The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-05-22

; AOG AuOW ,JOuI OMA
GO Is it possible that this is my littl
Lille, exclaimed Mrs. Maxwell, almos
smothering her with kisses.
She then led her to the parlor, an
at once ordered her baggage up stairs
The eyes of Lille became suffused wit
tears of gratitude as she thanked God 81
cretly that she had met with such
warm reception. Finding the famil
kind and pleasant, but in moderate Gil
cumstances, she felt she was intrudin
upon their generosity, and concluded
try and procure employment. Meetin
with no success in the city, she left he
friend and located in the village O
Holmesbur2, forty miles further west
Before leaving, however, she disposet
of some of her jeweIry, without th
knowledge of her friend, and on her ar
rival at Holmesburg possessed the sun
of fifty dollars.
Obtaining a comfortable boarding
house, the next morning found he
bright and cheerful. The sun shone il
all its brilliancy; not q cloud seemed Il
mar its peace and beauty. Taking {
stroll through the village she was farther
pleased with its appearance but as she
noticed the people were rough and un
couth, her courage forsook her in hel
effort to solicit pupils for school.
Thus passed three weeks, with no en-
| couragement whatever. Her funds
were fast disappearing. She must cur
tail expenses by renting room and pur.
chasing only what she really required.
and procuring plain sewing; but she
barely made enough to furnish her dali y
bread. Becoming rather straitened in
her circumstances, she was obliged to
dispose of her clothing. Garment and
garment was sold to parties living 10
the same building, for a mere pittance.
Thus she struggled, uncomplainingly,
for almost two years.
Having nothing left now but the last
gift of ber dying mother, and starva-
ton causing her very jaws to tremble,
necessity compelled her to part with
this also. Unclasping the locket, and
gazing upon the hair of the departed
loved one, she felt it were sacrilege
ever to allow stranger to touch what
she held SO dear. Weeping sorrowfully,
and imploring the all-seeing One to
guide her Alright, and aid her in this
dire extremity, feeling relieved, she de-
scended the stairs and made known her
situation to a poor, but noble-hearted
Irish washwoman.
1t is the little have, Miss Lille
but ye be welcome to it."
81 only wish it as a loan, Mrs
Murphy; and if you will take this sa-
cred relic-my mothers last gift-until
I can redeem it, I will accept the two
dollars, and hope it may prove bless
ing to me-"
"Take it and welcome, Miss Lille.
May the Holy Mother bless ye, and
kape ye from ever becoming as poor as
myself"
Entering her room, she sat for a few.
moments Considering how she should
dispose of her money to the best ad-
vantage. Feeling faint and famished,
bread was the first consideration. Don
ming her faded shawl and much-worn
hat, she started to the grocer's. As she
was receiving the change she espied
counter spread with periodicals. In
quiring for the latest papers, she
thought, by purchasing one, she might
secure a situation of some kind. The
grocer, anxious to find customer for
what he considered dead stock, offered
her a commission if she would sell
them, as his little boy was sick, and it
would be loss to employ another. Re-
volting as this opening appeared, she
resolved to invest the remainder of her
money in the business, engaging a poor
but honest lad to take them to the de-
pot on the arrival of each train.
Upon his return in the evening she
found that she had made a profit of
twenty-f five cents. What a paltry sum
Yet it would keep her from starvation.
Week after week she carried on this bu-
siness, each day bringing few pennies
more. Spring opened. The impene-
trable cloud that overshadowed her
during the entire winter was fast disap-
pearing, as her requirements would not
be so great in summer. With Joy she
each petal of the gentle crocus
as it broke forth from it's iron-bound
fetters, refreshed by the mild showers
and warmed by the genial rays of an
April sun.
New life and animation filling her
heart, she made another effort to open
a school.
The inhabitants, now rather pleased
with the much-prejudiced stranger, en-
ployed her for the spring term. Giving
entire satisfaction, and much loved and
as a teacher, she retained her
situation for three terms. None know
ing her whereabouts, she anticipated q
pleasant surprise to her friends in Chi
cago, two years hence, by visit.
Spending some time with them, and
wishing to do some shopping ere leav-
ing the city, she started rather earlyone
and walking leisurely along
she encountered gentleman whom she
thought she recognized, yet it could not
be he. Passing along more rapidly and
,tr-.1 4 L., l.
same person. Lifting her veil to ex-
anime the fabric more closely, she dis
closed her face plainly to Arthur Beau
fort. In an instant he was by her side,
and unceremoniously calling her by
name, extended his hand and said
"Thank Heaven, after a search of |
three years have at last found you"
Lille, almost dumfounded atmeeting
him, could not utter a word, and would |
have fallen to the floor but for the time |
ly observation and assistance of Arthur |
Beaufort, who kindly offered his arm
and escorted her home.
Seated side by side in the comforta-
bic little parlOr are Arthur and Lille |
in close and earnest conversation. One |
would scarcely suppose they were the |
lovers of three years before. Time had |
brought CuduReS III DOGl-On0 enduring
all the hardships and privations of alb
ect poverty, the other suspense and |
anxiety of mind.
Lille, you cannot realise how un-
happy you are making me by this re-
fusal. am now so situated that I can
you with every luxury. Why |
will you decline and battle with life and |
is realities another winter Speak |
plainly, Lille, dear. Have you ceased |
% love ne? If SO, will no longer in
rude"
Ceased to love you, Arthur ! How
,an you doubt my constancy? It were
Easier for the sun to forget his daily
revolutions, or the moon refuse to shed
ler silvery light upon the unfortunate
Is we'll as the fortunate, than for me to
orsake you. Shall ever forget those
happy hours passed with you-only too
happy to last? How like the evanes-
,ent dews of the morn-they were so
brief. How like the sweet dreams of
youth, when we look into the far-dis-
ant future in hope of a realization of
hem. But do we ever realize it? M,
tbs only fallacy { the mind. Naught
'emains but the wreck to remind US of
'ur once happy days. When 1 left
T 7 |