The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-12-23

SAD FACED LITTLE ANNIE
The little tailor rose, with his eyes shooting
from his head and his face as white rs the
dead. Mrs. PEBBLES gGspej, but could not
speak, for To- following Honor into the room
was tail, good looking young man with
frank blue eyes, brown beard and bronzed
face-their own Tom, the long hoped for,
lonS absent son, who had returned on Christ
mas night, exactly as absent sons frequently
do III books, but very rarely in real life. He
fell on his knees before MIS- PEBBLES, sobbing
III her lap, while the little tailor WAS wildly
shaking hands with every ybody. The harpi-
est moment had come FOR al three of the
PEBBLES family. Their story had told ITSELF
Grace Fairlie, the little sclooi;iistreSs,
said: Il aln obliged to acknowledge that /
owe the happiest moments / have ever expe-
rience.i to tie receipt of q letter that came
TO me one day when was terribly in need
of the help it brought" Over the poor
lodger's face stole an expression of almost
angelic joy, but only Aunt Margaret noticed
it.
Then they all turned to little Anriie-feeb,e,
preniGtuTely old, sad faced little Ann;e-who
SIT gazing refect.vely into the fire and then
said: Il member cnce father said he would
give me worse hiding than ever when he
came home, cause l waited for him outside
the public, and when he come he fell asleep
and forgot to give it me. II that VIII do,
Eiiss.H
Little Anniei Poor little Anniel How
could she know that this story which she told
SO simply in 50 few words was the most pa-
tietic that had ever been written.
Then it WIS Honor's turn to talk. She had
just begun her story-a fairy story-when,
glancing UP, her face expressed astonishmens,
confusion and happiness, all in ON instant
There, standing in the door, unannounced,
was Sir Edward Dusart. Anyone who un-
derstood tie language of faces would know at
once by glance at Honor's that her happiest
: moment had come; that her story, too, had
told itself, for only enc thing could have
brought Sir Edward Dusart to her from
Uncle Bryson's on that Christmas night. And
wasn't it curious that the scheming of the
Brysons to keep him from again meeting
Honor had brought about the very thing
. they had tried to prevent. And isn't it al
ways soi Behind Sir Edward came Mr. Red
nond, who, after greeting everybody, said
something to Aunt Margaret which seemed
| to make her face radiant and caused her to
tell the story Of her happiest moment with
her eyes only. She it was, not Honor, who
had been the cause of his visits there, AMI in
the lowest words possible on that Christmas
night he made this plain to her; and later,
when addressing few words OF good will
and good wishes to all before the curious
company rose from the table, he said this was
one of the happiest moments Of his life
But just after ne and Sir Edward had be-
come one OF the company, Mr.. Williams, the
pcor loiger, was seen making his way toward
the door holding his handkerchief I'D to his
face. He was telling Seily to excuse him to
her mistress, as a sudden attack of neuralgia
obliged him to leave rather abruptly, when
Sir Edward Dusart caught sight of him, and
called out: @Eiston! Is it! Why, Elston,
old fellow, where OH earth have you sprung
from" The poor loiger ed on toward the
door, making no answer. Sir Edward sprang
after him, and with his arm around his neck,
school hoy fashion, went with him into the
hail When they both returned Sir Edward
introduced the poor lodger as the best friend
be ever had, and one Of the best scholars Of
his own university. The little company was
greatly astonished to learn that he wasn't
Mr.. Williams at all, but Mr. Elston; but
they were still more astonished some weeks
later when they learned that he and Grace
Fairlie were marIied-they became engaged
that very night, and were married as soon as
he was established as q lawyer. So his story,
also, was not told, but told itself
The little tailor and his wife are as happy
as they could desire. Mrs Parnell is better
off now, and with Lady Drsart for her
friend, more sgenteel" and exclusive than
ever. When any one refers to that memor-
able Christmas night she says there is an
advantage to be derived from an occasional
mixture of classes. James Brooks, the old
soldier, is in receipt of q pension, which finds
its way TO him, he imaSincs, from France,
and is e frequent visitor at the hall, where
Sir Edward and Lady Dusart are always
glad to welcome him, and to the Rectory, a
mile away, where Mr.. Redmond and Aunt
Margaret are host and hostess. There is a
pretty cottage in the village, of which
,Iohnnies mother is the mistress. There old
Nannie's last days were spent in comfort
Johnnie became G sailor lad; but after some
years of seafaring, CO, 70 home and Settled
down. in the village Srith lis mother Pccr
little Annie. Not all the love and care OF her
kind friends could keep ller long with them.
The tired little spirit fed early from a world
which it found too cruel 10 Enger III
NJ. NEWMAN