The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1889-02-13
All that Nora Had.
BY MARY ]. PORTER.

O~"@~~AN
From the time when Nora was baby
until she was over twelve years old, her
home was in an orphan asylum. Before
her tiny lips could frame the words papa
and mamma, those words which seem 80
very sweet when they first reach par
ents ear, both her father and mother
had closed their eyes upon the things of
earth and had entered the world beyond.
Kind neighbors cared awhile for the in
FAINT child, and then, no property having
been left for her support, they placed
her in charge of the managers OF the
asylum.
Like all the other children under their
care, she received every attention essen
tial to her comfort. She had warm cloth
ing suitable bed, and good, wholesome
food. So, too, soon as che was old
enough she was taught to read, write,
sew, and to engage in other useful occu-
pations
Yet, although she suffered no want OF
any sort, Nora was not quite happy.
Away down deep in her heart was a
lonely feeling, which perhaps might have
been called home .siokness,-a sort of
longing for the father and mother she
would never see and for the home that
she could never have.
At length, one day a cheerful, pleas
ant-faced lady visited the institution, IN
search of a young girl to train as an
assistant in house work. Nora was al.
most beside herself with Joy when the
lady selected her from among all the
girls of her class Not that she did not
love the teachers who had shown her un-
varying kindness, or that she had no
affection for the other children of the
asylum but now, instead of being one
of a crowd, she was to be the only girl in
well-ordered home. She would have a
change, something which all children are
said to enjoy, and beside that, she was to
live in the country on a farm. Nora was
sure that nothing could offer her greater
bliss than that.
She went at once with the visitor,
Mrs. Allen, and life afterward was a con-
tinual happiness. The cheerful, pleas
ant face had not belied it's owner. Mrs.
Allen, gentle, motherly soul that she
wa5, provided home for which any girl
in Nora's condition might have been
thankful.
Still the mild-tempered lady had very
positive opinions of her own in regard to
the training of girls. One of these was
that when everything was provided for
their comfort, they could not possibly be
in need of pin-money. So Nora, though
the owner Of tiny pocket-book, never
had anything to put inside
One day, however, cousin of Mrs
Aliens came to make her a short visit,
and on taking her departure, she gave
Nora a bright, shining fifty cent piece.
To cay that the girl was happy is to
feebly express the truth. She was in
raptures, IN an ecstasy for such wealth
had never been hers before.
She drew it out of her pocket a hun
dred times day. She admired the
eagle clutching both olive branch and
arrows-the emblems of peace and war /;
she examined the shield on his breast
the lettering around the bird then turn.
ing over her treasure she gazsd at the
goddess OF liberty enthroned beneath her
thirteen stars, and counted over and
over again the number of years that had
passed from the time when the coin had
been issued from the mint until it came
into her possession.
At night it was laid under her pillow
while she dreamed, now of this thing
now Of that, which she would be able to
purchase with 80 much money. Never
was more thought given to fifty cent
piece. Never was one more precious IL
the eyes Of its owner.
On the next Sabbath after receiving il
Nora went to Sunday School as usual
On that day the school was addressed by
lady who had been missionary Il
India. Simply and touohingly she told
the children Of the dusky little ones be