The Republican journal., 1874-06-25

| homeWard. None too soon was her clear
head and quiet resolution brought to bear
upon the excited household. Her mother
was in Mysteries, the servants bustling
here and there purposeless and terrified,
and her father lying upon the bed in the
hands OF surgeon and two gentlemen
who had assisted in bringing him home
There was plenty to do. In less time
than would have seemed possible, the
| servants were in their proper places, Mrs
Somerville quieted, and Nellie, white as
sheet, but perfectly tranquil, actively en-
| gagged in waiting upon the surgeon.
The weary hours that followed taxed
every nerve Of the girls frame, but she
bore the strain bravely; and when the
surgeon led her to the drawing groom, he
felt a deep respect for the girl who had so
nobly crushed back all selfish sorrow to
aid her father in his agony
Giving hera glass Of water. and making
her rest quietly for a few minutes, he
watched her face till the drawn rigldly OF
every feature relaxed, and the strained
eyes looked piteously into his own.
That is BETTER" he said kindly ,-"Yo on
may cry now"
Nellie's lips quivered.
''1ou have something to tell mc?'
Yes. Are you strong enough to hear
it ?"
That he will die? Oh, say he viii not
die
The injuries are not fatal Your father
may live for years"
Nellic's tears fell fast now.
But" the doctor continued, ''he will
never be able to walk again. The injury
to the spine will keep him 4 cripple for
life
Never walk again! While Nellie sob
bed out her anguish in the drawing room,
John Somervile, unconscious of the dread
fiat that had gone forth. slept under the
influence Of II powerful opiate.
For many DAYS the two women who
loved him had no thought for anything
but the strong man stricken down in the
prime OF his life, needing care like a little
child. Under the influence of a real sor-
row the crust of seltishness melted from
the wife heart, and she became a devoted
nurse, forgetting the tanced ailments she
had nursed toryears, in ministering to her
husband, rs he lay helpless and suffering.
But there came II day when John Som
erville was told, kindly and cautiously, of
the doom before him. Ii took all the
Christian strength of the mans nature to
endure the shock Better death, he thought
than life at such price. The first agony
over. he thought of the factory, the bread
winner for wife and child-the business
of his life Must the old firm die at last,
and the tourlshing business be sold for
want of 4 masters care. lnvoluntarily he
turned TO Nellie, and talked long and
earnestly.
1t was a surprise to him. in spite OF what
he had seen when che replied:
II knew the factory would be your first
anxiety, father, and Stephen has been here
every evening to report to me, bringing
me all the matchmaker. To-day | went
down myself. Everything is going on
well. The orders for this month are all
filled and the new ones under way. | have
put in some new material. Do yon feel
able to 90 over what have done p
Clearly She explained every detail ct
the business in the four weeks that had
| passed since the accident and modestly
showed him the memoranda she had kept
of every business transaction
"Nellie,' he said, when she finished,
''if Heaven denied me a son, it has given
me, l can still carry on my factory though
l lie crippled mere.
There was q buzz of comment in the
village when Miss Ellen Someryille assum-
ed the charge of the frame factory her
father had owned so long Some of the
workmen refused to be "ordered about
by girl. and were promptly discharged ;
| but the majority worked better under the
stimulous of Nellies .iudicious praise
People who sneered at ''masculine women
were forced to confess that Nellie was as
womanly, if not as helpless, as the finest
lady of them all Patrons Of the factory
who prophecied its utter ruin were forced
to confess that their orders were filled as
promptly and as well as ever before. Anc
yet, in the counting house, only 9 woman
controlled the entire business, kept the
books, answered the letters, and guided
every detail of the vast establishment
Three years had passed since Nellie be
came the head of the business, when
Stephen Holton wooed her for his wife
He had saved from his salary sufficient tc
make a pleasant home, and Nellie knew
he loved her faithfully, as she had long
loved him SO, with her happy consent,
he sought her father to ask for his child
From all the world" John Somerville
said, 81 could not have chosen q man te
whom | would SO gladly give my Nellie
1t will comfort me, in the years that may
be left of my life, to know my brave gin
has protector, when l am gone. But
Stephen, there is one wish very near my
heart that you can crafty
'Name it, Sill"
81 shall. on your marriage-day, deed tC
you the factory and business, subject only
to a moderate life-income for myself anc
wife But | would like to keep the old
name there. An act of the legislature viii
give YOU the right to be Stephen Somer
vile, and Somerville Il Son may still live
in the Old firms place"
So when Nellie married, some months
later, she became the wife OF Stephel
Holton Somerville Gradually she tount
her duties in her new home drawing hel
little by little from an active place IN the
factory; and, proud OF her husband, she
gladly resigned her authority to him, find
ino scope for her energies in the duties
around her, till one sunny morning, walk
ING over to her fathers, she put into hls
arms tiny, Growing babe and said. witt
glad tears:
"My business cares are over, papa
Henceforth | resign in favor OF Snmer
Vile x Son.
TELEGRAPH BLUNDERs. The telegraph
makes some amusing Understanding.
at least, to those not otherwise interested
in the messages but provoking enough tc
the persons who send them. Hoo. W Par
sons the lecturer, was telegraphed from
suburban town to learn the subject OF
the lecture he was about to deliver there
His answer was Michael Angelo" Fancy
his surprise when, arriving in town, he
saw posted all over the walls that ne was
to lecture on Maniac Angels Here is
another of the same sort:
paper says that, in reply to question
from the lecture committee of the CHIEF
town of the district as to the subject OF a
lecture to be given at the institution, the
lecturer telegraphed. "A Taste OF Naples
and Rome" The telegraph made it read
"a Taste of Apples and Rum"