Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-11-04
get in. Can't We 90 In, papai Won't you

| on and the children grew tired of play or
| were sickened with sweets, IL almost broke
her heart TO see the blue eyes full OF tears
and the corners Of the little mouths drawn
down, while the red lips trembed and the
| childish voices cried over aud over again,
Il want my mamma. want my mamma :"
And as night after night the black rib
bons were laid aside, and the motherless
| children put on their little white night
gowns. Nanny rackcd her poor old brain
for marvellous tales, and got down on her
stiff old knees by the little trundle-bed aud
| placed her LEFT arm under Nelly's head,
| while she patteJ Grace's shoulder with her
| right hand, ill she was stiff aud sore and
the white turban bobbed suspiciously up
| and down; but there was no break Ia the
| chain OF events that took place between
'Mr. Rabbit and Mr.. Wolf," aud Nanny
did not steal her arm away till the curly
heads were 0otionless aud the little lips
had ceased TO ask why mamma slept SO
long.
DAYS dragged slowly by. and crystal
lied into weeks, and AT length the COVER
ness had come, and Mr.. Larrantree's sis
ter felt compelled 10 return TO the charge
OF her own family. Before she did so,
however, she requested that Miss Enneby
would be very tender with the children, As
they were OF nervous temperament, and
had been accustomed Ia much Indulgence.
Il shall not deny them any reasonable
indulgence said Miss Ennerby, stIiily
but children have no right To b. nervous
| shall make it my business 10 Sonquer the
tendency"
Il do not mean to say that they are
nervous" replied Mrs. Allertou, who was
very untavorsbly impressed by her new
acquaintance. Il meant merely to call
an zff Tn he T.rT hos q
a nervous temperament. and should be
favored with greater indulgence uf a GER
tain nature than"
Permit me la differ with you," said
Miss Eunerby. My decided opinion Is
that they should be hardened before this
tendency becomes a radical evil"
As Mrs. Ailerton regarded the light cold
eyes, the short lashcs. the thin lips aud
square Jaw of the woman before her, her
heart misgave her, and she tremoled for
the happiness OF her little neces but it
Was now too late 20 do aught bat walt ard
hope and pray. Miss Ennerby had been
recommended by a neighbor, and Mr. Lar
rantce had met her once or twice at this
nelghbor's house, but that WAS all. lie
had not observed her sufficiently to form
any clear Impression of her character and
ms mind was now IN a state OF such de-
preston that he accepted at once the aid
iiIst offered. and had employed Ms. En-
ncrby in the confidence based upon hi.
neighbor's judgment.
Unfortunately, A. she feared. for the
matrimonial designs with which Miss Eu-
nerby entered upon her duties, Mr.. Lar
rantree was called away on business the
day after her arrival, and she had only
tiuie 10 ascertain that he agreed with nrr
fully on one point; children should be
taught 10 be sei-reliant and Induced to de-
velope their moral mIscie. She had there
fore no doubt OF his appreciation when she
commenced the hardening process by com
mAnuiDg Nanny. alter the children were
undressed, 10 put out the light and leave
hem TO 20 TO sleep by themselves.
To great many good hearted and intel
ligent people-people who honestly desire
10 be Kind and reasonable-if were vain to
attempt TO portray the agony OF some chill.
drea on being lett alone in the dark. the
unreasoning, uncomfortable terror OF that
something which by Its very lack OF form,
It's 'ayueness aud indehnitenes-. becomes
so awful, 50 dreadful. 80 infinitely horri-
bic, that the anguish of substantial torture
cannot be compared with IL. The child,
whole soul is pervaded by a terror which
cannot be shaken of by any effort OF the
chlld's own Will. Ito entire being Is the
subject OF terror which IL has NO power
TO subdue, and its whole nervous system
lies al the mercy of this shapeless, shad-
o"y foe; II IS reeiing aud staggering and
ialntIn.. and suffering a shock which will
tell In after-lIie as surely AS a sho, In the
eye or cut on the brow. Oh. why is there
no Mr.. Bersh who can prevent cruelty TO
children?
great many excellent persons without
nerves TAIL TO appreciate this state OF feeling
aud Miss Ennerby was not only without
nerves. Out by no means an excellent per-
son. She was cold. and hard, and cruel,
and iull OF ,indictiye feeling toward those
above her. which she could crafty only by
grinding those whom Providence placed
temporarily under her heel. NANNY,
with unerring instinct. at once discovered
that Miss Ennerby was poor white
that is. that she had not had a crowd of
negroes ~ her command aud ridden about
IN her own carriage-and. with the ari.to-
cratic tendency OF her class, drspised her
accordingly. The old woman knew her
place too well 10 make any intentional dis
play of contempt. but she conducted her
sell with digi.ided formaliiy more often
sively suggestive than the most elaborate
lmpe-tinence, and Miss Enuerby felt it
with keenness she could not disguise
from herself.
The qualification OF the latter could be
measured only by Mammy's dlsmay at the
order 10 leave the children alone; and in-
deed 80 great was the panic created in the
nursery that even Miss Ennerby would
have made temporary compromise had it
not involved a triumph for NANNY. As it
was, she persistedsn the enforcement OF her
| order, aud 1t was with grim satisfaction
that after the first two nights she obsery.
ed. the light having been extinguished and
Nanny dawn fuir -
dren seemed TO resign themselves to their
fate and go quietly to sle~p. She did not
know That Nanny stole Immediately back
and was Al her post. with her arms around
| her bantllngs, nor how, as Miss Ennerby's
| step was heard, Nanny would throw her
| self on the floor behind the bed, and the
little ones taking their first lesson in de-
ception, would shut their eyes and feign
sleep till she had retreated, satisfied with
them and her system"
But one night they failed to hear her
coming, and she stood moment listening
Nanny was saying, AN Jack, he were
in lub wid de kings dorter, an were al
ways a-cassin' sleeps eyes at her; but de
king he didn't want Jack to hab his dorter.
so he guv greet ball an axed everybody
but Jack. So de old bar Che were q gret
friend NV Jack k)-de old bar, he say, I'm
gwine ter roll 10 de ashes, Jack, an den
III 60 In de ballroom. ian' shake myse'I
AL make such dus' dat de king can't
hardly see; an while his eyes is full o.
dus' you kin run away wild his dorter." So
ole Mr.. Bar, he went an laid down in de
chimbly, an got hisse'f full o. ashes. an
while dey was all a-dancin' he went an
shuk hisse'f an"
Aunt Maria!" Miss Ennerby opened
the door.
No answer. Miss Ennerby advanced.
"Grace!'
"Ma'am! answered the child family.
"Who was that talking?"
No answer. They were truthful chill
dreu.
"Annt Maria" again called Miss Enuer-
by.
"Marm7" said Nanny with an unsteady
voice.
Go down this moment"
-Four little hands clutched Nanny ST.
lently, bat convulsively, and she replied
| hv tn haar h,,.,