The weekly Butte record., 1861-04-06
N ell Creig g h t o n.
BY LINDA HOWE.

clever u IeiiOW as ever Hved, as we'll as ilrSt-
rate painter Besides pretty wife and two
rosy children, he owns the coolest little cottage
imaginable-just pleasant ride from the city
The walls of his parlor are hung with fine
paintings; but one, which hangs over the
mantle, is his especial favorite. 1t is the pic
ture of a farm house, surrounded by an orchard
and garden, with meadow, where the mowers
are resting, spreading tree and pasture,
with handsome COWS cooling their legs in the
deep stream.
On the back porch of the house stands
woman with a pleasant face and masses of
bright red hair. In one hand she holds little
basket and focks of chickens and turkeys are
eagerly gathering up the grains she has scat
tered. Every line of the picture must be fa-
miliar to Harry Howard, for, Often when
am there, This wife is my sister, and come
and go at peasure) he leans his elbow on the
mantle and gazes earnestly at the bright-haired
young woman.
" Was that red-headed lasse your sweet
heart ?" ! asked him one day when we were
alone.
" A sweeter heart never beat in woman, and
better woman never lived" said Harry, SEN
tentiously.
/" If there's story let US hear it, Hal al
ways fancied there was
You know, believe, that was born in
the little town of Clearmont. After my faith
er's death my mother supported herself and me
with her needle | was too small and delicate
to render her much assistance ; Indeed, the only
work for which l had any liking was making
pictures. When | was ten years old | had
drawn wonderful portrait of the village pastor,
two or three Madonnas, with impossible yellow
curls, and pigs and sheep without number. A
year after that my mother died, leaving me
penniless. l have relatives who are fond of
talking about their cousin or nephew, the
promising young artist, whose visits are hailed
with delight, second only to the Fourth of July
or Thanksgiving. They might have provided
for me then, but they did not take the trouble,
and fell into the hands of wealthy merchant,
who proposed to do by me as he would by an
own son. How he would have done by his own
son l don't know l was only too happy that
he did not possess the blessing. His daughters,
the Misses Ballard, were bellies, if not beauties,
were educated and accomplished. Three
mi rat e,,,N
cient for me- My clothes were coarse, but
comfortable; my meals taken with the SER
wants. and my employment that of waiter
and errand boy.
One warm August afternoon 1 was in the
counting room with Mr. Ballard and his part
ner, Mr.. Bliss. They were talking together
| leaned over the table on which was a collec-
ton of notes and receipts, examining the Wig
nette of one hundred dollar bill which my
master had placed there. He noticed what |
was doing, at least aud giving me a push
away from the table ordered me from the ROOM
This evening l was summoned to the library,
where found the two merchants The bank
note at which had been looking was missing,
and l was suspected of having stolen-it Of
course stoutly denied the charge, but my pro-
testations fell on unbeieving ears.
"'He must have taken it, said Mr.. Bliss
It's not in the counting room, I'm certain, and
no one has been there but you, and me, and
him. A smart application of the rod will
10 -.
dren always lie, you know. I'll was his mas
ter I'd soon bring him to bis senses. Spare
the rod and spoil the child Solomon says
This suggestion seemed to meet Mr.. Bal
lards approval, for calling Joe, the man-ofa-
work, he sent him to the stable for the carriage
whip. Meanwhile l was ordered to remove
my coat and vest, and Informed that would
have the satisfaction of being whipped until l
confessed my fault. l was very small and
slender for my years-nearly thirteen, and so
timd that I trembed like an aspen when Mr..
Ballard raised the whip above my almost naked
shoulders.
Before it decended the door swung open
and Nell Creighton, a pleasant-faced young
woman, came in. She had heard our CONVEX
sation, probably through the half open door.
Nell was a servant in Mrs Billiards. employ,
and l had often seen her in the kitchen; but
assocating flaming locks and fierce temper to-
gether, had rather repulsed her friendly ad-
yances. Now, however, could almost have
knelt at her feet and worshipped her, when,
with the heir Of grenadier, she marched up
to Mr.. Ballard and snatched the whip from
his hands. Then followed storm of words. in
which | was Landed as martyr, and the two
merchants denounced as something only little
better than the evil one himself
Mr.. Ballard was frightened at first, but
bis selfpossession soon returned and bis anger
rose Taking me by the shoulders he pushed
me across the room into small closet with
glass doors. Having turned the key he threw
open the door of the outer room and bade Nell
leave the house instantly.
"'If you are found here tomorrow morning,
Miss I'll send for the police be said angrily.
".You will get polIced, you old rascal NUT
tered Nell as she disappeared.
For the next three days remained close
nr:soner Mr. Ralard declared 7 sbonld ra