Wilmington journal., 1875-01-29
THELlTTLE GIRL.
r. NJ. ScoTT,
One of the Secretaries.

"How very lonely it seems tonight.
mother said Mabel Rlcnardsou, as
she and her mother sat alone in the
twilight.
why should you feel any more
lonely this evening than any other %
inquired Mrs Richardson.
''All day long my heart has been
weary, and the wind moans SO much
ike a grieved child to night, that it
fills my very soul with sadness. There
have been old memories crowdisS
upon my brain, and we'll remembered
face and form have seemed to be
about me. Mother nine years ago to-
night sister Alice went away"
Mabel, why do you speak OF her?
Have not you been forbidden? ? | had
faucied that you had long ago forgot
ten her"
Mrs. Richardson was very pale as
she said this, and turned her head
! away that Mabel might not discover
/ her agitation.
My dear mother. how greatly have
you deceived yourself in believing that
/ would ever forget my earliest and
only playmate. Although | was but a
child, scarcely eight years of age, how
well do [ remember the night she
, came to my bedside, and kissed Inc,
and wept as though her heart would
] break. She bade me goodbye, and
| her last words to me were Mabel, do
not forget your miserable sister Alice
I am going to leave you for a long,
long time, perhaps forever ;" She
was greatly agitated, l we'll knew, for
all was SO young, and l went until
the gray dawn Of morning, because l
knew that Alice was wretched. Ere
she went out into the cold and dark
ness, she knelt beside me, and prayed
long and fervently. She prayed for
father and for you, mother, a. d when
she breathed your name, she buried
her face in the pillows, and mourned
as sorrow only can. I kissed her, and
smoothed her soft, brown curls, as if
to quiet the tumuft that seemed
raging SO fiercely within her heart;
aud when I entreated her not to
weep, she folded me closely to her,
and said: Darling, innocent Mabel,
through all the future weary years, do
not forget me, do not let the story of
my weakness turn your affections from
me. Love me, love mel" And [
promised, [, who scarcely knew what
a vow was, for so young was I, that
her memory with me should be sacred;
and l have not proved traitor to the
weeping, moaning, distressed being
who that night had prayed, like one
without friends or home, as she was.
by my little bed. Whatever her faults
or guilt, the same blood courses
through my veins. She is my sister.
Tonight, the winds moan as Alice did
nine years ago. The next morning
after her departure, I remember you
and father were very pale, and when l
asked after her / was silenced by you
both and forbidden to mention her
name again. [ never believed, mother,
that your Indifference in regard to her
was your own wish. Am right ?''
Eyes, yes, my child. But why, oh.
why do you open the grave of the past
and bring scenes and forms again to
my mind that have long slept in 81
lence, and tried to fancy were forgot
ten; for it has only been fancy,-a
mother cannot easily forget her child.
How much I have suffered in her alb
sence, none save God and my own self
know. Oh, how have prayed to be-
hold her face once more, to fold nv
arms about her, and feel indeed that
ST 9 was with me, were vain to tell. But
it was no fault of mire, ny child.
your father had told her to 90 /; his
word must be obeyed. I entreated of
him not to forsake her, but of no avail,
L knew she was going alone, and un-
protected out in cold, wicked world. !
Oh how I long to shield her from |
the bitter storms of life ! To keep her |
from despair, to have her know that a |
mo- hers love was around about her,
Alice Alice Alice ,'' and Mrs Rich |
ardson wept tears, such as misery only |
weeps.
Do not weep, dear mother" re-
piled Mabel soothingly, "Teu me the
story of Alice leaving us, and then I'll |
will cease to speak of
aer For see it is a subject full of
sorrow to you, and 1 do not wish to
distress YOU"
Tomorrow child, I cannot tell YOU
low. Pray, Mabel, for God to keep
lou. to save You from the spares of the
lesi niog and wicked. God bless you
lear, good night
That night Mabel slept but little
Her mothers agitation, mingled with
thoughts of her absent sister, worked
90 strongly upon her tender nerves,
nd the early dawn found her seated
t her window, looking leisurely out
nto the streets. A few birds were