The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-03-06
Bamed.


their bright faces right in the eye OF
the sun; when the birds begin to re-
ioice, and the balmy winds blow back
and forth over the earth and when
happy little children all over the land
laugh aloud in the sunshine.
But in striking contrast to the glow
ing beauty all around was the pinched
form of barefooted girl who was walk
ing up the garden path. The farm
house door stood open. The child gazed
in with hungry eyes, but when Mrs.
Halstead looked up and saw her, she
turned to 60 away.
"Come back, my dear; you look as if
you were hungry"
As if fascinated, the child drew near
TO the kind, motherly speaker.
"Oh, ma'arl please say it again"
"Say what DO you mean 'my
dear?'"
eyes, that's what the pretty lady
called the little girl when she came to
our house. She said it ever so often,
and oh it sounded so nice.'
Poor child" said Mrs. Halstead,
pltyingly, "did no one ever call you so
before? Where do you liye?"
81 don't live anywhere now; ! ran
away from the pOor-house, and-oh !
| am so hungry" cried she, as she cast
longing look toward the bountiful
table.
The eagerness with which the almost
starved child devoured the food set be-
fore her brought tears to good Mrs.
Halstead's eyes, and a quick thought
sprang to her mind.
When the little one had finished eat
ing, she drew her to her arms, and,
pushing the tangled hair back from the
broad forehead, the kind woman said:
"What is your name?"
"Margaret!"
"Margaret, you are alone and unhap-
py; have no children; would you like
TO come and live with me ?"
"With you!" the hazel eyes grew
lustrous with glad light. "Oh, may
?"
eyes, If you wish. had alittle girl
once, but she was taken away, and her
father has always wanted me to adopt
one in her place. SO, if you will be
good child, you shall stay"
Little Margaret nestled close to Mrs.
Halstead and looked up, her beautiful
eyes full of the gratitude she could not
express. When Margaret was dressed
in the garments her little girl had worn,
Mrs. Halstead led her to her husband,
who was approaching the house. All
was quickly explained, and the old
farmer said heartily:
"Perhaps the Lord has sent her,
wife, to make up for little Bessie"
And thus it came to pass that the lit
tie waif that came to the farmhouse
that summer day became known as
sweet Margaret Halstead, the fairest
maiden in all the country round.
Years passed, and each one brought
more trouble to good Farmer Halstcad;
and one afternoon, as his wife met him
at the door, she noticed with alarm his
white, panied face. Coming in, he
sank wearily into his chair.
"It is no use, wife, the farm must go.
Downley has lent all the money he can
spare, and there is no other friend who
can help me-"
Tears sprang to his wife's eyes. 1t
was hard to think of giving up the old
home, but she said
"Dear husband, don't despair. Gods
ways are not our ways"
Just then a light form bo'nded into
the room. 1t was Margaret, tall and
graceful, her cheeks glowing, her eyes
great luminous wells of hazel light;
out of their depths beamed forth the
pure maiden soul, which could stoop to
no mean act, and was strong to do and
dare for those she loved.
"Why, father, mother, what is 1t ?"
he asked, as she saw their emotion.
All was soon told.
That evening Margaret sat very si-
lently by the window, looking sadly
out on the familiar scene she feared she
must leave before long, when tap on
the door broke the silence. 1t was
opened by Mrs. Halstead, and a tall,
fashionably dressed young man entered
the room.
A flush tinged Margaret's fair cheek
with deeper rose as she acknowledged
his bow. His errand was soon told.
81 have heard, he said to Mr.. Hal
stead, "that you wished to borrow n
certain sum to-day and failed, and hav-
ing an amount of money | want to In
vest, have concluded to offer you the
loan of II for two years."
A great hope sprang into the old
farmers heart.
"Really. Mr.. Egerton, this is very
Kind. expected to pay Off this mort