Year: 1877

piled Mrs. Davenport.


There. Aunt Susy, I'm sure that
ought to be enough" said Freddy;
land now you will tell US the story p


"Yes, Of course; l will keep my
promise, and I am pleased to find you
have kept yours. Well, then con-
tinued Aunt Susy, 81 will tell you a
story of a little girl whom l knew a
few years ago"


Did you know her your own self,
auntio ?' interrupted Milly.


Yes, | knew har, but only for short
time But you must not interrupt
me, please, or else ! will be a lonl
time getting through nay story"


Milly wisely nodded her head,
which was as much as to say very
well, aunt, and Aunt Susy went on
as follows:


This little girl was named Jesse.
She was fair child, with bright blue
eyes and nice yellow curls, like your
own, but she met with a sad misfor-
tune when she was only four years
old"


Milly and Freddy both looked up
and their faces showed all the pity
they felt, but glance from Aunt
Susy prevented their speaking, and
she proceeded:


"rhis great misfortune was the loss
of her parents, who died of fever with
in few days Of each other, and left
little Jessie an orphan. After that
she went to live with distant rela-
ton, who was rude, miserly person,
and poor little Jessie Was at once
made to know how much she had lost
in her own tender loving parents.


This new relative with whom
Jessie now lived was named Mrs.
Ribble, and she loved nothing in the
world so much as money.


"She did not mind Jessie's beauty
in the least, because she had no eye
for any beauty but that of gold and
silver, and no room in the heart for
any soft or tender feeling


She did not think love was of any
value at all, although ~c know that
it is the most precious thing in all the
world.


Poor Jessie had nothing but love
to give.


She would gladly have thrown her
beautiful white arms around Mrs.
Ribbles neck, and have kissed her
skinny lips and shriveled cheeks, in
the warm gush Of her loving little
heart, if she might have gained only
one gentle word or one fond caress in
return.


But the hardened woman did not
understand such actions as these, and
the first time Jessie went up to her
in her own loving way, she pushed
her back rudely, and said:
"'Get Oft, child; | don't like sucl
nonsense And if your foolish father
and mother spoiled you, You mustn't
think I'm going to do the same.
Jessie did not attempt any show
OF love again.


''The little girl was delicate, and
suppose it was on that account he1
fond parents had treated her Will
more than usual tenderness. Mrs
Ribble, however, was determined t,
alter all that, and she said that i
Jessie must eat her bread she mus
also earn it. Accordingly, she wa
set to do the housework; to clear
dishes, to scrub the floor, to carr,
water, and many other tasks to whicI
she had not been used, and for whicl
her strength was quite unfit Sh
grew pale, and thin, and weak, day b,
day, her poor little heart swellsd u
with sorrow, and her p or little fee
and hands We're tired and weary
But Mrs. Ribble did not mind. Sh
thought she was doing the poor chill,
good by making her earn her bread
and she grew more hard and more ex
acting as Jessie's weakness increased


"One night, as Jessie lay in her lit
tie bed, she could not sleep, She Wa
tired and sad, and she thought of thu
kind parents she had once, and she
wished, so earnestly, that her dea
mother could be near her once again
! while she thought this, she wa
looking through the window that lie
light into the little closet where sh'
slept, and she saw a bit of blue sky
in the middle Of which appeared I