The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-01-12

tho neighbors thought, but = .Ill,s 81
wife, and whom she died, good Mrs.
Philbricl opened her motherly heart and
arms to Little Nell, and took her in,
Her real namo was Henrietta, but Miss
Jackson, the drcssmaker, who read
Charles Dickens stories n great deal,
called her ono day Little Nell, " and i
chung TO her ever after.
You sec Bho was q,iet, shy little
creature, with such big, soft, brown
eyes, and such sweet, cooling voice, that
"Hcnrietta" seemed too long and bard u
name for her,
1t was Saturday afternoon, and, as
told you, Will and Jack and Polly and
Little Nell were going haHel-nuttlng.
They each carried II basket, and each
basket had ilaky apple turnover.
These were for lunch, i'll case the chill
dron got hungry; and We know, don't
we, tlas growing, wido-Nwako boys and
girls nrc always getting hungry?
1t was II long time before they reached
the north lot. Polly forgot her "kiu
fingers, and had to 20 back for them,
else her poor little hands would have
been stuck full Of prickIcs. Then Jack
must needs chase woodpcckcr n long
way while the three waited for him.
But they got their baskets full of nuts,
with their prickly coverings, and ato
their turnoycrs all but Jack. That is
to say, Jack ate hls turnover with the
rest, but he had not filled his basket.
think he had spent tor much Of the
afternoon in chasing the littlo red
squirrels, and in balancing himself ON the
smooth log which SCANNED the brook.
| Now the sun had gone down. 1t was
growing late and chilly
Jack kicked Grossly at n decNycd
stump.
"You should hayo worked more and
played less" laughed Will, looking mt
his own hcapcd mp basket
"NInd your own bread and butter, /"
rotorted Jack, Ravagcly. "You needn't
he afraid Of my asking for nnyof yours.
II waB not Mt nll u nice way FOR o
brother TO talk. So thcaght Littlo Nell,
and she slapped her hand softly into
Jacks. Come homo now JacIty," sho
said, "and I'll give you half of mine. 4"
Jack laughed, and gave the old stump
parting kick. A cloud Of dust flew up.
Jacks foot had hammered its way
through the rotten wood The stump
was hollow. Jack pulled his foot out,
and after it rolled and ratified a rich,
brown stream Of nuts--three quarts at
tho very lcast
"Hoornyw shouted Jack, caporing
wildly about 81 don't want any of any
bodys nuts, nowl'
Then no seized his basket md began
to scoop in the treasure Ivy handfuls.
Little Nell looked OH with widcopcn
eyes. "Whopu EN- there?" she asked.
otis squirrels storo-house," ans
wered VIII.
Wasn't he jolly little fellow? and
wasn't it lucky ! kicked?" cried Jack,
brisidy digging away the decayed wood,
to look for more.
Tho big brown eyes ran over with
tears, Ms Little Nell began to understand.
'DOn't take them, jack" she pleaded.
'I'll give you nll Of mine"
Gan Of yours amt half SO many as
is here, md why shouldn't I take EN-,
I'd like to know? Finding is having,
Little Nell"
lyon didn't shy so when found your
ton-ccnt piece, said Polly, swinging her
basket.
jack rcddcncd, remembering what a
time there had been about that ten-cent
piece. lyon keep still, Polly Phil
brick !" he said; 81 amt chpmunk, m
a ten-cent piece isn't nuts. Amt there n
lot, thought"
Ard il was quite in vain that Little
Nell begged him to put them back
She walked home beside Polly, silent
and sorrowful.
1--WE might give ours, Polly" she
said; "turn them down in little heap
side of the stump, you know, where he
could find them easy. o Polly, what
will he do, when he goes to his house
and finds they're all taken away?"
This was q long speech for Little Nell
to make.
But Polly laughed Mt her. "You lit
Ito goosoy," she said, "the squirrel
won't mind, and don't you think about it
any more"
But she did. She could not help it.
At the supper-table that night, Mamma
Philbrick counted noses. There was one
missing; little straight nose, under o
pair Of big, brown eyes.
Where is little Nell, children"
al haven't seen her since we came
home" said Will.
"Nor l." said Jack.
az haven't, either" said Polly, "but
I know where she's gone. Jack robbed
squirrels hole to-day, and little Nell
cried about it. She wanted 10 give the
squirrel her hazel-nuts, an I wouldn't |
wonder II that's where she is.
uWhot'a that ." asked Mr. Sonia