The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-12-23
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, good looking young man with
frank blue eyes, brown beard 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: "I am obliged to acknowledge that /
owe the happiest moments | have ever expe-
rienced to the receipt of a 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 Annie-feeble,
prematurely old, sad faced little Annie-who
sat gazing refectively into the fire and then
said: II member once 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 will do,
missp
Little Anniel Poor little AnnieI How
could she know that this story which she told
80 simply in so few words was the most pa
thetic that had ever been writtenl
Then it was Honor's turn to talk. She had
Inns ctO foir ~
glancing up, her face expressed astonishment,
confusion and happiness, all in an instant.
There, standing in the door, unannounced,
was Sir Edward Dusart. Anyone who un-
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 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 sol 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 tAe 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 lodger, 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, as a sudden attack of neuralgia
obliged him to leave rather abruptly, when
Sir Edward Dusart caught sight of him, and
called out; "Elstonl Is ita Why, Elston,
old fellow, where on earth have you sprung
fromp The poor lodger moved or toward the
door, making no answer. Sir Edward sprane
after him, and with bis 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