The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-04-29
MY NIECE NINA.
BY ELLEN TRACY ALDEN.

NINA! Such an absurdly fantastic name
to give child! But, then, Adeline was
full of fantastic notions. | suppose there
never were two sisters more unlike than
she and I. As long ago as l can remem-
Der, think l possessed what might be
termed correct views of life. l believe l
can, without any semblance of boastful-
ness, lay claims to a fair share of common
sense and sound judgment. Whatever
duty lay before me did without demur-
ring. l was no dreamer, never locked my
self up in my chamber to WOO the muse,
and spend hours-days-that had better
have been devoted to more practical en-
ployment torturing incomprehensible
sentences into rhyme and measure. But
Adeline, oh! used to get so out of pa
ticnce with. She imagined she had a
talent for writing 0hat is, I suppose she
did she never said anything of the kind.
Adcline was no talkcr), and it was just the
ruin of her. l used to do and say all
could to cure her of the notion but my
efforts were of no avail. What an amount
of time she contrived to waste with her
scribblipgs-verscS or whatever sensclcss
things, | thought; but there were some
who did not agree with me-NivisOn, for
instance. QHow angry l got with him
one day during discussion we were hav
ing as to the merits of one of her poemsD
foresaw Just how it would turn out
when those two were married. / knew it
would be struggle for existence, for the
fellow wasn't worth a cent, and was par
son in the bargain. did all l could to
prevent it, | know that. But father al
ways sc0uld let her have her own way. SO
married they were, and off they went.
Well, l expect she saw some pretty hard
times out there in Wisconsin, so far from
the patcrnal pocket etbook-which l used to
suspect was, even at that distance, occa-
sionally drawn upon.
Il never could comprehend why father
should think so much more of Adeline
than of me. To be sure, she was always
coaxing and palavering about him, like
the great baby she was, calling him pet
names, cmbroidering slippers and dress
ing gowns, concocting dainty dishes for
him and all that l had no time for such
folderol, with the housekeeping on my
hands and the necessity devolving upon
me, the elder of his two motherless daugh-
tiers, to represent the family in society.
That after my long and faithful discharge
of duty he should, in his will, divide his
property equally between us seemed to me
an act of inexcusable favoritism.)
After fathers death no correspondence
whatever passed between Adeline and my
self, and indeed we never met again. OF
course, then, after years of separation and
estrangement, it was matter OF no little
surprise to my husband and myself all at
once to find ourselves the guardians of
her child. Not regularly-appointed guard
ians, it is true; for, both parents having
been suddenly and within few days of
each other carried off by contagious
fever, no arrangements had been made
concerning her. At least so we were in
formed by an acquaintance of theirs who
wrote to us, the nearest relatives, inquir-
ing what should be done in the case.
My husband went on directly, disposed
Ct tbc:r effects the proceeds he afterward
investc,,, in railroad stock; a very profit
able investment, 100, it has proved, CON-
pensating us in measure for our care and
TROUBLED. On his return he brought Nina
with him. Could have anticipated all |
IL ta6 Rt1f
the child was only ten at the time-that
was eight years ago-and so exceedingly
shy and quiet l could not possibly foresee
the trouble was bringing upon myself.
Nevertheless, must admit that had an
uncomfortable presentiment when, at first
sight, l noticed her close likeness to her
mother, and later when | found the re-
semblance consisted not in looks alone.
She was Adeline's counterpart in manner,
temperament-everything.
l have heard some say they thought
Nina pretty. l never could see it. She
is too pale by half, and her eyes-well, l
never could endure to have her look at
me. In fact-I will confess it here-I
never liked the girl. However, l have
tried to do my duty by her. If she had
had any other kith or kin to go to l
should have hesitated about taking her
in. But she hadn't, and there was no al
tentative.
resolved on the start she should be of
some use to me, and that would have no
fine-lady airs. And | must say she has
been serviceable in caring for the chill
dren. q have been able to dispense with
housemaid since her coming-at least
one item off our bill of expenditures-and
in these days it does require so much mon
ey to live in any kind of style.)
OF course l could not allow her the edu-
cational advantages of my own children.
How much she has contrived to pick up
cannot say. She inherited her mothers
taste for reading and, no doubt, for
scribbling too. But ] was determined not
to have repetition of that folly. Iwould
have no more bookworms about me; /;
and as often as caught her, duster in
hand and sweeping-cap on head,
idling over Shakespeare, or Milton, or
dear knows what not, l have taken the
book away and hidden her attend to her
work fear, however, delinquencies of
this sort are not the only ones of which
she has been guilty. One day, I remem-
Der, had been out shopping, and, on re-
turning, found her singing one Of Estelle's
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