The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-02-05
NELLlE'S TRIAL.

NELLlE'S TRIAL.
In the CHEEKY drawing room of a Lon
don vicarage there sat number OF
ladies. old. Young. and middle-aged
maidens, wives. and widows. all busilN
! occupied in making up with def finger
| little posicS of the brigh, flowers which
! surrounded them on all sides, To be tn,
| next day distributed among the occu.
( pants of 81. Niuus'S Hospital. when sud.
| denly Mrs. Torrop. the clergyman
! wife. uttered little exclamation of sur
/ prise as she found letter which lay
! hidden in one of the fragrant masses OF
| bloom.
She opened ii and read aloud:
PLEASE accept my mite for yom
blessed work
''Somc of the sick NAV he country.
bred, and sight of understanding. old.
fashioned posies may bring watt OF
their homes TO them. and do rs much
good us medicine
AS YOU GO round among the different
wards, if there should happen 10 come
10 your notice Il girl with big. dark
eyes and fair skin. would it he too bold
for me 10 ask YOU 10 say Ia her, Is youl
name Nellie Meade? and if by Heavens
mercy il l.. say, All is forgiven and
forgotten. Father and mother beg you
to come home.
''Shes our only child, and we've
never heard from her but once since she
left her home secretly three months
ago. Her fathers anger was so hot at
her disobedicncc. she wa, most likely
afraid 10 let him know where she and
the smooth-tongucd man who lured hen
away We're living so she gave up hei
old parents for the love of one who had
known her but a few weeks.
My old heart is very heavy, for j
have been warned in dreams that all il
not rs il should he.
Might after night see our Nellie
stretched out. white and sad-looking,
on a narrow bed. and there's always
more of the same kind seeming to be in
rows,--so told father this morning il
must he Il hospital | see, and our poor
girl in it. was crying nj the thought
and that we were so poor and old. OF
we could make a journey tn hunt hen
up, when. like IN angel of mercy, father
said,-
Mother, send to the kind ladies the
paper told us about and maybe they'd
take an interest in an old woman'S sor.
row, and see if the gals there
$50. ladies. | hope You won't think
me too bold, and please excuse the hand.
writing. for | am old. and my hand
shakes so can hardly hold the pen.
Yours respectfully,
SUSAN MEADE"
There was not Il dry eye among the
listening group as Mrs. Torrop finished
reading the letter.
The ladies responded To the appeal SC
heartily rs they went through their dies.
ignated wards. that it would have been
impossible To miss seeing anyone an,
swrring to Nellie Mcadc's description.
Mrs. Markham. Il tall, elcgant-lookina
woman. had the ward nj st.
Vitus'S As she came To the last bed
upon the line i'll occupant lay apparent.
" asleep.
Mrs. Markham laid pretty, fringed
napkin on the table nj the invalid's bed.
side. aud set Il delicate crystal vase upon
il. after Iilling il with rosr-co!orcd spice.
pinks miA"d with sprays of valley-lilies.
Noiseless as were her motions. she
found upon turning that the patient had
opened her eyes, and was watching her.
As she me; the gaze OF the large eyes,
dark and soft III Il pansys velvet leaf.
and noticed that the curling locks.
which had escaped from her cap, were
like glinis of yellow gold in color. ii
came to Mrs. Markham like an intuition.
Here was surely the lost darling of the
old mothers dream. But she merely
said, pleasantly
DO YOU love flowers. my dear?'
The girl looked up wistfully as she
answered.:
IL love them so well that | cannot
bear to see them. Take them away
Nellie
A faint color stole into the wasted
! cheeks. and she claSped her hands with
q startled look.
Don't be frightened. dear: | have
message from your mother. She II was
who sent YOU theS" flowers.
Give them 10 me-. said the girl
eagerly Please let me hold them.
They have the very fragrance of home;
| but" and with low, sobbing cry. she
cast them from her. II am not worthy.
Tell my mother hat that am
anything. So she will put her cruel,
hcartlcSS child out of her thoughts: but
am punished.
For "a time Mrs. Markham said moth
ing. She stood in silent pity. listening
to the girls sorrowful sObs: then she
took her hand.
believe that ] am your friend, and
| tell M the story of your trouble; and
how il happened that YOU were brought
TO a public hospital. DO not tell me if
YOU do not wish
The dark, sad eyes studied her face
for moment. Then she said,--
"You have Il kind face, and YOU shall
know the truth. ! was starving, and
| tainted in the street. When ] next
knew anything. | was here; and all
| have been so good To me that ought To
| live. But don't wish TO live. ! want to
die!'
''Why? Was your lover false?''
! The girl drew lOcket from its resting
place, and touching Il spring. held il to
ward her.
.Does that look like Il false face,
lady? No. | would stake my life on
his truth! But one morning he, my
husband. kissed me and went out. and
have never seen him since.
| AS MIS-. oohS" piS-
ture her heart gave great throb. II
was not alone the old mothers lost
darling whom she saw. but one who had
nearer and dearer claim upon one
whom she herself loved better than life,
and she knclt by the girls side and put
her arm around her.
Nellie" she said, ''can you bear good
news?'
The girl raised her tear-stained face.
wonderingly. She read solemn glad.
ness in the noble face bending above
her.
''Oh, tell me!' weaving her thin
hands together convulsivcly. us it
about Kenneth-my husbands"
"Yes, and my son.
"Let us go To him at once, said
Nellie.
"Yes, dear. as soon rs can make the
necessary arrangements But you must
first know how il came that he never
returned to you after that sad morning.
He was coming TO me, to tell me OF his
marriage, know ow.--when, 10 keep
poor little street waif from being
| crushed under the iron hoOf OF some