Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-08

went W ulS grave III SOITOW ouA po''
erty, while this dishonest man holds up
his head and grows rich; but it was
only for a minute, Child" and Mrs.
Warde smiled now with less effort. 81
know to whom l have committed my
cause. and will not murmur at any.
thing He Wills"
Lottie kis ed the placid speaker af
fectionately, but she was not as SYM
pathetic as usual. Her little sisters
hung about her, wondering whether
they should have Christmas pudding,
and one Of them blurted out fact
hitherto concealed that mother did not
go TO church on Sundays till evening
service because her shawl was SO shah
by. Lottie slid her hand into the
pocket where lay her little purse. but
drew it back again, telling herself that
she could not possibly go to visit Char
lies friends meanly dressed and when
the Youngest child climbed on her knee
and frankly asked what she was going
to bring him for Christmas present,
he was set down again and SO sharply
| tOltt Uol W tease tuat MIS-. w auc >
mild eyes were raised in surprise.
IL beg pardon, mother" said her
daughter, coloring under the reproof
the look conveyed. IL am afraid am
rather stupid this evening, What were
YOU saying about Robert ?-he is elect
ed pupil teacher at his school. or
course he isl knew he would be I. he
has worked so hard for it. dear, good
boy" and she ran across the room to
kiss the studious lad, who warmly re-
turned her carasses.
Then you're glad of it, Lottie? So
am l, only l think mothers bothered
bit about the books shall want"
"Will they cost much:" asked his
sister.
"Well, dear. it seems much TO per
sons of our limited income" Mrs.
Warde replied. "And he must have a
new suit Of clothes. But l hope to
manage it without running into debt,
if YOU can help me little"
Lottie did not speak, and her moth
er thoughtfully added, "The girls will
have TO do without the new hats |
promised them; and baby's pe.isse
must last another winter and -
But here her daughter stopped her
by pettishly saying, "Oh. mother
pray don't tell us of any more wants;
they seem endless. How miserable it
is TO be so poor how sick of contriv-
ances and makeshifts you must be. l
know / am. And somehow the chill
dren always seem to need most when
one has least TO spare"
IL did not know you were in that
predicament, dear, or would not have
spoken SO plainly" Mrs. Warde re-
piled ''but don't let it worry you" she
added, with the cheerful air that COW
cred multitude of anxious thoughts
"we shall manage very we'll, l dare
say"
Lottie went away with her money
still in her pocket, but with a load at
her heart-half shame, half selfish i'll.
humor-which was not lessened by
standing al the MERGERS window an
other half-hour before she went back TO
Sir Johns. While her gaze was fixed
on the silk, her rebellious spirit was
murmuring at the difficulties of her
position, 1t was so hard that she
should always be hampered with the
home-cares. Other young people could
spend their salaries on themselves,
while her purse had such constant calls
upon it that there was nothing left for
! nht
full for her she never seemed TO re.
member that girl Of her age would
naturally wish 70 be smart, especially
when she visited persons in better cir
cumstances than herself.
Miss DAYTON wanted some trifle
brought from her own room that eyen-
ing, and Lottie had executed her COM
mission and was retreating, when the
voice of Sir John, who was reading
the evening paper, arrested her. ''Dear
me! how sad these cases are; one
never knows who TO trust. Listen TO
this, Letitia: The confidential clerk
Of Smithson Brothers abscouded last
night. His employers had had their
suspicious aroused by some circum-
stance or other, and limited an inten-
tion of looking into his accounts. AS
soon as he learned this he made busi-
ness in the country pretence for his
flight, and it is supposed that he is on
his way to America
To Lottie's strained ears every word
of this was horribly audible, and the
next minute she was running down
stairs, putting on her hat and shawl
as she went
..If am asked for" she gasped to
the wondering housekeeper, ''say that
l am ill-that have gone TO my
mothers; but don't stop me-don't
question me, or shall die"
But it was to the home Of Austin
Crawley, a fellow. clerk of Charles,
she took her way. She aoOuld not give
up all hope till she had seen him, and
heard his lips confirm the dreadful tale
!. and as she went along she tried to
! comfort herself in repeating. SIT can
not be Charlie Morrison defaulter, 8
, fugitive from justice-it is impossible =
: Mrs Crawley herself answered Lot
ties knock, and her smiling, Cheerful
+ face made the girl feel her own misery
grow sharper.
mo, Austin had not returned from
the city yet" she said. "Would no
I: Lottie come in and wait for him? Sh'
: was quite alone, for Mr.. Crawley hat
: been At Smithsons' all day, taking tn
e place (she believed) Of Charlie Morrison
e whose absence seemed to have put tn
t firm very much out Of their way. Their
: was nothing amiss, was there!" sh
d added, as she took . closer survey 9
= her visitors face.
But her question remained unar
8 swered, for Lottie was already hurry
y ing away. The last faint hope tha
J, the report was dreadful mistake ha