Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-04-06
THE GIRL THAT PROVIDENCE SENT.

a small. neat, gray-eyed woman, and
a large bundle in tow.
"Where did you find her!' asked
mother, dropping the ladle with
which she was basting a savory goose,
and preparing to resign that branch
of the household work instanter.
"Providence sent her," answered
father. with a sigh of relief-he had
been girl-hunting for a month. ''She
looks strong and tidy and has an hon.
est expression"
"Hunph," said mother shortly,
sswhere's her certificate, or don't
girls from celestial intelligence offices
need any? Have you a character?"
she asked, turning to the girl.
II had one, ma am" she answered
respectfully, "but the mice ate it;
| will soon have another-try me,
ma am, just try me-
"What is your name," asked moth
er, after the girl had laid off her hood
and shawl.
"Ellinora," was the answer, with a
pleasant smile.
"Well, we'll call you Nellie for
short, and you can 60 right to work
at the vegetables for dinner and
mother proceeded to show her what
duties were expected of her.
She proved to be an excellent SER
want, though little queer and OBJ
stinate, but she never went out; had
no associates, and though We knew
nothing more about her than if she
had dropped from the skies she
seemed faithful and honest.
She had been with us about two
months when one night we heard loud
talking in her room; it was still early
in the evening, and as ours was a
country home it was a habit we had
fallen into of retiring soon after
supper, if not to bed to our rooms.
We all heard the loud talking, and
met in the hall.
ats in Nellie's room," said moth
er, "and we crept to the door and
listened, and we heard as plain as if
spoken in our presence these words
in mans gruff voice:
"Fll burn We all in your beds yet
as sure as We have souls to save!"
This was followed by the pleading
tones of woman-not Nellie's voice,
however!
so! don't, don't, don't. We are
innocent! indeed we are!'
The indescribable pathos of the
sobbing voice terrified us so that we
went after father, who had remained
skeptically in his room he was angry
and thumped vigorously on Nellie's
door, but it was some time before it
was opened. Then We discovered
that every article Of furniture in the
room was arranged to form pyra-
midal barricade in front of the en-
trance. Nellie herself, sleepy and
rubbing her eyes, thrust out head
tied up in an old white apron.
"What is ito she asked hastily
with frightened look; '.thieves-
murder!"
"Let us in," said father, applying
his shoulder to the door, which was
only opened a crack: but Nellie hat
no idea Of letting us in, and resisted
with such ferocity that mother under.
took to soothe her. and gained by
strategy what We could not effect by
| force.
There was not a soul in the room
and the window was nailed down
There was mo hiding place, or means
of egress, and there was nothing fol
us to do but to quietly retire, leaving
Nellie to resume her slumbers which
were so rudely broken. Understands
we could not, and it was all the more
mysterious when the next day til,
whole thing had to be repeated ant
explained to the girl, she declaring
that she had no memory Of seeing Us
in her room or knowledge of our be
ing there. She looked as serene ant
indifferent as usual, and said she bar
ricaded the door and nailed the win
dow through fear of burglars.
We had no reason to suspect thai
the girl did not speak the truth: ye
we were so conscious Of a myster,
about the whole affair that it made us
nervous and uncomfortable, and W,
began to notice strange ways about
our new girl-things that had been O.
no account before now told agains
her; yet, when all was summed up
we could only say that she was ro
mantle, and had perhaps been edu
Gated above her station and so CAV,
herself airs, and she really did he,
work in most satisfactory manner.
''Just a little cracked" fathe
would say of her, "but a good cir
in the main; I'd like TO know wha
the women folks would do withou
herr"
''1t does seem as if Providence ha,
sent her," said mother, meekly; sh
likes to make believe she is an ech
of father sometimes.
Several times Nellie did treat us t
what father called s'circus perfor
nance" in her room, but as no harm
came Of it we concluded that she wa
merely enjoying herself in her ow,
WaV, and LET har olo,o c,