The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1889-08-24
Written for the Gazette.
ANNIE L0RNE,
FLEEING FROM FORTUNE.
BY ROSALPHA COOK.
v /

He went to the room where she
had last been seen by her child,
and after waiting some time, heard
some one enter theneXt rooom. He
knocked at the door, which was
opened by the sad-taced woman,
whom he asked if she knew any
thing of the woman who had been
occupying her room.
81 heard her talking in there
Christmas eve morning, and when
| returned home that night after
work, could hear nothing of her,
so l opened the door and looked
in. | found that she was gone, and
supposed she must have gotten
better and gone with her little girl
to seek work; but as she never re-
turned, | did not know what could
have become of her. / closed the
door, which she had left open for
the first time since she had been
here.v
'1How long had she been with
you," asked Leonard.
"Over four years, and the poor
thing has worked and stinted, kept
out Of debt and paid the rent, until
about a month ago, when she got
sick. Since then she has lived
hard indeed, and must have been
ready to starve by this time. ]
could not help her and had no
time to nurse her; but / would not
turn her out, though | could lily
spare the rent.n
"Iiow much did she owe you9p
said he.
give doflars.n
Leonard opened his purse and
paid the amount; then thanking
the woman for what she told him,
he picked up Annie's valise and
gave it to her, asking her to keep
it, and requesting her to write to
him if she ever learned anything
Of his missing wife. He gave her
his address and returned to the
hotel, where he and Mr.. Lorne
spent the night in planning a
search which proved vain, as the
others had been, and little Annie
was mo therless many long months.
One morning Leonard was pass
ing a factory, and noticed fair,
SAD looking woman, just as she
entered the noisy room. Twas
but glimpse, but he felt that he
must have a better look at that
face. All day his heart beat fast,
and he could attend to no bust
ness, for the hope of finding her
whom he had given up as dead,
untitled his mind and nerves for
work. Early that evening he re-
turned to the factory and fingered
around the door until the whistle
blew and the human contents
came pouring forth. There were
faces of every style and express
sion, from the blooming girl, full
of hope and animation, TO the wo-
man of ripper years, whose face
bore the footprints of poverty and
deep tribulation. But at last there
came a form, frail and bending
with sorrow, and face on which
grief seemed unable to leave a
deeper mark. A face fair in the
extreme and yet the personifica-
tion of sadness. Not word
escaped those lips of exquisite
mold; not a smile lit that beautiful
countenance as she moved among
the crowd of merry, chattering
factory girls. When Leonard
Vane saw her he longed to clasp
her 10 his bosom, but he thought
how she had fed from hIm before,
so he followed her closely until she
was alone; then he laid his hand
gently on her arm and called her
name as he had done in other days.
Annie turned quickly, and when
she saw Leonard, all the love of
other years leaped over her desc
late heart and she sank into his
outstretched arms, whispering:
11seonard. Leonard
..Oh, the joy, the sweetness OF
that meeting TO those stricken
heartsf So happy were they that
they did not notice the jeers o.
those who passed them by anu
wondered at their public caresses