The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-12-24
SAD FACED LITTLE ANNIE.

The little tailor rose, with his eyes SHOOTING
from his head and his face as white as the
dead. Mrs. PEBBLES gasped, but could not
speak, for lo following Honor into the room
was a tall, cool looking young man with
frank blue eyes, brown heard and bronzed
face-their own Tom, the long hoped for,
long absent son, who had returned on Christ
mas night, exactly as absent sons frequently
do in books, but very rarely in real life He
fell on his knees before Mrs. PEBBLES, sobbing
in her lap, while the little tailor was wildly
shaking hands with everybody. The happi-
est moment had come for all three of the
PEBBLES family. Their story had told itself.
Grace Fairlie, the little schoolmistress,
said: Il am obliged to acknowledge that
owe the happiest moments / have ever expe-
rienced to the receipt of 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
il.
Then they all turned to little Annie-feeble,
prematurely old, sad faced esAnnie-who
sat gazing reflectvely into the fire and then
said: IL member once father said he would
give me a 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 il me- II that will do,
missl"
Little Annie! Poor little Annel How
could she know that this story which she told
10 simply in SO few words was the most pa
thetic that had ever been writtens
Then it was Honor's turn to talk She had
just begun her story-a fairy story-when,
glancing up, her face expressed establishment,
confusion and happiness, all in an instant
There, standing in the door, unannounced,
was Sir Edward Dusart. Anyone who I'M
derstood the 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 one 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 tho
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 so? Behind Sir Edward came Mr. Red
mond, 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, and in
the fewest 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 he and Sir Edward had be-
come one of the company, Mr.. Williams, the
poor ledger, was seen making his way toward
the door holding his handkerchief up to his
face. He was telling Sally to excuse him to
her mistress, rs a sudden attack of neuralgia
obliged him to leave rather abruptly, when
Sir Edward Dusart caught sight of him, and
called out: "Elston! Is it. Why, Elston,
old fellow, where on earth have YOU sprung
fromw The poor lodger moved ON toward the
door, making no answer. Sir Edward sprang
after him, and with his arm around his neck,
school boy fashion, went with him into the
hall. When they both returned Sir Edward
introduced the poor lodger as the best friend
he ever had and one of the best scholars Of
bis own university, The little company was
greatly astonished to learn that no 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 married-they became engaged
that very night, and were married as soon as
he was established as n lawyer. SO his story
also, was not told, but told itself.
The little tailor and his wife arc as happy
as they could desire Mrs. Parnell is better
off now, and with Lady Dusart for her
friend, more "genteel" and exclusive than
ever. When any one refers to that memoir
eblc Christmas night she says there is an
advantage to he derived from an occasional
mixture of classes. jones Brooks, the old
soldier, is in receipt of a pension, which finds
its way to him, he imagines, from France,
and is a frequent visitor at the hall, where
Sir Edward and Lady Dusart are always
glad to welcome him, and TO the Rectory
mile away, where Mr.. Redmond and Aunt
Margaret arc host and hostess. There is a
pretty cottage in the village, of which
Johnnie's mother is tho mistress. There old
Nannies last days were spent i'm comfort
Johnnie became a sailor lad; but after some
years of seafaring, came home and "settled
down" in the village with his mother. Poor
little Annie Not all the love and care of her
kind friends could keep her long with them.
The tired little spirit fed early from world
which it found too cruel to linger in.