Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1888-03-29

THE LITTLE SISTERS.

"You were NOT here Yesterday" said
the gentle teacher OF the village school
as she placed her hand kindly on the
curly head OF one of her pupils. II
was recess time, but the little girl ad-
dressed had not gone to frolic away the
tenmilrutes, not even left her seat, but
sat absorbed in what seemed ID frnitlcss
attempt lomAke herself mistress Ola sum
in long division.
Her face ard neck crimsonel at the
remark of her teacher, but looking up
she seemed somewhat reassured by the
kind glance that met her, anSwereA, Nc
ma au, / waf not, bat sister Nellie was.
! remember there WAS a lit,la girl
who called herself Nellie Gray, came in
Yesterday, but did not know hes wa.
your sister. B4t way did yon not come
You seem to love TO study very much,
1t Was not because l diir"t want to,
was the earnest answer, and then she
panseI and the deep flush a1un tiugea
that fair brow, but she confirmed, af
Ter moEent Of ,ainfll embarrassuen nj
mother cannot spare both OF as CON
venlcnt'y, and SO We are going to take
tnrns. I'm going to school one day
and slst,t the next, and to nj slt I'm
to teach Nellie all I've l.Arnea today.
a1" to morrow mig lat sAe will te lcn MI
all she learns while here. Its the on
ly way We think of gettir| along, and
we want to study very much, SO as to
some time keep school ourselves, and
take care Of mother, becll'a sht has to
work very hard to take care of MS
With genuine dsliclcy, Mss N for
bore to lner'ion the child further, Du;
sat down beside her, AID in a moment
explained the ra!e over v Lici she was
dazzling her vo1ng 'rain, so that The
difficult sum was easily flushed.
You had better 90 out and rake the
air few II omcnts, you have studied
very hard to day s1il the teacher, Is
the little girl pat aside the slate.
y rather not Il might tear my irass
i VII sand by the window ana watct
the -~St.'
There was such a peculiar tone III
lie Voice Of her p1piI As she sail, i
might tear my dress Mis- M-was lei
insl!nctivelv To notice it, 1t was not
ing bat a nin penny print Of a deeI
hue, but i vas neal " nude, AMI h ID
reycr vet been washed. And looking
at it, sh. rememborel that during th@
whole fortnight previous Mary Gray
had attended sch0o! regularly, She had
never seen her wear bat that one dress
'Sh. is IA Thoughtful littl. girl, sal she
to herself, and dos not want to make
her mother any trouble. wish | h.l
more such scholars.
The next m morning M,ry was absent
but Der sister occupied her sea-. There
vas som thing 50 interes ing i'll tn. two
little sisters, the one eleven AMI the 9th
er eighteen nbnths yonn5 ger. ,.yreein z
to attend school by tulns, that Miss NJ
could not forbear ob'erving them
very closely, They We're pretty faced
children, OF delicate forms aal fairy
like hand, aa f.ct-th. e,tar with
dark Iustrol3 eyes anl cln,tlpt curlS,
the other with orbs like til. SKY Of ,'nae
her white neck yelled by weAllh Of
golden ringlcts She observed in both
the same close attention to their study
and as Mary tarriei within. daring tbs
playtlms, SO did Nellie. aIl upon sps,k
ing to her sister, she received the sane
answer, I nigh; tear my dress.
The remark caused Miss NJ to no.
tice the garb Of her sister. Sic saw at
once that it Was Of the some piece as
Mary's upon scruteuiziuS 1t very c.o'e
", she became certain that it was the
same dress. 1t did mot quite so pret
ty on Nellie, and it was too long for her
ond she was evidently i'll at ease, when
she noticed her teacher looking at tie
bright punk fowers that were so thick
ly set on the white ground.
The discovery was one that could not
but interest heart so benevolent as
that which pulsated in the bose m of the
school teacher. She ascertained the
residence ofthe mother, aud though
sorely shortened herself by narrow
purse that same night having found at
the only store in the place few yards
of the same material, pdrchased a dress
for little Nellie, ana sent it to her IN