Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-01-31
Gelcfte0 AlisfeIlanD.
ALICE HALLS DUTY.


Alice Hall, poor orphan, and Ernest
Morton, a rich young gentleman, were
to be married in week, when news came
that Peter Drew, Alice's step father, was
lying on his death-bed in Wisconsin, and
would soon leave her three half-sistcrs,
orphans like herself. Alice felt it her
duty to go to the help of the afflicted
ones, and Ernest, cnraged at her action,
babe her goodbye forever.
And so Alice Hall left all the fairest
visions of girlhood and the sunniest hopes
of life behind her, and went out to the
log farmhouse in Wisconsin, where Peter
Drew lay on his death-bed.
I" So you've come, Alice" said the
dying man. cropping for her hand in the
shadows that were closing more darkly
over him than any twilight could have
done. Somehow, | felt it borne in me
you would come. And you won't let
the little ones starve-will you, Alice,
my girl? You'll take care Of them for
the sake of your dead mother?"
While live they shall never want
for a protector, she answered, in a voice
whose gentle frmness fell most soothing
ly on the ear that was so fast dulling to
all mortal sounds.
Heaven bless you, Alice, and heaven
Nhelp you. Now, l shall die with my
mind at rest"
Alice did not watch long At mid
night, 1hen the tempestuous winds were
wrestling with the tree-tops overhead
and the great river rushed past with a
moaning sound, like the cry of human
sufferer, Peter Drew drifted peacefully
out of the life that had never been aught
but struggles and trials to him. And
Alice knew that she was left alone,
to take care of three little ones, the cid
est scarcely seven years old.
She knew that skillful seamstresses were
rare and difficult to be had in this West
ern wilderness; and she knew also that
she could easily obtain the position Of
teacher in the red colored wooden school
house at the Gross Roads, two miles be-
yond and insensibly she found herself
planning out the future lives and dcstinics
Of herself and the three helpless little
girls who were sleeping in their cribs up
stairs
/" We must live very humbly and
plainly, " said Alice to herself; "but we
need not starve while am able to work
Alas how different was the dull lead
color Of this future to the roseate cloud
that had hoated round her brain scarcely
more than a week ago She never would
be anybody's wife now she would settle
quietly down into the old maid, elder sis
ter of the three little Drews. Had not
this perturbing cross current flashed into
the serene tide Of her by-gone happiness,
to-day-the day now drawing with sullen
streaks of red in the Eastern sky--would
have been her marriage day.
Who could blame the girl for letting
her head droop on her hands, and she'd
ding few quiet tears +? Then she rose
up, resolved and firm, to face her duty
Yes" said old Squire Bean, "we'll
be glad to pay you ten dollars month
for teachin' district school we havn't had
an efficient school-ma' am, not since Abiah
Smith married old Rogers youngest boy.
And as for the sewing. why twas only
yesterday Miss Bean was frettin' cause
Melinda Steers couldn't come to make up
her new delaine Melinda's mother is
sick, and Miss Bean wouldn't grudge o
dollar to have it made neat and ship
shape"
A dollar Alice felt that it would be
some time before, at that rate, she could
accumulate enough money to carry out
her cherished scheme Of taking the three
small sisters eastward with her but she
meekl y assented to the squirrels terms as
being better than nothing at all.
1t was nearly week afterwards, and
Alice Hall was coming home, tired and
weary, from her first days experience in
the red school-house, where the seven
teen Western urchins had started at the
''new school ma'am from down East"
as if she had been gorilla or a two
headed sheep. The November leaves
rustled softly under her feet, and the
sweet. decaying scent Of the old woods
breathed over her senses like some gentle
opiate. She had nearly reached the
turn Of the road, when her own home
would be in sight, when the eldest Of her