South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-06-13

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does not seem to me they could have frown.
cd upon Mamie-our darling-ye, she had
little restless feet aud busy lirtle hands,
aud there is no room FIR them here Ma
mic was rs fair a flower as ever blnssomed :;
the rouudest face, the fairast head, the
piukest checks aud the brightest eyes OF oil
tue babies that ever grew Every one said
So mot only Frank and I-bu, eUery one
She was nearly Two years old when We NOV
ed to our sea- board PARISH and her little
voice had closed around many words, even
then. One of the stranger neighbours, dear
! woman, caught her in her arms at 'the so
ciety,' aud called her a little angel with
out wings Just the name for the pre-
cious,' said another ;. and then oil around
the room they kissed my baby, and each
one reiterated the pretty new title Mamie
laughed as though she kaew very well what
1t all meant, aud tossed her arms about in
great gee.
Sab, all !! exclaimed Aunty Curtiss, oh
serving the movement, 'you mustn't get
your wings for long, long time =
'Never!" said I ferceIy, "a baby on earth
is worth half dozen in heaven whereupou
they looked at each other in funny way,
aud [ suppose they thought what strange
woman was the ministers wife. They for.
gave me afterwards, when they knew me
better.
Mamie grew prettier every day of her
life, and her title always chung to her.
And how is our little angel without
wings 2 the neigh bors would enquire and
Mamie, 10 her own dialect, woull say
Us pwitty well; doesn't fly yet a
whIes'
See that you don't they would some
times say, and then l would shake my
head, aud laughingly reply:
There isn't any danger she loves her
nam ma too WELL
M,Eie was four years old, when sad let
ters crossed the ocean to Frank, from his
mother, who, falling in health, begged to
STE her boy ouoe more ere she died.
did not tell you Frank was an English
man. | cay as little of that as possible,
| for | would have him coo of America
own SONS
We bad lt,le money laid by, and we
both felt it was Franks duty to take it
and go 10 the aged mother, who waited in
a far country for sight of her only child.
As the weeks before his departure grew
LESS and less, my heart gave way in antici-
patton, and With it my health. Then it
was that the kind people Of our congrega-
ton threw into my lap purse which was
/ to take me too
'And leave our angelo questioned
seeking Franks eyes
with your mother he replied 'sbe
shall come here, and the child will be bet.
ter to remain behind Can you not make
this self-denisl, and leave sans wings with
her grandma 2 And looking up into his
face, my lips said yes, while my heart
| cried NO.
The eveDtful day at last arrived Good
bye, little angel, said Frank hugging and
kissing Mamie as though he were never To
see her again. Goodbye, sweet. heart,
precious darling | murmured, and left Der
checks wet with my tears. She did not
comprehend what it was all about, though
her wee, baby face was very thoughtful. -
Lift me up, papa she entrea'ed, and then
with her little arms around bic neck, she
exclaimed Papa, DOR angerl dit c wings
if % and mamma do away"
Frank's strength appeared to desert him.
and why l caughr my baby in my arms
and begged to stay bshind 1t is only a
cbid's prattle,' said Frank, though much
disturbed. 'MiIly, shall NO pray once
more 2
We went back into the house and left
the good people all standing around the
door. God Knows if a prayer could have
saved our child, the petition that went up
that morning would have done it. But it
was not 10 be
God sent orr angel rings, and she fc,o
10 HimSclE' was the telegram that greeted
US as we landed on foreign shore.
Wa it easy to bear? Oh, it was 20, {.
II Uas not! | was crushed, overwhelmed,
sgfocated with grief, and Frank grew pale
and haggard tho few days Of our stay
though be whispered over ard over, God
knows what's best! God help US to endured
Il is a parish by the sea, as have
said. Living near the water, the sea al
ways 10 sigh, one forgets what cruel grasp
Ing things are waves, learns to trust them
and CD them beautiful. Mamie had often
wandered on the beach 10 gather shells,
while | sat on the rocks near by but ne
yer, like other children Of the neigbborhood
bad she been there by herself to play. I
cannot account for 10 now how she came
TO wander there alone yet it was there, 10
a cleft rock they found her little bat and
basket half iIled with pretty, white shells.
But Mamie was herself missing forever
gone from sight Washed out to sea, was
the general verdict, and giving credenoe 10
THE, would creep 90 that lonely beach and
beg the great, cruel waves O. tel me more
Of ny Mamie FIR hours | would 81; ihere
mptinnl -, watching, starine~at the rolline