Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-01-01

nv mother having been q second
wife. The name of Williams favor
ed this supposition, but my brother
had always been called Selby.
don't remember ever to have heard
him mentioned by the name OF Ben
iamin. When only fourteen years
old he had went to sea without my
fathers consent. The vessel he
sailed in returned without him. He
left it, so the captain stated, against
his advice, for a ship bound for the
East Indies. This was all he knew
concerning him. Every available
method was resorted to in order to
obtain some accurate information
concerning him; but all proving
unsuccessful, after number OF
years had passed away he was Civ
en- up for lost.
At the time he left home, / was
a child not more than four years
old, and could, therefore recall
very little concerning him except
what subsequently learned from
my parents. Whether he and the
children's father was Identical or
not, I at present could not certain
" decide. At any rate, l felt a
deep interest in their welfare. l
was alone in the world, my parents
having been dead several years, and
as my annual income amounted to
double the sum | needed for myself,
| at once made up my mind that /
would in some way provide for
them.
NV resolutions were confirmed,
when, the following day, | called to
see Catharine. / found that Mrs
Frost livedin an underground room,
and kept boarders for livelihood.
From morning to night, with little
or no intermission, the child was
employed in the performance of
tasks much to hard for one of her
age. This, together with her mea-
gre fare, accounted for her pale
and sickly appearance.
Five years have passed since the
foregoing incidents. 1t was clear,
frosty evening in October, and a
cheerful fire burning in the CRATE,
a rudy glow on the old
fashioned, highly polished furniture
arranged in exactly the same man
ner as used best to please my father
and mother. Now and then more
brilliant eoruscation than ordinary
brings into clear and vivid relief
the rich coloring of some fine
pictures, both ancient and modern,
which adorned the walls. But the
figures created by the artists
pencil sinks into insignificance,
when brought into competition
with two living forms which are
near me.
Annie Williams is now eighteen.
Her complexion is pure and deli
cate, and her itch brown hair is so
arranged rs to show the contour of
the finely-formed head. These
with her large blue eyes, clear and
soft, and darkly fringed, and her
red lips, curved in manner to re-
1eem the countance from what
otherwise might have been deemed
! look of too much softness, from I
IN ensemble not often equalled, and ,
still more seldom surpassed.
The style of Cathie's beauty is
entirely different. Coal-black hair,
soft, silky, and abundant to pro-
'useness, dark, unbelievable eyes,
! fresh and living bloom breaking
through the olive of her cheeks,
md the short upper lip gave
,iquancy to her beauty, which to
ne, is pefectly enchanting. And
yet / sometimes think when she is
Tot present, that Annie is the most
beautiful of the two.
Mrs. Barry says that their mother
vas an out-landlish, dark-complex-
on woman, and that Cathie has
yes exactly such as hers were.
This / know-they are the most
plendid eyes / ever saw. And
hen her voice, so delicately sweet,
md yet so capable of expressing
emotion in all deeper, as well as
lighter shades.
This evening as she piled her
leedle, she INDUCED in little
of song which gushed
rom her rosy lips clear and liquid
s the carroll of a bird. And well
he might indulge in them, for she
yas engaged in task promoted by
warm and generous heart-settiug
he finishing stitches in comfort
BILE winter garment for Mrs. Frost,
Ter old task-mistress.
"Come, Annie" said she, break
ng off in the midst of lively
train, ego to the piano and play
or me. My heart is running over
Nth music, but / have made a
'romise to myself that i wouldn't
cave his till it was finished"
81 am little surprised at your
electing Mrs. Frost as a person
worthy your benevolence," said
Annie.