Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-04-07
ORIGINAL STORY.
POOR LITTLE NELL.
BY y. & NJ.

The twilight deepened into darkness
around the great city, yet many per.
sons were still passing up and down
the streets.
If you had gone that way and had
looked closely on the right side of a
very narrow and dirty street you
would have seen fororn little object
"a little shiverlng, shrinking girl,
going along slowly with II woe begone
expression upon her little face. She
soon crossed the street and entered n
house near the corner. Passing the
front she entered from the rear and
found that busy, bright Mrs. Keats
was preparing supper for her houseful
of boarders-not rich. elegant, fas-
tidious boarders, but plain people who
earned their daily bread, and who
found in Mrs. Keats house a comfort
able lodging, though with somewhat
unpleasant surroundings.
AS the child advanced into the
room and stood at the stove warming
her chilled hands and feet the woman
turned and said cheerily-
"Well. Nellie, dear, any luck to-
day."
The child answered in a voice which
did not seem childish, but rather like
a disappointed adult might; neverthe-
less, the tone was very sweet and
musical.
"No, auntie."
"Well. dear. let's hope for some to-
morrow. Come, here's your supper,
nice and warm
For she had been out in the cold for
hours.
After the little one had eaten she
assisted Mrs. Keats about her many
duties until all were finished. Then,
with good night kiss, she went off to
the little shed where she slept.
1t was a freezing night. Poor Nellie
had but scaut covering IL thin blanket,
IN old coat left by lodser and a
bundle of straw from the livery stable
over the way.
As she lies in troubled slumber |
will briefly sketch her life.
In the year 1881 young lady of
good family, in the city Of London,
had fallen very much in love with Il
young sailor, home from one of his
long voyages, and he, in turn, was
enchanted with the lovely girl. Her
father, however, positively forbade the
Young man addressing his daughter.
Nevertheless, in the autumn of 81 they
were secretly married. Her father,
almost frantic, forbade his daughter,
Nellie Pastonna. ever to enter his home
again.
After two years of happy married
life little girl came to bless them,
and when the babe was about IA year
old her father, whose name was Robert
Wauleene, decided that he must again
adopt a sailors life and leaye them for
distant lands. He started on II voyage,
expecting to come home in two years.
Little Nell, for her parents called her
scatter her mother and a loved sister
of her father with her mother then
removed to cheap boarding house,
where Mrs. Wauleene managed to exc
out a scanty living for herself and
child by doing fancy work and en-
broidery. la the latter speciality she
best succeeded, for her young friends
had always admired her exquisite work
when she was at her fathers home and
had little else to do bur amuse herself.
Happily, she now found it sold readily
and helped replenish her light purse.
After eight years of this life, with
but little change except moving from
one house to another, Nellie's mother
died of pneumonia and left the
baby all alone in the world. But ere
her pure soul took it, flight she thought
of haven for her child. She had
lived with Mrs. Keats during the few
months before she died, and to This
good woman she consigned her dearest
treasure upon earth-her little Nellie.
Nellie had learned much from her
good mama, among numerous other
things to embroider very prettily, and
at the age when most children are
in the nursery she was thus thrown
upon her own resources. Yet she had
gained by experience courage, and
learned patience.
AS Mrs. Keats house was very full
Nellie became daily necessity. Mrs.
Keats found in Nellie "A loving, willing
helper, and she did all she could to
repay Mrs. Keats for being so kind to
her. Nellie had IL great passion for
the pretty art her mother had taught
her. and so Mrs. Keats furnished the
necessary materials. Nellie wrought
! with Z. will Eyary aay she went into