Short Stories

The Motherless Birds.
There were two men who were neighbors to each other, living...

The Boy And The Dew Drops.
A little boy who had been out early in the morning playing ...

Lizzy And Her Dog.
I wish to relate to you a very affecting story about a good...

The Lady Or The Tiger?
In the very olden time there lived a semi-barbaric king, wh...

A Piece Of Red Calico
I was going into town one morning from my suburban residenc...

Anne Cleaveland.
Anne was the daughter of a wealthy farmer. She had a good N...

A Tale Of Negative Gravity
My wife and I were staying at a small town in northern Ital...

The Portrait Of Flora Purchased.
Anna started for her home, and when she had arrived, she sl...

Mother's Last Lesson.
"Will you please teach me my verse, mamma, and then kiss me...

Lettice And Catherine,
...

The Market Day.
Mrs. Ford had three little children--Lily, Hetty, and a dea...

Or The Unexpected Meeting.
I must tell you who were Lettice and Myra. They were the da...

Julia's Sunset Walk.
It was a beautiful June day, just at the sun's setting, whe...

Good Companions.
One day, says a Persian poet, I saw a bunch of roses, and i...

The Golden Crown.
A teacher once asked a child, "If you had a golden crown, w...

The Way To Overcome Evil.
A little girl, by the name of Sarah Dean, was taught the pr...

The Brother And Sister.
(In three Stories.) ...

Pledge.
Our hands and our hearts we give To the temperance p...

Comfort And Sobriety.
Let me here give you a few maxims to commit to memory:---- ...

The Plum Boys.
Two boys were one day on their way from school, and as they...

EDWARD AND ELLEN.

Edward Ford owned a snug little cottage with a small farm situated
about a mile from the village. When he was married to Ellen G----, who
was said to be one of the best girls in the village, he took her to
his nice little home, where he had every thing around very pleasant
and comfortable. Ellen was very industrious and remarkable for her
prudence and neatness. She spun and churned, and tended her poultry,
and would often carry her butter and eggs herself to market, which
greatly added to their comfort. She had a beautiful little girl, and
they gave her the name of Lily. Things glided smoothly on until Lily
was sixteen. Edward was very fond of the violin and of reading books
that were not very useful, and as he was very fond of music, he spent
a great deal more time in making music and playing the violin than
what his wife thought profitable. Ellen loved music, and was willing
to have him read profitable books, but all this while she thought he
might be patching up the fences and improving the shed for the better
comfort of the cattle. Still she would not complain, hoping all the
time that he would see the necessity of being a little more
industrious. The winter came, and all through its dreary months he was
unable to work, as he was sick. And although Ellen worked hard, yet
her husband required so much of her attention, that all her efforts
availed not much to keep poverty out of their cottage. When the spring
came, Ellen's husband was able to be about again, and she began to
hope that Edward would be more industrious, and they would be able by
strict economy to repair the loss occasioned by his winter's illness,
which had put them so far behind-hand. Edward had become lazy or
disheartened. Affairs about the house continued to grow worse; his
farm was ill worked or neglected, and by the fall, his horse and oxen
had to go for necessary expenses. Ellen still kept her cows, but it
was now very little help she received from her husband. He had been
formerly one of the most temperate of men, but now he spent his days
from home; and here lay Ellen's deepest sorrow. He was often at the
village tavern, wasting in senseless riot the time, health and means
that God had given him for other purposes. Ellen felt sad, and in the
next story you will see a painful scene in the life of





Next: LILY FORD.
Previous: JONAS AND HIS HORSE.

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