Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-04-03
IN THE EARLY SPRING.

A pale young thing, with such a wealth
of wonderful hair pushed off the low
brow. A ray of sunshine struck the
silken waves Of red and gold, showing
the lavish abundance and exquisite tex
ture of Sirene Selwyn's one beauty, as
she bent closely above the sewing in the
little sitting room of her home.
A very plain room, but neat and COM
Portable. A rose colOred hyacinth, bios
sOming on the window, filled it with fra
GRANGE.
On the lounge lay an exquisitely beau
tiful child, asleep. She was carefully
covered, and Sirene glanced at her with
solicitude from time to time.
So radiant and rosy was little Nan, it
did not seem possible that the pale. frail
creature stitching her life into her sew
ing, could be her mother; but it was so,
and Sirene lived for her child.
Four years before, when barely sixteen,
she had married her first girlish fancy.
Light-natured, vacillating, selfish, he
lived but year, yet In that short time
wore out her love.
But then she had the child, the little
golden-haired thing, her own image.
Sirene had been an orphan at her mar
riage. When her young husband died
she felt baby Annette to be "the one
bright thing to save her yet young life
in the wilds of time"
Its smiles amused her, it's weakness
gave her strength to toll for it's support
and her own.
And the little creature throve, though
the toll and close application told fear
fully upon her own health.
Sirene was but shadow of her old
self.
Suddenly the child opened her brown
eyes threw, off the little blanketand slip
ped to the floor.
"My darling" said Sirene gently.
Little Nan came directly to her moth
er's knee.
The two looked questioningly into
each others eyes.
'Nan's hundry," lisped the child.
Sirene shrank over her sewing again
For one bitter moment she was silent
then she spoke with forced cheerful.
ness:
Mamma is hurrying to get her work
done, so she can have some money to
buy Mans supper"
The child's rosy lips quivered little
mans hundry nOw," she said.
Sirene arose and went to the closet
There was plate of dry bread there
She gave the child a piece of the bread
The pretty eyes looked up unsatisfed.
Nan wants some milk"
g haven't any, my dear" answered
Sirene, as she returned to her sewing.
All, how hard it was! Hunger gnaweC
at her own stomach; but sharper was hel
hearts pain as her needle flew, for the
little one, with childhood's unreason
stood by with reproachful eyes, and the
unpala,able bread held loosely in he
little fingers.
Little Nan could not understand, anC
the tears began to roll down her pinl
cheeks.
She had gone to sleep "hundry," beer
coaXed off to her nap with the promise o
"a nice supper" and why was it not forth
coming? Had not her pretty mamma al
ways fed her on good bread, nice fresl
milk, and ripe fruit? Why was she de
MED this now?
She went silently for her mug, an
came back to her mothers, knee. A tea
fell from the mothers eyes upon he
white work. Little Mans brown eye
,widened.
,"Oh, my child" said poor Sirene, lear
ing back, that her tears might not soil tn
snowy cambria, we are starving"
Hitherto they had lived in comfor
Slrene had been talrlY paid 1Or ner nm
embroidery and exquisite sewing; br
Mrs. Waldegrave, her chief patron ha
d&teIy lett town, and on shop-work he
Income quickly decreased.
But though she had worked muc
harder than ever before lately; an
grown thin with care, she had not bee
able to provide for their necessities.
She had given the child her own breal
fast, had herself eaten buta few crumt
OF dry bread; and nowhere was no d.
nying it-they were starvingi
Hurry as she might with her wea
trembling hands, she could not finish til
fine shirt in time to receive her pay thi
might.
.Sirene threw down her sewing, and g
Eng to the mirror, faced her own reheC
ion.
What shadowy fgurel What pal
wan, iacel But her hairl
She took out the comb, and let IL
waves of amber silk fall to her knee
Her wonderful tresses enclrcled her Iii
a mantle.
"Mamna's pretty hair" said lit
Nan, smiling and forgetting her tears.
Sirene did not smile.