The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-02-25
;igar s From Every Saturday,
NELLY'S NEW YEAR.
BY HEsBA sTRETToN.
TcoNT1NUEp.1

could not help asking myseI tnat
question, and the tears came into my
eyes as they fell upon Nelly's old little
Testament lying in the window-sill. /
looked into Dr. Romalne's face, with
its deep lines, and believed he was doing
what he said. Well, if one Christian
could act that out, another could.
doctor" Isaid, you'll not find me
too hard upon Nelly" 4.ad eaa-
So l went back to her room, and
looked at her white face, and the large,
frightened eyes turned towards me. !
laid my hand upon her burning fore
head, and not knowing what to say to
her in that state, l said,-it was the
first thing that came uppermost in my
mind, sit is New Years Day, Nelly"
She gazed up steadily into my face,
as if she was trying to remember some
thing, and then she said, quite sharply
and plainly, "I'm married, Hannah, l
am indeed married !" after which she
went of; all in a moment, with dread
ful fit of laughing and crying,and when
that passed away she was delirious.
1t was quite needful for me to go
back to the toll-gate, lest father should
not be there; so, as soon as nurse
was come, left Nelly with very
heavy heart, and set off home. About
halfway on my road ] met Matthew in
his gig, who had been up to see how |
got through the last night alone, and
being uneasy at the news he had har-
messed his brown mare, and started
right away to learn what was the mat
ter. How could I tell him what was
the matterl My throat and mouth
were parched, and my face was burn
ing, so / sat with. it turned away from
him, until he grew very silent himself;
only l heard him sigh once and again.
There was father, when we reached
home, just as usual, in his blue coat
and ribbed stockings, and his gray
breeches united at the knee, for it was
evening and he was resting himself in
bis own chair, smoking away peace
fully enough, at least as peacefully as a
man at a toll gate can smoke. / madeas
light Of Nelly's illness as | could only I
said must go back first thing in the
morning. When he wished me a
happy New Year, I thought my heart
would break il' ..5 .N
1.-The next month was more dreary
than | can tell. Nobody believed that
Nelly had spoken true, save mother and
me. DR.. Romaine shook his head, and
pointed out to me very gently that
everything told against poor Nelly.
There was not even a wedding-ring to
be found anywhere amongsther clothes.
And there was Nelly all the time light
headed and raving, sitting up in her
bed and from morning till night, and
from night till morning again, fanCying
herself nursing baby in her poor weak
arms, which were no stronger than
straw, and lulling it to sleep on heI
bosom, while she croned over it in a
faint complaining tone, that often
brought the tears into DR.. Romaine's
eyes as we'll as mine. But what had
become of the childi asked DIR. Ro-
maine, with such plain anxiety in his
manner that / grew alarmed. There
was nobody to tell us anything except
Nelly herself, for we found out that
Ann Lane, the pupil-teacher, had been
away visiting her people from Christ
mas eve till the morning Of New Years
Day. and when she came back she found
Nelly alone andill, so she had sent 9
messenger for me. We could not pre-
vent our terrible secret from creeping
out, and the towns people were begin.
ming to gossip, and the superintendent
Of police asked DIR. Romano about it
and all the while there was Nelly prop
ped up with pillows in her own little
bed, and singing nursery songs to q
dream baby 9di loi .d.sl
had plenty of time to ponder over
the shame and disgrace that had fallen
upon us, the Burgesses who were known
for miles along the turnpike roadi and
/ thought how at one toll-gate after
another the tattIe and gossip would be
dropped, until everybody, all the
country round, would hear Of the mis-.
fortunes Of Nelly Burgess. Matthew
Heighwsy would never take me up il
his gig again, or stop bis brown mare
At our gate to chat q while. But / wal
womsn Of seven-and-twenty, and if ]
had got 80 far on in life without . hus
Ihand n ,zAnld. h M hard mafkar q