The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-08

Il
being by no means expressive of thos
genial traits so readily recognized by child
rem, and which seldom fail to win thei
confidence and leve. She was busy witt
some of the coarse kind Of sewing con-
monty termed slop-work, and at my en-
trance rose and handed me chair. As J
accepted her courtesy, saw Cathie benc
down so as to bring her face close to hel
sisters. After saying something in whis
per to each other, they directed fugitive
glances toward me. Mrs. Bray, too, eyed
me inquisitively, and, as it seemed to me,
not very complacently, when she imagined
was not observing her.
The fruit soon claimed Annie's attention,
and took it upon me TO give her leave to
eat a few of the grapes, as I was convinced
that she was suffering more from want Of
nutriment than disease. Very soon the
city clock commenced striking eleven.
"Dont stay minute longer" said
Annie; IT am SO afraid that she will punish
YOU"
"And wouldn't be to blame if she did,"
remarked Mrs. Bray. "It's enough to try
her patience, for to be off loiterin' round
the busiest part of the day, VIXEN she needs
your help the most"
Catharine quickly, though with evident
reluctance, put on her Little faded brown
hood she had laid aside at her entrance,
and hurried from the room, casting to-
ward me, on her way out, an earnest
look
II shall be sure to call and see you TO-
day or Tomorrow" said I. ''But you've
forgotten to take your share of the
fruit"
Taking part Of it, I went to the door
and handed it to her, that she might not be
detained. Mrs. Bray remained silent, from
time to time continuing her inquisitorial
glances. / broke the silence by asking how
long Annie had been unwell
'Four weeks, she replied. +Tt is a slow
fever that ails her She is beginning to
have some appetite now, but am too poor
to afford to buy deicacies for her. It if
much as can 20 to earn any bread with
such pay as get for my work. You are
some relative to the children, ] take It'll"
'No. My meeting with the little girl
who came here with me was quite acci.
. dental"
"Wel, kind O thought you were re-
lated to 'em in some way; for if Ben Wl-
liams, the children's father, that's now
, dead and gone, had been your own brother,
you couldn't look q bit more as he did; and
1 don't believe but what you and Oathie
thought SO, too," said she, addressing
, Annie.
'.Did you and your sister think so ?'
said 1.
eyes, ma'am," she replied. IT can't
, keep from looking at you all the time, you
resemble him so much"
I began, by this time, to think that
; Annie and Catharine's father might have
+ been my half brother, my mother haV.
ingbeen second wife. The name Of
Williams favored the supposition, but my
brother had always been called Selby.
don't remember ever to have heard hin
mentioned by the name of Benjamin
T. When only fourteen years old he went to sea
without my fathers consent. The vesse
he sailed in returned without him. He lef
=, it, SO the captain stated against his advice
y for a ship bound to the East Indies. Thi
l. was all he knew concerning him. Ever,
available method was resorted to in orde
" to obtain some accurate information con
q eerning him; but all proving unsuccessful
after number of years had passed ava.
# he was given up for lost.
At the time he left home, I was chill
:, notmore than four years old, and could
l. therefore, recall very little concerning biz
IS except what subsequently learned fror
my parents. Whether he and the child
IS .ren's father were identical or not, / at pres
If ent could not certainly decide. At an
rate, felt deep interest in their welfare
e, was alone in the world, my parents hay
W ing been dead several years, and as m
8, annual income amounted to double the sur
70 1 needed for myself, at once made u
my mind that would, in some way pre-
4 vide for them.
y My resolution was confirmed, when, th
following day, called to see Catharine.
found that Mrs. Frost lived in an undel
)" ground room, and kept boarders for livel
b, hood. From morning to night, with littl
or no intermission, the child was employe
- in the performance of tasks much too har
h for one of her age. This. together wit
- her meagre fare, accounted for her pale an
.d sickly appearance.
*
er Five years have passed since the for egg
~ ing incidents. It is clear, frosty evenin
e. in October, and cheerful fire is burning
or the CRATE, throwing ruddy glow on th
OF old-fashioned, highly polished furniture
k arranged in exactly the same manner q
q .,nnd last to ,,lroca MN fothar and notha,