American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1877-12-29

! very Ialf, 1raglle ana glrIlSh as she sat
there musing, for twenty years had
passed over her with gentle fingers,
bringing out new beauties in spite of all
the cares and sorrows that had beset her
in the last three years of the twenty.
She was pale, poor thing! The bright
roses, that in former days had relieved
! the pearly clearness of her complexion,
no longer doomed on the velvet cheeks
but the big brown eyes retained their
Old-tine brilliance, except that they now
shone with a softened luster, as if mol
lifted by suffering.
She remembered time when she had
lived in a grand mansion, surrounded
/ by every luxury that money could pro-
cure; when she had worn gorgeous
silks, and received New Years calls,
and was petted and admired by every
body. There was one among her nu-
merous admirers whom she remembered
more distinctly, more fondly, than all
others-handsOme, noble-hearted Paul
MarstOn. Paul was a poor young man,
working en- small salary in the Gus
tom-house, while Daisy was the INDUCED
child of wealthy parents; but not
withstanding the wide difference in their
stations these two had met and loved.
The young mans fair, open integrity,
| strong intellect, and bright, genial pow
ers of fascination completely won the
heart that was too pure and honest to
succumb to the transparent arts of
! Ia, E. NJ
whose notions touching the organiza-
ton of society were purely aristocratic,
refused to favor the suit. When Daisy
pleaded, however, he relented so far as
to propose a condition. Paul Marston
should go away, and stay five years,
without corresponding, or communicate
ing in any way, with his daughter. If, at
the end of that time, he had succeeded
in amassing a respectable fortune, he
could return and claim Daisy's hand
without further opposition.
There was no alternative, and so the
lovers had separated, Paul going to Cal
ifornia to seek his fortune. A year and
a half had glided by and then had come
Mr. Wilde's failure. He had specialized
heavily and lost. He was ruined man.
His home, his furniture, every thing was
taken from him. The rich family was
suddenly buried in the depths of pover-
ty. Unable to bear up under the shock
Mr.. Wilde had sickened and died, and
a month later his wife, who had long
been in delicate health, was laid beside
him in the cemetery.
Thus Daisy and her little 1O-year- old
sister were left friendless and homeless
in cold, unfeeling world-left entirely
| upon their own resources, with no one
to go to for support or protection. In
this trying ordeal Daisy had managed to
provide for herself and Effie by teach
ing music till she was overtaken by a
slow fever, when her pupils had all left
her. Recovering from her illness she
had resOrted to the needle for support,
and working hard day and night con-
tinued to fight the wolf from the door.
They lived in the attic of a crazy old
tenement house, but woman's tact made
the single room almost coy.
Miss Stark, the fashionable dress
maker who lived near, had kindly fur
nished work for Daisy's nimble fingers
when none could be found elsewhere,
and SO pleased was she with the result
thereof that she finally trusted the girl
with the costly pearl silk which the ele-
giant Mrs. Hapworth was to wear on
New Years day. The dress was finish
ed now, and Daisy would be paid lib
orally for her work when Miss Stark
called for it in the morning, and then
she would buy something real nice for
Effie's New Years dinner.
So she sat and dreamed, and even all
lowed herself to wonder where Pau
Marston was on that particular night.
1t was nearly time for him to return
now; but alas he would not find her
waiting to welcome him home with open
arms. Perhaps, in his manly generosity,
he would search for her, but she was
firm in her resolution not to be found
She could never be his wife now She
loved him too sincerely, too unselfishly,
to let him throw himself away on PEN
niless orphan, when many a rich heiress
would have been glad to accept his hand
in marriage.
That is what Daisy Wilde thought,
and the church bells all over the city
were ringing in the New Yoar when she
finally laid her weary head beside her
sisters, and fell asleep.
She was awakened by scream-a
short, shrill cry, so sudden and startling
that she instantly sat up in bed, with
her great brown eyes open to their
widest extent. 1t was broad daylight;
the first slanting beams of the morning
sun were struggling through the dingy
attic window; a cheerful fire glowed on
the hearth, and every thing looked
bright and comfortable. But Daisy OBJ
served none of these things. The first
object that met her startled gaze was
Effie standing in the middle of the
room, her face as pale as death, and her
eyes wearing wild scared look.
"Why, Effie, child, what is the mat
terP" demanded Daisy, in alarm, ''What
made you scream so?"
ell conldn't help it, gasped the
child, with an expression of intense ag-
ony. "Oh, sister, what shall 1 do? 1
have ruined it!''
Ruined-what?''
"The dress,'' and she pointed to
where Mrs. Hapworth's pearl silk lay
in shining pillows on couple of chairs
Daisy needed no further explanation.
A sudden choking sensation, and her