The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-05-08
EBENsBURG. PA. FRIDAY. MAY 8. 1885

| Rsbrcca, adding | believe u s the old
woman you wsre talking too at The cottage.
! Yes, Lottie, as sure as you are alive it is
/ Granny Rawley,' and Rebecca's 5 dark earnest
! eyes spoke surprise. .- r.... .
How strangei Let US hasten home. l
| guess she hurried tn the spring for water
and hearing us talking, tried TO hide, fear in =
| we might think she followed us r..
| 'Rebecca, Just believe she has been near
US all the way hearing every word we said.
! Papa says she is queer. am sure that old
! limp sun bonnet she wears und blue flannel
jacket and purple dress give her an odd sp-
pearapce. r... -
! Granny RaWley was a wonder to many.
Some supposed her well off +; others. poor.
/ She bad husband, but no one knew why
I he left her OF oranything of his whereabouts.
/ She lived alone, and was frequently seen at
night dragging home wood. Almost the
only person she seemed to have any attach
ment for was Rrbecca Stuart. whom she
1 hattered and coaxed until the girl felt she
must not neglect her usual visits to Granny
! lRawley.
T Rebecca though bat child, felt warm
sympathy for her Isolated and cherries life
| her own heart had its sorrow, and it went
I out In an overflow of kinGliness toward the
! distressed. .
! As time wore on the two young girls grew
| fonder of each other, though the barrier
/ which wealth places before poverty seemed
! growing higher each succeeding day. Lottie
1 had music teacher and practiced upon an
elegant piano-forte, she had also a master
! in drawing and painting, besides was not
permitted to 10 the least work that her hands
might be- fair ana well shaped.
| Poor Rebecca used to creep under the
! window and listen to Lottie taking her mu-
I sic lessons How she wished she. too. might
, learn to play even little. She was exceed
! ngIy fond of Bottie's painting and dra wing,
and few times Lottie took her out under
( the great oak tree, and gave Der instruction
( in sketchiug picture. Rebecca 10 a short
time was the fortunate pOssessor of quite a
| collection Of crude attempts Of her own.
/ Mrs. Rood did not consider that she treat
ed Rebeeca unkindy. She required her to
/ work at odd times for her board and clo-
thing besides she permitted her to attend
/ the village school, but took no care to in
struct her in those precopts which are essen
/ tial to the formation of true character nor
did she ever try to win the child's love, or
and the poor orphan felt shut out from the
warm mother sympathy; so she naturally
/ turned to one poor and forlorn-to poor
/ Granny Rawley-for comfort. Granny Raw
/ ley praised her drawings, and tod her to
conti1ue, that some day she might become a
great artist. Quite elated by the praise
and allurings of success, Reoecca reGoubled
/ her zeal
/ One evening Rebecca went as usual for
the cows but did not return. the cows GO
ing home atone. After waiting in vain for
her return, the Deighborhood turned out
and diligently searched the hills and hollows.
Perhaps she has been taken III and is a,
Granny Rawley's,' some one said.
A party started Immediately to Granny
Rawley's Get, but it was dark. No answer
to their repeated knocking, so without more
ado they opened the door ard entered, he
house was deserted. What could it mean 9
Had there been foul play? The closest
search could not discover the least clue tC
their whereabouts. Days heightened into
weeks, and weeks into months, but the mys
terry remained unsOIved.
Lottie grieved deeply over the loss of bel
poor little friend
Well, to tell you how I feobr. 1 guess
nnai hfv4,re- as well it should be thus. I,ottie
was so attached to Rebeccs, and any great
! intimacy between them would be quite inn.
| proper few years hence owing to the diff
ference in their station. l hope nothing
dreadful has happened to her.
! Poor child l do not believe she willingly
strayed off, said the lady
If not we shall hear from her tho e-s+
I tu ba
Did she take her clothes with her?'
No, nothing. Even her cherished draw
lngs remain undisturbed in her box. II ia
the strangest thing. | am sure if she felt
dissatisfied ami wished her dismissal. she
should have had it had she mentioned it to
me-, said Mrs. Rood
PoeT child Ignorant of the worlds wick
edness, and trusting all who appeared kind
to her; susceptible of influence; untaugbt
IN her mora duty towards herself and Others
she grew up mach as plants do. Mrs. Rood
meant we'll toward Rebecca, but like MANY
others. she was too much occupied with her
worldly vanity to perform her obligation to
the child in her care.
Granny Rawley bound Rebecca to secrecy.
and then told her she was nothing but
slave for the proud Roods, who would COM
pei her to work for them always and paw
her nothing that she was too pretty for the
kitchen that neT talent was such that she
could be the finest lady in the land. She in
sisted that Mrs. Rood did not love her. and
urged her 20 leave her home and she would
take her to a beautiful city where her daueh
ter Caroline lived, and pleased the girls
Iancy mentioning the different pleasures
they would together enjoy. She did not
commit herself suddenly, but bv degrees ex-
tended her powers over the child. The mys-
terious Granny Rawley was very wicked
woman, but she was so artful that Rebecca
was deceived as to her true character; nor
dld she perceive herself drawn into a snare
Sne was very much troubled, but was afraid
TO speak of her fears, though she believed
she ought to tell Mrs. Rood and ask her if it
was true.
Mrs. Rood had never encouraged Rebecca
to confide in her but in this case it was diff
IereDt. Finally she concluded that the first
time she bad chance to speak to Mrs. Rood
privately she would tell her what Grapnv
Raw ley said.
AS Rebecca passed her cot with the cows.
Granny was at the door waiting for her, and
ID the road stood carriage.
An cnit. don't often get ride in so fine
turnout as that there. Ye COWS will 90
long wi out ye. Git In and take bit o. a |
ride, and III take ye home
Rebecca felt delighted at the thoughts Of
a ride seated among the soft, pretty cushions.
it was hardly in cbsta r,o.,,~. . - s.