Middletown transcript., 1871-07-15


on the ground, and in the same uncar,hly
tone, said
"IIold me. Agnes, am so tired"
| knclt beside her, and resting her head
upon my shoulder | laid my cheek against
hers, striving in vain to keep back my
tears. She laid there for awhile. like a
weary child, then opening her eyes she
snid SO mornfu!iy. Agnes, is it wrong
for me to wish was dead | do wish |
was lying there with dear papa aud NAM
ina. 1t is so hard to live on in this way,
when you want to die so badly. Oh. Ag-
ncs. it is worse than death ~
do not know what should have said
to her If brother Edmund had not come
Just then with tho carriage to take us
home
"Comc, Nellie dcar," he said. "it is
wrong for you TO stay out so long in this
cold mir. Your mother is in Heaven, and
will be sorry to see her little girl gricving
SO much ior her. Come home with us.
Mamma will be mother to you, and we
will all love you :
She arose mechanically and brother led
her to the carrngc. Placing mo beside
her, he wrapped up warmly in the blan-
kcts and drove homo, our house being
scarcely half mile distant Shc spoke
not word during the drive, and for many
weeks she moved about the house so pale
and quiet, that SIZE seemed like beautiful
spirit, too pure ,or earth. Sometimes
brother would look at her. and then turn
quickly away to hide the fast, gathering
tears, Often he gathered some pretty
flower for her, and in describing its Won
lcrfu mechanism, tried To draw her at
tention from her grief She never wcnt
home agan. for their cottage was heavily
mortgagcl and when sold the sum that
fell to the poor orphan's share was barely
sufficient to pay the funeral expenses Of
her parents In the Spring. mamma sent
us to n school in y Hattie Lee, ,oung
rirl in our village accompanied us, She
was about our age, aud though very kind
to me, | from some uuaccoun,nhle reason,
never liked her She seemed to know it,
III; Oil, uicl inc harder to llcase me,
aud often rcproyci myself for being 80
prejudice against her | dill not under
stand her mntiyc them hu, ! lid in after
years | think dislikcd her principally
on account of her aversion fer Nellie,
whom every onc el.e low. 81 eall She
freqa nily reminded her ia an apparently
innocent manner. of her depend ice upon
our family, bat she boru every insult
mcekly, though could scs il tortured
her. Onc day. however, shs wounded
her a great deal too, deeply 1t was al,
the close Of our third year al school, and
group Of us were having our last talk
together in the old .chool.ruom We had
been telling what we would each Ike to
10 in the future. when little Nellie Blake
looked up in her arch way aud said teas
ingly:
Nellie Warner, yau need make no
plans for the future, for Arthur Newman
will of course take you off 10 Africa, TO AS
s.t him in his missionary work :
Arthur Newman. the young minister in
y. had recently been appointed mis-
.nnary to Africa He had Away treated
Nellie very kindly, and appeared to take
an uncommon interest in her but we all
knew that Nellie cared nothing for him
only as friend thought knew hest
in what channel l.er hcalt's deep affection
flowed end, therefore, was not surprised
When she turned 70 the merry girl. and
said, with n silycry laugh, tha, she pre-
ferrcd "homc missions "
happened tn glance ii. Hattie. and saw
a dark, evil look pnss over her face, and
when she heard Ncllic's answer. she said
! thought almost savagcly, Il think SO
That is why she prefers staying at Mr.
Burke's; she wants to assis, Edmund in
his mission if he needs her
was about 10 make mn angry rctort
but glance at Nellie frightened me The
hot crimson flush gave place quickly to
that same heart. broken expression that |
saw a, her mothers grave, and she looked
as il some mighty'resolvc had been taken,
some terrible sacrifice made in that one
moment Of deep modification | sprang
to catch her trembling foria. but she raj
lied. and waving me off. she turned TO
ilaitic with look that made her drop her
eyclils in very shame, and said in clear,
audible tone of innocence
Hattie Lee. you know that is lici'
The girls all cried out Hattie Lee,
its shame and tender.hcarted Nettic
said Never mind. Nellie No one be-
licves what Hattie Lee says. Every body
knows that il is her hearts secret desire
to help Mr. Edward Burke, herself If he
will condcsccnd to bcstow such an honor
upon her.
Hattie swept out Of the room with n
con,cmp,uous curl Of her lips and Nellie
sank on a chair beside me, sobbing .Oh,
Agnes. what will my angel mother thinl;
of me? can, be good there is no use
in trying
could only stroke her bright curis,
and let her weep on, for was too angry
to give her the right kind Of advice The
next evening We had our grand ''soiree.
Nellie, dressed in pure white. with her
long. beautiful curls fastened back from
her high forehead with her mothers pearls
had never locked SO lovely. | noticed
that her face was very pale, but attributed
IA A.. a....,l.,. AL. El