The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-02-06

az"Marty =! Marty! Marty" lrFi) .
Essie Dapton's clear young voice
rang out on the summer air, and Martin
Holmesby laid down his rake and turned
in the direction Of the farm house.
Z Essie was standing at the door, pretty,
blue eyed Essie, whom the staiwart
young farmer loved better than his own
life. agI fqea..is ,-r t..U E.--.
"Marty," she said. running down the
path to meet him. "my mother is here,
my own mother, Marty. and I'm going
to the city with her. Oh, Marty, wait
till you see her; she is 50 beautiful that
you will wonder she could be my mother
or anyhodys mother. Come into the
sitting-room; she is there" ~
Before he had time to speak Marty
found himself in the sitting.room, and
heard Essie's voice saying, "Mother,
this is Marty-Marty. this is my mother,
and then he became conscious of tiny
white hand being laid in his, and cold,
jet sweet voice saying: s...e
are another friend of my little
girls; let me thank you for tho kindness
l know you have shown her." J
!, AS her low, cultivated tones fell on
his ears he knew that Essie's mother
was a lady-a lady by birth and educa-
tion. Oh Hg tad gaf'oi 70 5sar a.o
e Essie was like her and yet unlike her
Like her in face and form, 10 her deep
blue eyes and wavy nut,brown hair, but
their expressions were very different, for
Essie's face was, ,swee,ly, softly innocent,
while her mother was simply q cold,
fashionable woman, with q proud, deter.
mined air, and slight ahateur in her
manner, though she tried to be gracious
Twelve years before d stranger had
brought little Essie to the farm house.
He said be was her father and that
her mother was dead, that he was going
abroad, and be asked them to take care
of his little one till his return; and the
farmer being very fond of children, and
having none but Martin, then boy OF
ten,gladly took the little girl to his heart
and home. 'aa s7i16 u aafa Ssdt
SO the years went on, and Essie lived
in her country home till she grew to be
q slender mf aen of seventeen, and then
they receiv Netter telling them that
her mother DOT dead, but that she
and her husband Huad been estranged, and
that he had left her, and in his anger
took ber baby girl with him, leaving her
nom rlaf olx =, olopa
The letter was not from him, for he
was dead, but from friend to whom he
had told the story; he also said that he
bad written to ESTES mother, and that
he had no doubt she would claim her.
There was deep pain at Martins
heart as he stood in the little sitting
room, and saw with what evident delight
Essie spoke of going with her mother
"She longs to be away from us, now
that brighter life opens before her !;
she will soon forget us and all the love
we have given her, he thought bitterly,
and then looking at her, sweet, girlsh
face again, he felt he bad wronged her
''No, she will never forget the friends
of her childhood; it was simply limo.
cen. gladness at the thought of change"
2 Essie, raising her eyes, caught the
glaree and read it Alright ed .aa
"You think | should not show so
much joy at going. Marlyp' she said;
shut think, it is only for awhile l will
come back, Marty, you know / will; do
you think ! love you all the less because
/ wish to go with my mother, wish to
see the world she lives in2 Doyou
blame me for this, Marty ?" ',..'. 80
"Pardon me, Essie,; / ought to have
known our little girl better than to think
that new friends would mako her forget
the old ones" "ijno. aIi 10 lisd ,ssad il,1z
That evening Essie and Marty stood
beneath the silvery moonlight, the last
time, perhaps for many years. = sa
Pretty Essie looked sad enough now,
ane Marty, well, Marty's. boyish heart
seemed breaking sste f,.s. 10 fs,-ag "a
5ss.You will not forget us entirely r. he
said; "you will not forget me?"o 1sjrsa,.
"What question, Marty; will never
forget any Of you, and win always re.
member you in particular. Marty, do
you think ! could ever forget you p /
Words of love were trembling on
Martin Holmesby's lips, but he firmly
repressed them. edi r gsi
g Trammel that childish heart with VOWS
she might regret, bind her with promises
she might weep for, having made; never,
never. .ls''1' o 'sf
She would 60 forth to her new life
free, and then let her make her choice.
1t the old love were the strongest she
would return to them. If q nearer love,
deeper aud deeper, came into her life, no
memory of the past would prevent her