Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-12-18

Nell and her grandfather? And who
does not rejoice with the child when long
afterwards she finds when almost ex-
hausted, in the supposed stranger, the no.
BILE noble-hearted schoolmaster? We feel
when they meet again, that her greatest
trials are past, henceforth her way will be
easier. Thank God that on the worlds
just highway there are such hearts to help
the miserable over TIE rougher stages of
their journeyings. Thank God for such
schoolmasters to teach earth's wanderers
their pathway homo
Next to the schoo'master, the one who
most merits our thai ks for his kindness to
Nell and her singular charge, is the fire.
man who takes them from the cheerless
streets, on that night of storm, and gives
them the best shelter he has to offer,
though but heap Of ashes before that
fire which contains SO many strange his
tories. His whole life-after his boyhood
was past-spent in weaving fancies by the
blazing furnace amid the crashing Of ham,
mers and the roar ofmachinery, he knows
but little of the great world outside-but
yet his heart is open to the cries Of the
needy. Ostentatiors philanthropy must
blush with shame to see such charity as
his. The coarse loaf he divides with them
ere they pursue their journey through
that barren couutry--a waste of manufac-
tories-where rural beauty had long ago
died and now slept beneath great piles OF
blackened dust and ashes, may be as wor-
thy in the sight Of God, as though it were
a royal banquet. And when, after part
| ing, be calls them back and places in
Nell's hand those tsfo worn copper pieces
how are our hearts moved to admiration.
Well may the author say that gifts like
this are doubtless acceptable in angels
eyes as those that arg chronicled on tombs.
But Notwithstanding the interest avak-
encd throughout NelPs journey, the clos
ing scenes in the Cd churchayard must
'strenslz.aseite- ..
time of her arrival there, a new and
stronger influence draws us to her. In
that quiet place marked everywhere by
the evidences of the hand of death, we
feel from the first that there springs up a
companionship between her and the an
gels guarding the resting place of the
dead. And when, impressed with the So
lemnity of the place, she clasps her hands
in the earnestness of her emotions, and
tells the old schoolmaster cit is quiet,
happy place, place to live and learn to
de-" the beauties of her nature seem to
ripen into purer, holier virtues, and we
feel that her journey of life will soon be
over. Whether in her visits to the gloo-
my old chapel-in her walks and labors
liz the churchyard, where sleep those who
are done with the tolls of earth in her
strolls through the village and in country
places-in that quiet, quiet house where
in every place the hand of decay is doing
its work of destruction, we feel the solici-
tude of the little boy who tells her in bis
simple, artless way of what he has heard.
"Wby they say that you will be an an
GEL" he sobs, "before the birds sing a.
gain" And then, in all the earnestness
of his childish heart, he appeals to her,
and how truly do our hearts unite in the
entreaty, "You must not be one, dear
Nell, they never come back to talk or play
with US. You won't be one, will you?-
Don't leave US, Nell, though the sky is
bright. Do not leave US. Why would
you 60, dear Nell?" But Nell, giving
him no answer but sobs, he tries to be.
come resigned, and commcnds her, if she
must 60, to his brother Willie who went
there long ago and never returned. Their
clasping her round the neck he tells bel
he will try to bear his loss when she goes
away to be an angel, and will think tha
she and Willie are happy together. Blu
Nell's promise gives him hope. Il viii
be with you as long as heaven wills it,
she sobs, .'indeed I will" All! what +:
straw was this to support sinking hope
As long as heaven wills it.. Yes, ant
heavens time Of making its demand is al
most come. Her fitness is almost com
plete. Those happy changes aflictio1
has wrought will soon lead up to immor
tality. That quiet, patient, steady hop
Of an existence in whose mansions n
fevered dreams, no brooding cares ar
found-where no homeless wanderers plo
on. from day to day, with bleeding feet
and ask for alms-where death is power
less, and where no graveyards. with thei
still, dumb tenants, loom up on ever
highway with solemn warnings of tn
brevity Of life-wil soon be fulfilled.