FTwatwjaapc •'
VOLUM'I? 1. OXFOBD, N. O.y -WEDXESDATj JANO^ilJY 2'7, 1875. HmiBEB 4.
MAllY AIKEN. : the }iOJV(*s to Wfjtor, alter work j ‘"Well sir, 1 tliiiik 1 gtiglil to
{ was Jone, Wiilie woaM race out; have a horse too. 1 can ri((e ns
ArFECTlONATiiLY JKSci'TnED TO X.XT-| to the stahio yaial bare headc'i, i well as anybotiy.’*
•TLii SISTJJ& LoaST.
By Mrs. (irera W. E^&^Tis, cf Wil-
M. C.
and jnake theiu put liim on tie i All right Willie, said Mr. Rid-
bare back ol the wildest ho:‘se ; ley aa he luiMcd to enter the iionse.
B'or a Ion,!,' distance along tlio | “J! iss 1/ary, lot him corn, back
conrse, slie could sec (be | witli us. I’ll beg father to let
C.UAPTKR 11..
they nsod. Ho would tosse
Louise and Little oVniiie, the
yoiiiigost, ei c-ry thiio he had an
water’s
countless bodies of trees, lioliow ! him go to eohool and ho can helji
stttnips, tiiiek grasses, iorns, and j liddio and feed the turkov.s
uiidergrowtii standing still and land chickens and he can cut
-‘I will iiuike a bargain with you. solemn in the simdowy forest. | wood for mother and he can do
It you wili not ibrget to wear your ; 2fot a sound came from out tiic j ever so many tliin,ffs.”
liat wlieii yon go^-cut, and will ,,vi:oods, except nowand tiicn an! “Let him go. Miss Mary,”
The Riulov liotiscdiold improved ' t?omet.mes, when | get a perlect mark every day nn-1 insect or a bird chiri.ed ami twit-1 pleaded the child.
•’ ^ 1 t.. I'ij 1 - , .... I 4-;I •u^ .1... E. I T -i. . . , , i ...
wonderfully after the advent of Ihs little sisters were sitting close
the young teacher. The piano i‘^’’eep iia be
came and during the long wilder I‘T'’™
afternoons when it was loo cold i*1?*'*^''t
for tim children to play out doors,' ••■tif an hour tir them
Alary Aikon them pretty
to untie the knot. Rut when
Ijymns ami easy !.ialiads, reml sto- Aiken came, Tfillie soon
ries for tliom, and eve,n piayeii had somolliing el.se
blind nsni's iuiif, bide and seA, r*'"’®' a clever boy in
and otlier games which they had ' •‘‘I’**'''i‘is tniselnef. IJo was a
never iniowii hefore. Mrs! Kid-i fellov also, as
ley gave them up entii-dy to heiA*’® "‘‘I I'l’o^’e in tie cm!
iem-
care. Thi'V loved her v-ry
]y and soMont refused to ot-ey
her. She bocsine more and more
interested in h.er young I'lnfls.
The eidcsl, Jv.lwartl liidlcy. she
found to lioayoutliof coiisideni-
Me promise, anil after a jew weeks
training be read to nicely to Ids
father luut mother, I hat Mr. Jtiu-
ley gave him a pretiy coit whicii
)ie had raised, as a j’c.vard for his
industry. And, wishijpg to please
IMiss aliiry also, lie told Kdward
llrat after liis co t was thoroughly
hrokeii, he miglit take his gonflo
buy marc and leach .Miss sViken
-to ride, 'file l.'oy was dcbghtcd
:u;d detoimined to have both
I .Annie was the baby. She was
si.v years old and onl,i' went in
school once during the day and
then stayed long encugh to say
lier A ii C.
\Vhen spring eame,.siiro enough
Master Eddie had the horses re.a-
dy to ride out with Miss Miiiy.
Every afternoon when it was clear
and warm, the bay marc and Ed
ward’s colt, which he iiad named
Crusoe, after Ro'iinson Crusoe,
wore saddled and bron,ght to the
do(.ii'. And, sometime, Louise was
to go with them also. IW father,
w'hose pe.t she was, lunEheen to
tixford, to court, of course, and
til the close of the session, on de-!tcred. Louise felt awed and look- “Yes
portmeiit and your lessons, I will ed silently and admiringly on the I Eddie ;
let you have Crusoe's Match. | simple, blit grandly beautiful
Very well father, 111 try my : woodland sceno. lint suddenly
best. You hear what he said .she seized Miss Mary’s hand
mother! j winch held iicr horse’s rein as he
“Yes,” slic answered, “and I’ll'and exclaimed in a star-
help you get your lessons if you tied whisper:
Miss Mary,” chimed in
let us take him liome.
will be a good bov.”
‘AVeli ma’am J ii be so good
siorses re.:
had iirought lier a liny sidesaddle
y wlien the w.irm .days Uiiied witli b.uo velvet! The
of .sjjring stioLilJ come. Aicvt to child was in cesfacy. The next
Master Eddie was little Limise, a i thing to do v.as to find a horse
sweet hliie eyed maiden with, for her. iShb was not strong
light golden hair, which would ! enough to lurimge .a young horse.
have curled if lier mother had al-1 so Mrs. Kidley suggested that she
inwed
Man'
il to grc'W
Aiken of;
enoue'h.! should take her first ride on an
you wont know mo. I ll he good
and 111 get the lessons if it kills
me,” and with that he ran on in
trout of ]ii.s parents at a rapid
pace. 'Wi.en they entered, ho
had the multiplication table before
liim studying with all his might.
The three equestrians did not
“Oil, look! What is that sitting
on the roots of that old tree?”
“Whore?’ Asked Miss Aiken,
looking in the direction the child’s
finger pointed.
There, just down the creek,
He can do a great many things
about tlic yard and stable.s, and
wouldn’t you teach him?”
“Yes, I would teach him with
very great pleasure. For what-
would have become of me if I
had been as friendless as jioor
•Toe ? WTiat will Mr. and Mns.
liidlcy say though ?”
“They will say just wlnat you
do Miss ii/ary. If you will take
the trouble to teach him, I kuov/
by that large rock,” she continued, I father will make some plan for
staring at the object.
“Ah ! "i es, I sec,” exclaimed
the teacher. “I believe it is a
go into tlie farm- roads as they poor ragged boy curled up on th
had been aceu.stoincd to do. but on
account of Louise’ timidity they
kojit the straight and more level
highway. Their horses soon com-
m.cnced a brisk walk, and they
ei.joycil themselves more than
roiir.d and asleep.
“That is just what it is,” said
Eddie, “and I shall call him.”
“Halloo there! Iiallon!’’ ho
siiouted. Tlie dark object .arous-
hiiii, so ho can live better than ho
is now doing.”
“How shall we manage to got
him home with us ?” asked the
teacher, inclined to agree with the
tlie children about their father’s
generosity.
“I will run along behind your
honsos,” said joe who had listen
ed by the shout, lifted its head i eager eyes to tha
they had ever licfore done. Louise ! looked around. “Come lioro. \ e’-C'di™-
Xo, no,” said Louise, smiling
was almost wild with dciigl.t and p-’t us see who you arc,” called j
f en wondered, i old speckied horse which she had ; ppie
wliere the ‘-I'a.uiuie woe lassie” got j somctinies ridden, l-o one bright
her beaulifui features. They were; afternoon in Mav', “Old Slice,” as
Pi a pure, classic typo and the Eddie caiiod him, was brought
traiisjiarciit lairiiess ot her com-^ out ivitli the. other two horses,
ple.xion made her lock mor-e like | Mr. Ridlev, Mrs. Ridlev, WTli and
.Miss Mary was happy to see her
so much pleased.
The Ma3- flowers were bloom
ing .on the war-side. I’urplo and
white daiiiies witii briglit yellow-
centres, dotted the green grass
all along the fences whicli enclos
ed the highway. On every side
the forests w-ero seen stretching
their belts of foliage against the
sky. The dogwood trees
w-ere loaded with white Ijlossoins,
:et behind mo and let Joe rids
iris horse. I’m tired holding tho
Idie as soon as he saw the pioor
hoy was i'airly awake.
The hoy slowly .arose and ap-'and Eddie can put his arm
proachod the party. i ‘'“’O""'} mo and hold them.”
, j “All right, little sister,” said
•Wno arc j’ou? asked Miss; Eddie. “Here, Joe,” he exclaim-
Mary as soon as he came nearer
“What is your name my boy?”
“My name is Joe. I don’t
know who 1 am only I am Joe.”
“.But, Joe, I mean whero do you
live? Where are your father and
cd, quickly crossing tho water and
dismouiitiug, “take my horse, and
Lulie, you ride up to that stump
so I can got up.”
In a moment they were ready
and started homeward, impatient
to know what Joe's fate w-ould be.
mother? And what arc vou do-i The children rode on ahead ebat-
the dark green pines and cedars ! Lfg asleep out m tho woods at
u statue of one of the Graces than ! Aiinio all
contrasted hoautifully with the
emerahl briglitncss of the oak,
llie sycamore, tho elm and sweet-
camo into tho back [gum trees. The silvery aspen
a rustic rii.aidcn, -when her tea-[ yard to see the pretty saddle put | quivered its graceful leaves to the
breezes, which were freighted
tuves were in lepose. But one on, and to see how Louise would
feature in the little girl's iace re-| ride. She had never been on a
lieved iis statuesque beauty. Her; house alone before, but she had
pouting red-lipped mouth was as | gone a mile into the farm perched
tender,-as .soft and as expressive j up behind her father or mother!
us that ot Raphael’s most celebra-! Some of the children wlio read
tod Madonna. A true lover of tliis will laugh, hut if they will
tlie beaulifu I could scarcely look Try it they will find it is a very
at Louise, and not he drawn to- pleasant w.ay to learn how to sit
wards her iinvoluntarily. The ^ on a horse. Tho throe, Miss Ai-
pleasantest part of it was, however, j ken, Eddie and Louise were soon
the little girl's disposition ■was in j mounted and started otf at a slow
keeping with her appearance. It | walk, but enjoying themselves
is sad to know that this is not al-; very much. Louise was not
ways the case. Too often do we [ frightened, but her mother had
see a pretty face completely spoil- j told her not to ride fast at first,
ed by an ill temper. j Willie stood looking after them
Willie was the second son. He ' bare headed with both hands
was eight years old, and the most' stuck in his pockets When they
noisy little romp in the family, turned out of sight, ho said to his
When tli» plowBjoD would ride!father:
with the aroma of myriads of fra
grant shrubs and flowers. Miss
Aiken rode between Eddie and
Louise and told them stories of
theditforout cities .and towns she
had visited The splendid church-
tliis hour of tlic day?'
“I live any where . and every
whore. My father died in - some
place away out MYst. My mother
brought me back here and died
as soon as she got here,” sullenly
answered the boy-.
“And liow do you live poor
boy?’’ pityingly inquired the lady.
“In the harvest time I help tho
poor fanners who do their own
work, and I catch fish and gather
cs, cathedrals and residences, the
magnificent parks, the towering
fruit for me to cat.”
“But when ivintcr comes, liow
mountains, the swift flowing riv- then Joe?” continued the lady.
ers of which she told them seem
ed like a dream, or rather like
fairy-land to the amazed children.
She was in the midst of describing
the Swannaiioa river to them
when they stopped iii the middle
of a shallow creek to water their
horses. This frightened Louise
a little for the place was dark
with the overshadowing shade of
hugeti'ees which lined its banks.;
“I sleep wherever I can. 1
work for white people and colored
people to get close to a fire, Miss.’
ting gaily, and Miss Aiken fell
back a considerable distance. She
was very thoughtful, and if the
recording angel chronicled her
thonghts there wont upward, a
sweeter incense beyond the Gates
of Pearl than the fragrance of tho
aromatic and flower-laden lireath
of May blossoms. Tho flitting
winds even, caught the murmured
words, “Poor homeless orphan!.
Xobody's waif! May Heaven
move their hearts to shelter him
and help me to teach him all I
can. Too well do I know what it
is to bo motherless and fatherlojs.
Father of all, pity the orphan !”
“Papa is dead!” suddenly
exclaimed tlie little daughter
of Mr. Jones, a surveyor in
tho Nova Scotia government
employ, the other day. The
“Poor Joe,” said little Louise ! mother hushed the child, but
with tears running down her [ K;, ^ ^he little ono
flushed cheek. “Poor Joe, why I repeated tho words emphati-
dont jou come to our house?” j caily. During tlie same day
“Don't know where your house I intelligenco came that the
is, pretty little gal,” he answered! father had been drowned
looking kindly up at the tear j while attempting to cross a
stained face. j small lake on the ion.
J
uii into the liouse and ask moth-1
‘Jfsow, Miss Mary," said AtJ-. ] )'OUr miTy anu as y uu iue ,it
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