National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-07-10
The Gold Necklace.

In her plain little cot at the aims.
house at D., Nellie Burnet lay
DYING. Only few months before
she was with us at school. cor and
dispised. How many hearts aches
as write these words. AS they
stood at the open grave Of their
schoomate, what would the child
rem at D. have given to recall
Il few short weeks OF their school
life. At best We merely bore with
children from the almshouse. Away
| down on the lowest seat, at the
foot of the inclined plane, they sat,
a motley company Of coarsely dress
ed, and too often, i'll behaved child
re-. But we looked upon Nellie as
a thief. O, why did not her sweet
truthful face make us see our cruel
error!
Susan Smith had worn string
of gold beads to school one afternoon
ana lust as the bell rang for closing,
she broke the string and the beads
rolled down into the floor. There
was a general rush for the lost
treasures. and Susan exclaimed IN
! loud and excited tones "Give them
to me. ! had forty of them"
CLOSE the door," said the teach.
er, "and let no one get out"
"Twenty nine thirty. Where are
the rest y
There was no answer.
Whoever has those beads will
give them to me at on ce,' said the
teacher, 'or l shall search your
pockcts.'
None of us saw a wicked littlo
hand stretched toward Nellie Bur.
net. No one but God and Anna
Mellen knew that hand dropped ten
| gold beads into the pocket of the
un;hiHking child. But when they
were found there, we needed not
the poor childs cries Of innocence,
but thought that She had added IL
lie TO the dreadful sin Of theft
After that, we Stunned her. and
contrary to the example Of the beS-
sed Saviour, We taunted her sup
posed sin. Alone she sat in her
season OF play. with her well worn
testament before her calm face
Which we did not understand. Bat
at times, deep anguish was seen
tucrc, and She daily grew thinner
and paler.
One cold night the teacher was
locking the door. y lille shiver-
ing form fingered near.
. ''plcase, teacher | did not take
e those beads murnured voice too
sad To belong 10 a child.
Don't add lies to your other
sins, said the teacher who believed
her guilty. Slowly Nellie turned
. away.
4 80 my God, you know l never
, took those beads, moaned the child.
ANA with the thought great wave
of comfort soilcd over her heart.
T " When 90 home to my mother
all Will be right whispered she.
:, Home for Nellie was heaven, for
she had no mother on earth, and
u her drunken father was always u
p, terror to her \ time was coming
when Anna Mcllen was to be re.
minded Of her sin. Sliding upon
n the pond one day, the ice broke and
:, she fell in. No one dared venture
:, to her aid, no one but Nellie Bur
A., net. The others fed pauic.Stlickcn
- for help, Nellie felt 10 fear, and
i, finally succeeded III getting Anna
!, from her pcri.ouS position. Both
children wcr" taken home. and Nel.
:. lie, hastily putting on dry clothes,
II ran to Mr.. Mellcm'S to see if she
could do something for Anna, who
p. was greatly chilled. The chill had
# passed away. and Anna was in II
, high fever when Nellie arrived
: Teacher and scholars stood around
: her bed.
Il Don't come near me, Nellie Bur.
. net, don't" moaned She inplor.ngIy.
~ :" thought, | hoped" said Nellie,
- that you would let me love you
:, only Il little now, Anna
~ What r. asked her mother.
n why to think that she saved
q my life, when put those beads in
+, her pocket and made everybody be.
~ li"ve She is Il thief. ! did II, Nellie
~ Buruet, | did it, teacher, / did it,
:, girls, all. and Nellie has always
"a been good girl
ro Yes, one OF the Saviours littlo
N ones walking among us in white
i riiment, only ouI "cyes were ho.d'
II, en- that We should not know her.
F., Such thought flashed upon our
i, minds ut that moment. Our teach
- cr drew the slight form to her, and
kissed her again and again, and
each one mulmurcd ut once, IL
e. love You Nellie Burnett Aud so
", in that bare room in the almshouse,
Il Young friends watched her slumbeis.
II. aud wed with each other in kind
attentions to the dying one. And
,., she ltlt that her earthly cup was
= full, as she passed away 10 the en-.
=, joNmcnt of that heavenly love,
:, which snail fully satisfy the yearn.
= ings Of our immortal spirits.
,
A. a kputuckV woman flo otbp~