Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-05-04
LITTLE APPLE woMAN.

lilly was up that morning as soon as
the earliest sunbeam set the church spire
over the way into twinkle, and danced
down stairs, singing as gayly as lark;
for that day she was to have holiday,
and holidays didn't come very often to
her. Miss Snip, the milliner, with
whom she lived-for lilly had neither
father or mother-was kind to her in
her way, and gave her plenty to eat and
drink, comfortable little room enough
to sleep in, and dressed her in quite a
dainty fashion by altering her own
finery for her wear.
You would really have imagined her
to be petted inmate of one Of those
great houses in the park, if you could
have seen her tripping along past Them
with her bright holiday face and grace
full little figure. Miss Snip had told
her that she might go just where she
wished, and do just what she pleased for
all day, and she felt as light and freHas,
the air, her arms uuencumbercd by any
burdensome nd-boxes, and her brain
anencumbered by any perplexing mess
ages. Then she had good many
bright pennies in her pocket, given her
by Miss Ships customers, who were
pleased with her obliging ways and
sweet face and she could ride into the
country, if she liked. where the yellow
stars in the grass were as thick AS If it
had rained dandelions all night, and
sparrows made everybody glad with
their gladuess. She had great mind
to do this, for it WAS warm, fragrant
though damp and cloudy, April day,
and she hadn't been out of the old
seaport town for SO long a time; but
the wharves, and the ships, and the
water had greater charm for her, after
all so she gave up her idea of coun-
try ride, and bent her steps toward the
water.
Every spare hour she could get she
spent upon the wharves, listening to
the quaint songs of the sailors, watch-
ing eagerly the ships that sailed in and
sailed away, and scanning every bronzed
face that appeared upon their decks;
for lilly had half-brother who was a
sailor. To be sure, he had sailed away
years and years ago, and everybody
thought that he, with the ship he sailed
in, must have been lost, for they had
never been heard from since. But lilly,
couldn't help hoping that he was still
alive, and would some time come back
to her again. She could remember him
distinctly, though she was very wee
thing when he went away. She could
remember that he was very tall and
very brown, and used to take her on
his knee and tell her funny stories and
sing her funny songs. Her poor mother
broke her heart about him, almost; and
they scarcely saw a happy day, after he
went away, for father died long before
when lilly was only few months old
and they were all alone in the world.
lilly was sure she would know him
if she were TO meet him anywhere, for
she had his picture. He had it taken
Just before he went away, for his mother,
and before she died she gave it to lilly,
and told her never to part with it; and
then if Jim, who would not know
where to find her, should ever come
back, she might meet him by his re-
semblance to the picture.
There were more sails than common,
she thought, tapping like white wings
In the frollesome spring wind, as she
hurried down the long street that led to
the water, bat there we're clouds in the
sky, that looked very much like a
shower. While she was stepping to
consider whether she should 60 or not,
she noticed an old apple woman, seated
before her stand over the way, in
evident distress Her face was all
screwed up as if she were in pain, and
she kept rubbing one of her shoulders
with her hand. Tilly's tender little
heart was touched in an instant, and,