
her demeanor, repulsing all suitors at
once and decisively still she was not
unhappy, for the little flower had again
raised its head, and diffused fragrance
throughout her soul. One day d letter
arrived directed to herself. When she
had read it, she, with a heightened COL
or and brighter eye handed it to her
father. The old man perused it with
visible satisfaction, and to conceal some
emotion, or probably to correct what he
deemed weakness, he opened the old
family Bible, and while engaged over
the sacred volume, Annie was In her
chamber on her knees, with her face
buried in the snow white coverlid of her
bed. After this, letters came more fire.
quently, and at last regularly once a
week, and it was noticeable that with
each arrival the bloom on Annie's cheeks
increased, her step became frmer, and
her voice more cheerful. She was even
occasionally heard to hum snatches Of
old ballads. Mr.. Lee to the surprise Of
the whole village undertook a long Jour-
ney, and was away for several weeks.
The surprise deepened into astonish-
ment when, upon his return, he announ-
ced his intention of disposing of his
property, and retiring for the remainder
of his days to another part of England.
His arrangements were speedily COM
pleted, and father and daughter depar-
tsd amid the tears of many.
As the reader has anticipated, they
had gone to share in and augment the
renovated fortunes of Harvey, who, to
use the old mans terse expression, had
'regenerated himsef'' Having offered
his services to distant relative in York
shire, they had been accepted, and his
knowledge Of modern farming having
proved so really excellent, in the course
of a few years, with his savings and in
fluential recommendations he found lit
tie difficulty in obtaining farm for
himself. In fact, his cultivated intel
ligence in all matters relating to what
is termed high farming, had procured
for him the substantial favor of one of
the most popular noblemen and land
owners in England. So situated, he did
not .scruple once more to offer his and
to Annie, and it was accepted her faith.
or. volunteering a liberable advance of
money.
We must pass over few years, and
introduce our readers to the last scene
in this little domestic drama which fell
under our notice. Let them imagine q
tolerable sized residence. with flower
garden before it, fronting a good road
and 1anked by orchards. In the rear
there are kitchen gardens, and beyond
them large farm yard. surrounded on
three sides by buildings. and in the dis
tance fields stretching far aud wide
at the front of the house stands the
owner talking to gentleman on horse
back. The latter waves a courteous
adieu, and the owner, a tall, portly. hand
some Englishman, about the middle age
opens door in one of the orch
ard walls. and gazes within. Under a
tree sits white-haired old man laugh
ing at the gambols of some rosy children
playing on the grass, and not far from
him sits beautiful Englishwoman, who
looks much younger than she really is.
Her figure, although full. is still perfect
in its symmetry, and not line marks
her bright beaming face. Her lips are