The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-05-17
THE GIRL THAT PROVE.
DENCE SENT.

'iSiuia AilIee FoIhs, anu BOOu nelp
was as scarce as hens teeth, that
father came walking in one day with
a small neat, gray-eyed woman, and
a large bundle in tow.
"Where did you find herr" asked
mother, dropping the ladle with
which she was basting savory goose,
and preparing to resign that branch
of the household work instanter.
Providence sent her." answered
father, with sigh Of relief-he had
been girl-hunting for month. "She
looks strong and tidy and has an hon
est expression"
"Humph," said mother, shortly,
"where's her certificate, or don't the
girlsfrom celestial intelligence Offices
need any? Have you q character2"
she asked, turning to the girl.
81 had one, ma'am," 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 moth
er, in a catechismal voice, after the
girl had laid aside her shawl and
hood.
"Ellinora," was the answer, with a
pleasant smile.
"Won, we'ii oalr. y6u- Neiiio for
short, and you can go right to work at
the vegetables for dinner" and moth
er proceeded to show her what duties
were expected of her.
She proved to be an excellent SER
want, though u little queer and OBJ
stinate, but she never wentout; had
no associates, and though we knew
nothing more about her than if she
had dropped from the skies, she SEEM
ed faithful and honest.
She had been with usabout month
when one night we heard loud talk.
ing in her room; it was still early in
the evening, and as ours was coun-
try home it was a habit we had fall
en- into of retiring soon after supper,
if not TO bed TO our own rooms. We
all heard the loud talking at the same
time, and met in the hall.
"lt's in Nellie's room." said mother,
and we crept TO the door and listened,
and we heard as plain as if spoken
in our presence these words in man s
gruff voice:
"1ll burn ye all in your beds yet
as sure as ye have souls to be savedl"
This was followed by the pleading
tones Of a woman-not Nellie's voice,
however!
"ohl don't, don't, don't. We are
innocentl indeed we arel"
The indescribable pathos of the
sobbing voice terrified US SO that we
went after father, who had remained
skeptically in his room, he was an
cry and thumped vigorously on Mel,
lies door but it was some time before
it was opened. Then we discovered
that every article of furniture in the
room wasarranged to form pyramid.
al barricade in front of the entrance.
Nellie herself, sleepy and rubbing
her eyes, thrust out head tied up
in an old white apron.
"What is it?" she asked, hastily,
with a frightened look; "thieves-
murder!"
"Let us in," said father applying
his shoulder to the door, which was
only opened crack; but Nellie had
no idea of letting us in, and resisted
with such ferocity that mother un-
dertook 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 no possible hiding-place
or means of egrcss, and there was
nothing for us to do but to quietly
retire, leaving Nellie to resume her
slumbers, which we had so rudely
broken. Understand it we could not,