Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-05-27
The Girl that Providence Sent.

! duu PUuu Utjp
was as scarce as hens teeth, that father
came walking in one day with a small
neat gray-eyed woman, aud large bun.
! die ia tow.
Where did you find her? asked
mother. dropping the ladle with wbi, h
she was basiing savory goose. and pre-
pariug to resign that branch of house
hold work Instantly.
Providence sent her," answered f.
theI. with a sigh of relief-Le had been
gill hunting for month. She looks
st,ong and tidy and has an honest ex-
preston"
!" IIumph," said mother shortly,
"where's her certificate, or dou't the
girls from celestial intelligence offices
need any? Have you a character . she
asked. turning to the girl.
e" had one, a'an," she answered.
respectfully " but the mice ate it I'll
soon have another-try me ma'am, just
try me.
What is your name" asked mother,
in catechismal voice. after the girl had
laid aside her shawl md hood
E!llnnra." was the answer, with
pleasant smile.
Well. we'll call you Mile for short,
aud YOU can go right to work at the
vegetables FOR dinner" aud mother pro-
ceeded to show her what duties were ex-
pected OF Der.
She proved to be an excellent servsnt,
| ~ 10 md .,k,o,.ao,,
she nevcr wen, out; tad no associates,
aud though we knew nothing more about
her than il she had dropped from the
skies, she seemed faithful and honest.
She had been with us about month
when one night we heard loud talking
10 her room; it was still early 10 the
evening, and as ours was countrv
home it was habit We hal fallen into
OF retiring soou after supper, if mt to
bed to our own rooms. We all beard
the loud talking at the same time, and
met in The hall.
g it's in Nellie's room. said mother,
aud we crtpt to Inc door and listened,
aud we heard as plain as il spoken in
our presence these words in man 8 grulf
voice
=" Eli burn ye ali 10 your beds yet, as
sure as We have souls TO be saved "
This was followed by the pleading
tones OF a woman-uot Nellle's voice,
however
"Oh doo't, don't. don't. We are
innocent indeed we are Z"
The iudescribable pathos of the sob
bling voice terrified us SO that we went
after father, who had remained skepii-
caly in his room he was angry AID
thumped vigorously on Neilie's aoor but
II was some time before 1t was opened.
Then we discovered that every article ol
furniture in the room was arranged to
fJrm pyramld4l bafricade III lIoot OF
tue entrance. Nellie herself, sleepy aud
rubbing her eyes, thrust out head tied
up in an Old white apion.
What is il" she asked, hastily,
with frightened look thieYes-muf-
der ="
Let US in," said father, applying
bis shoulder 10 the door which was oUly
opened a crack but Nellie mad no idea
OF letting US IN, aud resisted with such
ferJcity that mother Undertook TO scothe
her, and gained by strategy what We
could not effect by force.
There was not soul 10 the room and
the window was nailed down. There
was 10 possible hiding place or means o.
egreSs, aud there was nothing for US to
do but to quietly retire. leaving Nullie
to resume uer SAUNDERS, which We had
20 rudely broken. Understand it ne
could not, aud it was all the more mys-
terious when the next day the whole
thing had 10 be repeated aud explained
10 the gIrl, she declaring that che had
no memory of sceiug US IN her room or
knowledge Of our being there. She look
cd as serene aud indifferent as usual aud
said she barrlcadel the door aud nailed
her window down through tear of burg
lars.
We had no reason to suspect that the
girl did not speak the truth, yet We
were conscious of a mystery about the
whole affair that it made US nervous and
uncomfortable. and we began to notice
strange ways about our new girl-thiDss
that had been ST no account now told
against her; yet when all was summed
up. We could only say that she was ro
mantle, ard had perhaps been educated
above her station, and SO gave herself
airs aud she really did accomplish her
work in u most satisfactory manner.
" ust little CT acked," father would
say OF her, but good girl in the
main I'd like to know " bat you women
folks would do without her
g Ii does seem as il Provi derce bad
sent her, said mother. meekly she
likes to make believe that she is an echo
OF father sometimes,
Several times Nellie did treat US to
what father called circus perform.
ance " 10 her room, but as no harm
came of 1t we concluded that she was
merely enjoying herself in her own way,
and let her alone. She was such a qnict
little woman. with soft, gray eyes tina,
seemed 10 implote your forbaaranee, and