Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-03-04
LIES PITY
THE LITTLE BEGGAR GIRL.


elbow very lonely it seems tonight,
mother" said Mabel Richardson, as
she and her mother sat alone in the
twilight.
"Why should you feel any more
lonely this evening, than any othcr!'
inquired Mrs. Richardson.
"All day long my heart bias been
| weary, and the wind means SO much
like grieved child tonight that il
fills my soul with sadness. There have
been old memories crowding upon my
brain, and well>remembered face and
form have seemed to be about me-
Mother, nine years ago tonight sister
Alice went away
"Aabel, why do yoH speak of herr
Have you not been forbiddene l had
fancied that you had long ago forgotten
her,"
Mrs. Richardson was very pale as
she said this, and turned her head
away SO that Mabel might not discov-
er her agitation.
''My dear mother, how greatly have
you deceived yourself in thinking that
l would ever forget my earliest and on
ly playmate. Although 1 was but a
child, scarcely eight years Of age, how
we'll do I remember the night che came
to my bedside and kissed me, and wept
as tho her heart would break. She
babe me good bye, and her last words
to me were, ''Mabel, do not forget
your miserable sister Alice. am 60
ing to leave you for long, long time,
perhaps forever!" She was greatly ag
itated I we'll knew, though l was so
young, and I wept until the gray dawn
of morning, because knew that she
was wretched. Ere she went out into
the cold and darkness, she knelt beside
me and prayed long and feryenay. She
prayed for father, and for you, mother,
apd when she breathed your name she
buried her face in the pillows, and
moaned as only the serrowful can. I
kissed her and smos2sthea her soft,
brown curls, as if to quiet the tumult
that seemed raging so fercely within
her heart; and when I entreated her not
to weep, she folded me closely to her
and said:-"My darling, innocent,
Mabel, through all the future weary
years do not forget me, do not let the
story of my weakness turn your affec
tons from me. Love me, glove nae !"
And ! promised (; I, who scarcely knew
what 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 bedside, Whatever
her faults or guilt, the same blood
courses through my veins. She's my
sister. Tonight the winds moan
as Alice did nine years ago. The next
morning after her departure, I remem-
bered you and father were very pale,
and when l asked after her l was
silenced by you both and forbidden to
mention her name again. I never be-
LEVIED, mother, that your Indifference
towards her was your own wish. Am
l not 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 silence
and tried to fancy were forgotten;
for its only been fancy-a mother can
not easily forget her child. How
much have suffered ip her absence,
none save God and myself know. Oh,
how have prayed to behold her face
once more, to fold my arms about her,
and feel indeed that she were with me,
were vain to tell. But it was no fault
of mine, my child, your father had told
her to go; his word must be obeyed.
1 entreated of him not to forsake her,
but of NO avail. l knew she was going
alone, and unprotected out in a cold,
wicked, world. OH how / longed to
shield her from the bitter storms of
life ] To keep Der ffom:despair, to have
her know that a mothers love was
around about her. Alicel Alice !
Alicel" and Mrs. RICHARDSON wept
tears, such as misery only weeps.
sDo not weep, dear mother" replied
Mabel, eoothingly. Tell me the story
of Alice leaving ps, and then III for
get-no, I will cesse to speak Of her /;
for see it is a subject full of sorrow to
you, and l do moi wish to distress
you"
seu,,-r,orro,r 1h;ld T scannrh fall