The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-01-12
He shook his head,

LILO 0AOOA Al0 u0lSus
.1l tell yer" he said, after five minutes 8
reflection, taking his pipe from his mouth,
"Ill' give the gal up for one hundred dol
up atween yer both! She's sassy, that PAL
is, an good fur nuthin,' an it's good rid
dance. Don't see what We want her for
but at you're in mill, she'll hev to work,
wich is more'n she'll do now"
The money was pal and the papers signed
Then went up to the school house. The
railroad stopped ten miles below
Greenfield, but had hired carriage
which made it better, as I could take Annie
away Immediately.
In answer to my knock the new teacher
came to the door. She was tall and bony,
and seemed we'll adapted to the place,
judging from her expression and the steely
eyes behind the glasses.
yes, I could see Bridget Ann," she
said, in a quick, imperative way; "but
Bridget Ann wasn't we'll behaved girl at
all, in fact, wasn't fit to allow any privileges
to: folks said she'd been spoiled by the
teacher they'd formerly had"
This was caid in loud voice. Some OF
the scholars peeped through crack in the
door, and recognizing me, announced the
fact that it was Miss Ellis, our old teach
or"
Annie heard them, and before the teacher
could summon her, she was at the door,
kissing me- wildly and saying over and over
again, II knew you would come"
She ran to get her hat, trembling like a
leaf, her face flushed and her eyes full of
happy tears. After she was IN the carriage
explained to the thin lady, WHO had been
looking on in rigid indignation. why I had
taken her. II wash my hands of this bust
ness, )" she said, severely. Il am defence
less and unprotected. Is there any other
child you and that man at your side would
ike to forcibly carry Off"
heard afterwards that there was quite
an excitement in the town when my good
fortune was known, and that old Finne-
gan's rage was frightful when he found he
had probably missed an opportunity of
making much larger sum Of money than
be had received.
This was ten years ago; ten years that
have been spent in happy study and i'm
provement, and now Us + write hear q
step, firm, yet soft and womanly, and the
rustic of light dress upon the floor. It is
Annie, with small canvas in her hand on
which there is painting. Her smile is so
tender and yet withal so happy that cam
not describe it.
l look at ner as 6ne approaches me. Sne
is tall and straight; her hair, black and lus-
trous, is gathered in a knot at her neck,
her eyes are dark and winning, her face
so full of expression and intelligence that
could you see it you would never forget it.
And what is the subject of the painting?
"A girl, ragged, dirty, crouched on the
doorstep of a rickety house that looks as if
it would fall upon her. A poor, starved
kitten lying in the grass beside her, too fee
BILE and wretched to play.
That is all; but the dark, full eyes that
look towards you, the bony hand that the
hopeless face rests on, tells the story. It
is her own picture that she has been paint
ing. and as she comes to my side and
places it before me, hear her say, II shall
call it "A Little Vagabond,' but you and l
know who it is, and but for you she would
still be 'Jailbird Finnegan's Daughter