The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-23
IN Til Il EARLY SPRING.

IN TIE EARLY SPRING.
"A pale young thing, with such q
wealth Of wonderful hair pushed of the
low brow. A ray Of sunshine struck
the silken waves Of red-gold, showing
the lavish abundance and exquisite
texture of Sirene Selwyn's ono beauty
rs she bent closely above the sewing in
the little sitting room for her home.
a very plain room, but neat and
comfortable. a rose-cOlored hyacinth
blossoming OH the window, filled it
with fragrance.
On the lounge lay an exquisitely
beautiful Child asleep. She was care
fully covered and Sirene glanced at her
with solicitude from time to time.
SO radiant and rosy was little Nan,
it did not >eem possible that the pale
,frail creature stitching her life into her
sowing could be her mother, but it was
SO, and Sireue lived for her child.
-Four years before, when barely sin
teen, she had married her first girlish
fancy. Light-naturcd, vacillating,
selfish, he lived but a year, yet in that
short time wore her love out.
But then she had the child, the little
igold-haired thing, her own image.
Sirene had been All orphan at her
marriage. When her young husband
died she felt baby Annette to be "the
one bright thing TO save her yet young
life III The wilds Of time"
Its smiles amused her, it's weakness
gave her strength to toll for its sup
port and her own.
. And the little creature throve,
told fearfully upon her own health.
q Sirene was but Il shadow Of her old
self.
Suddenly the child opened her brown
eyes, threw off tho little blanket and
Slipped to the floor.
My darling," said Sirene gently.
Little Nan came directly to her
lmother's knee.
The two looked questioningly into
leach others eyes
"Nan's hundry," lisped the child.
Sirene shrank over her sewing again.
For one bitter moment Sha was silent,
then she spoke with forced cheerful
ness:
Mamma is hurrying to get her work
done, 80 she can have some money to
buy Mans supper"
The child's rosy lips quivcred Il lit.
tie.
MANS hundry now," she said.
Sirene arose and went to the closet.
There VAS plate of dry bread there
nothing more.
She gave the child a piece of the
bread. The pretty eyes looked up un-
satisfied.
"Nan wants some milk"
'l haven't any, my dear" answered
Sirene, as she returned to her sewing.
"Ah, how hard it was! Hunger
gnawed at her own stomach; but shar-
per was her hearts pain as her needle
flew, for the little one. with childhood's
unreason, stood by with reproachful
eyes, and the unpalatable bread held
loosely in hes little fingers.
Little Nan could not understand,
and the tears began to roll down her
pink cheeks.
She had gone to sleep hungry" been
coaxed off to her nap, with Il promise
OF "a nice SUPPER" and why was it
not forthcoming? Had not her pretty
mamma always fed her on good bread,
nice fresh milk, and ripe fruit? Why
was she denied this nowl
She went silently for her mug, and
came back to her mothers knee. A
tear fell from the mothers eyes upon
her white work. Little Mans brown
eyes widened.
"Oh, my child" said poor Sirene,
leaning back, that her tears might moi
soil the snowy cambrlc, we are starv-
ing"
s Hitherto they had lived in comfort.
SSirene had been fairly paid for her fine
embroidery and exquisite sewing; but
Mrs. Waldegrave, her chief patron had
lately left town, and on shop-work her
income quickly decreased.
But though she had worked much
harder than ever before lately, and
grown thin with care, she had not been
able to provide for their necessities.
She had given the Child her own
breakfast, had herself eaten but a few
crumbs Of dry bread; and now--there
was no denying it--they were starvingl
Hurry as sle might with her weak
trembling hands, she could not finish
the fine shirt in time to receive her pay
that night.
Sirelu threw down her sewing, and
going to the mirror, faced her own re-
lection.
What a shadowy ngurel What pale
wan facel But her hairl
She took out the comb, and let the
waves Of amber silk fall to her knees.
Her wonderful tresses encircled her like
u mantle.
Mamma pretty hair" said little
Nan, smiling, and forgetting her tears.
Sirele did not smile.
'Must l?" she said to herself.
With her innate passion of beauty,
her hair had ever been such pleasure
to her. She had spent many lonely
hour combing out its shining length in
the slnshinp 1'ha thO,vht of hninv