Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-04-07

"Oh, auntie. this looks like Il lucky
day" she eXclaimed-'s bright and
loyely."
"Yes. little dear, SO it does. Just
run and get the soda in the red box,
right-hand corner, please"
Nellie bounded off eaily.
She started out brayelv ; early, too.
for she was no sluggard-with her
wares in pretty basket madam had
given her. That day, long remembered
by her as the dearest in her life, was
rainy and dreary, although it had be
gun brightly. Like how many lives
the beginning bright and lovely; the
evening sad and gloomy.
But to go back to little Nell, whom
we left standing at the corner of a
street on which were many of the
great houses" looking Very sad and
gloomy. AS she stood there she heard
"a sweet voice say
Here, dear"
She turned quickly. y beautiful
young girl, apparently eighteen, in a
handsome street costume, stood at her
side calling to her. To her! Nell
could not understand it. Why was
this beautiful creature calling to her ?
She had never in all her long ten years
of life seen anything SO perfectly
beautiful as this girl and this girls
dress. Yes, once Nellie remembered
once when she was a tiny child, her
mother had taken her to a beautiful
houseful of lovely pictures. and chairs
so soft Nellie had thought them too
nice to sit in-aud grand carpets :!
0, yes, Nellie remembered it all very
we'll. In those days her papa was al
ways with her, and mamma, and he
would toss her up aud catch her and
hug her and call her little Nellie.
papa's baby, pretty d-ar." Aud that
same dear papa would call her dear
mamma ''my little wife" Nellie al
ways thought that 'ery strange. o,
yes, Nellie remembered all this more
she and her mamma talked of dear
papa every day of their lives.
And as all these thoughts came rush
ing over her the child hid her face in
her little red ha,ds; and two great
tears came rolling down her pale
cheeks, and her heart gave one great
throb and seemed to stand still. She
looked again. Yes, there could be no
mistake. There stood that same
beautiful form, that face of angelic
sweetness and purity. and, hush! the
voice of the angel-so the child
thought of hcr-w;,s speaking. and it
said:
''Don't cry, dear; come with me-
Nellie looked mp.
"Do you mean me, miss! -
The lady assured her in soothing
accents she was her friend and again
said
Come with me, little one
SO Nellie went with the beautiful
lady. Up the broad steps and into
the handsome hall. From there into
-fairyland Could it be /! Nellie
thought of all her mothers stories, but
none quite eqnaled this.
la the room sat an old lady who eX-
claimed on seeing Nellie
"Why, daughter, who is that -
"That dear little girl told you Of,
MOTHER answered the girl.
"O," said the mother. "ycu always
have some waif, SO ] have to accept
them all. She rules me with rod of
iron," turning to an old gentleman
sitting near her.
"Nonsense, mother; me ruling you.
Anyway, I've got this dear little
thing"
The old gentleman soon rose to go.
Meantime Nellie had gone upstairs
with the sweet young lady and they
had become fast friends.
'Now, dear, where do you live
Where is your mamma! Who are
you! And how old ,"
BY degrees and after much question
ing she told all her short life-story.
AS she paused the young lady ex-
claimed breathlessly-
dear, are you sure. sure you have
made no mistake ~
Nell looked surprised and said
mo, a'am, don't think | have.
Madam teaches me to speak the truth,
and try to-"
She said this sorrowfully, as if
afraid she had told this faultess, love-
ly creature an untruth.
She was still more mystited when
the lady caught her in her arms and
kissed her violectly, and then said
hastily
"Come, Nellie. dear little Nellie,
come down to mother
She almost carried the child down
in her eagerness and blrst into the
room crying between her sobs of joy
"Mother, mother, God is good to us
He has sent Roberts child to us, O
mother. mother"