The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-08-07

below as well as ia the hoasekeep
ers room above. But. # his little
maid looked rather pale and melan-
cholly, Sir John was in tip-top spir
its; be had not lost letter, so be
said, at least, since he has bad Mel
liz. "The dearest little janitress thai
ever was" be said. "and true as
steel Sir They had plot TO gei
her away from the door, bat Nelly
came and told me all about it. And
| gave them trimming, sir, by Joyt
| did"
! A month and o day had Nelly
been with Sir John when the post
man handed her packet of letters
ono morning. Nelly's heart beat as
she looked at them There was
cne for her. II had the s.
postmark upon it; besides, Nelly
knew the writing. Now, there is Q
shy, delicate instinct in a girls love
"a feeling that makes her wish tc
hide what she is not ashamed Of
Nelly longed to slip that dear letter
into her pocket, and not let Sir John
/ have look at it. But she remem
bered her promise, and went up with
it, as well as the rest "Oh one for
you," he said, detecting the stiff
round handwriting at once there's
a good girl, l shall not keep you in
pain go down with it at once" Nell
obeyed She had warm impetu-
Gus little heart, suppose, spite her
calm face, for she was no sooner out
on the staircase than she broke the
seal and read the lovers epistle. But,
alas no dear, no glad, home fra
GRANGE did that little sheet Of paper
enfold; nothing came out of it but
the dreariest and saddest news. Sir
John bad not got half through his
! first letter when the door of his
study opened aud Nelly broke in up
on him. pale, distracted, and her
open letter in her hand
II must go, Sir,n she cried, Il
must go at once. NV mother is dy-
ing-she is dying"
She seemed beside herself with
grief Sir John took up the letter
she had dropped and glanced over it.
Yes, sure enough, Nelly's mother was
dying, and asked to see her daughter
'onee more
"Of course you must 60" be said,
warmly. 81 can not spare you to-
day. but you shall start tomorrow
morning"
Tomorrow, Sir; will death wait
till tomorrow / must go now
now.n
"My dear child, | am to be cut all
day, and expect most important
letter, and James, poor fellow, is "
ing i'll ia bed, as you know cannot
spare you to-day"
Sir john" resolutely said Nelly,
Il shall go to-day. | AN sorry to
disoblige you; bat | shall go.n
"Hotspur had great deal to do
to keep his temper down." said Sir
John, when be told me this, "espec-
tally as the little chit's black ewes
had just lurk in them which | re-
membered rather too we'll However,
| remained quite cool, anG all | said
was: We'll, Nelly, 1 have servants
to obey me, and not to have their
own way. | give you q months
warning from this very day.
VERY well, Sir" compcsedly re-
piled Nelly. II am sorry to have
annoyed you, but | can not help il. !"
dotspur deigned her no answer,
and Nelly went $ is within
two hours of London by rail. 1t was
three o'clock when Nelly reached it.
She had to walk mile from the Sta
tioa to her mothers cottage. Her
road Icy along the very lane in which
she had wandered with her lover a
month back; but how sad and chang
ed was its sspec; Its June beauty
was gone. The hot July sun had
seorehed it. The hedges were white
with dust the trees looked athirst
for rain +; the sky was gray and low
ering, aud the beautiful country SEEM
ed sad and plague-strickea 20 poor
Ellen. 81 felt sure, Sir" she said to
me later. ''that my poor mother was
dead"
At length she reached the cottage
Her hand shook as she raised the
latch and entered. Her lover was
the first person whom she saw. He
came forward and comforted her with
q word
"Alive aud better, Nelly"
Better! :" If he had said ''cured, !"
Nelly's joy could scarcely have been
greater. She cried, she laughed, she
kissed her little sister, her mother.
her lover, Mrs Dering, kind neigh
Dor who had come in to nurse the
sick woman. She could have kissed
the ground in the gladness Of her
heart. Yes, the poor woman who
had been dying the day before was
better now, and what was more, the
Doctor felt sure, from the turn her
complaint had taken, that she would
live. This glad news Nelly's lover
gave her outside the cottage door,
for tie invalid was too low to hear
much.
"fou have had useless journey,
Nelly" said Mrs. Dering, coming
out to join the pair, "but we had to
send for you to quiet the poor dear"
And do you really think she is
safe now. Mrs. Dering ?"
"The doctor says be is almost sure
of her, Nelly. And how do you like
your place ? Your mother says it is
such good one"
Nelly answered that it was a very
good place indeed but she sighed
as she remembered Sir Johns warn
ing.
You'll be saving lots of money,
and comiug back 20 marry Joseph"
continued Mrs. Dering.
II hope So" said Joseph cordially,
This Joseph was very good fel-
low, a steady workman, and be
adored Nelly, but be was not very
bright, and Nelly never told him her
little secret. So, even after Mrs
Dering left them and entered the cot
tsge, she said nothing about Sir
Johns warning She knew what
shock it would be to her sick mother,
and suppose Joseph should let it out!
Joseph was SO happy tn see his mis-