The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-14
Only Nell.

%'as'1 s'saossssss, Only Nell.
twas wet evening, and was re-.
turning home from a long walk when,
in passing the "Free Ferry saw a
bundle of rags, the shape of which 1
thought recognized, huddled up un.
der the wood-pile outside the house.
The rain was coming down so hard,
however, that though I called her
name, hardly thought it could be
Nell exposed to such weather but I
was wrong, for at the sound of my
voice she sprang up instantly and came
TO me, pleasure at seeing tine, strug-
Cling with latent expression of anxi-
ETY. and fear, pitiful to see in so young
face. -
"Why, Nell, what are you sitting
out in the wet for! 7" as she stood shiv.
ering before me, the rain dripping
from the edges of her ragged frOck.
''You will catch your death, child.''
"Oh, no. sir, won't. A bit of rain
don't hurt me-" she answered, with a
smile which always gave her ugly lit.
tie face such weird look. can I'd
liefer he out ERE. They be so awful
wild to night, got feared to stay wi
em-jerking her head in the direc-
ton of the house, in which, to Judge
from the noise, a saturnalia of devils
seemed to be holding feast-"an' was
watchin' to see yer come 'ome as
well, sir. to give yer these
And she put into my hands a bunch
OF wild violets, wet and fragrant, ad-
ding, as began to thank her
eyer said yer didn't see none this
autumn, so thought I'd 20 off to-day
to a wood, where they grows, an get
'em for YER
"That was very kind of you, Nell,"
| said, touched by the little attention
in my Ishmaelitish young friend. "But
where did you get that black eye Did
you fall down on the way?'
She was as sure.footed as a cat, and
laughed at the idea.
''Missis gave it to me to make me
tell 'er where I'd been, an wouldn't
cos she welted me fust for goin'. Oh,
1T don't hurt now,' as muttered a
wrathfu] exclamation against her
tyrants. can didn't mind s'lOng as
I could 'ide the vil'ets from her. She'd
ha' chucked 'em inter the fire other
ways.''
"And shall value them very much,
and take great care of them,'' said !:
"but, Nell I don't like violets so we'll
that l like you to get beaten for
them.''
"Oh!I didn't care, sir. bless YER"
said the girl, brightly, her thin little
tace coloring up at my thanks. can
I liked gettin' of 'em, for ye've been
very good to me. sir. Hank ! isn't
that Master calm q
The frightened look had come back
into her eyes and tried to detain her,
saying that was sure Mrs. Jennings
would let her sleep in one of the out
places for the night, if I asked her.
'tYou'd much better not 90 back to
them till morning, child. They seem
to be all mad together and it's no fit
place for you.''
She shook her head, quite trembling
at the mere idea.
"Oh, no! I must go, I must, in
deed, sir. Missus d 'alf kill me to-.
morrow if 1 didn't. IT'S the thresh-
ing-machine men from the Black Coun-
try as is there; an they're always a
bad lot: an she'll want me to help
serve them. 'Tain't them I IN afeared
of, neither"
"Who then, Nell -
t'Mr. Barker" and she almost whis-
pered it. 'Sometimes he goes on the
soak for two or three days, till he gets
downright mad land don't know nothin'
no more nor if he was a wild beast,
an then 1 be daunted of i'm. He's
been awful bad to-day, an cotched me
up once and tried to mash me agin the
door ,a-swearin' he'd be the death ONE.
One O. the other men pulled i'm off,
an was so feared I came out ERE !;
but maybe he's sleepin' now-he most
always goes off like dog arter one o.
these takes on; an if missus is want.
in me-Yes, there she's calm again
Oh, please, sir let me go. I aren't
frightened now, an she'll give it to
me SO, if don't.
And indeed the fear of her tyrant
gave the child such strength that, be.
fore could speak, she had pulled her
hand out of mine and darted back to
the house. g..
walked slowly on to my own, and as
arranged the violets in water I made
a mental VOW that I would lose no
time in trying to get the child into an
industrial school, OF some other home
where she could be properly taught
and cared for.
On the following morning, however,
I received note from friend in
Maidenhead, saying that he had, taken
a house there, and asking if I would
run down and spend a couple of days
with him. He was an old college chum