The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-06-22
miscellaneous.
WILD NANCY.
BY MRS. NJ. A. DENISON.


"Such a wild thingr' sighed Miss
Blifkins, ''and yet so pretty So
much good in her What will she
grow up to p
This problem puzzled the little wo-
mans head, night and day. She had
no one to live for but herself. Stitch
ing, stitching, right through the week,
| people said she would work herself
into consumption, yet some way she
| kept well.
The little cooking stove was always
bright, the tables and chairs never
showed speck of dust, the carpetless
floor shone equally with the tiny
cracked mirror upon the wall, and
''someway''-Miss Blifkins often said
providence seemed to provide"
Not that she told the neighbors this
such a Goddess set as they were
| She never would have lived in the
old tenement house, but it was so hard
to get a room with three windows,
and the sun pouring in all day, that
she put up with the surroundings,
| which were none of the best.
What with being walked up out of
her soundest slumber by drunken
tailor overhead, tormented by the con-
slant smell of soapsuds from across
the entry, and subject to the visits OF
wild Nancy, whom she. could not civil
lie, yet whose welfare she felt con-
scientiously interested in, she had
enough petty annoyances to consti-
tute good sized cross, which she car
ried with becoming resignation.
"Oh Miss Blif, may | come in?'
sounded high, nasal tone.
T., 10 - l,ol 10
driving the cloud from her brow, and
making an end of a big buttonhole
with three energetic pulls, and then
she put her work, black satin vest,
Oh the chair, and opened the door.
"Oh Miss Blif, how nice you do al
ways look Don't wish ours was a
three flight front, instead of Il four
flight back And the stairs is broke
so horrd Oh Miss Blif, what pretty
weskit p;
Don't touch it ~ cried the little
woman, rushing back to the window.
La! shan't pisen it, snaps back
wild Nancy, and then looks round the
room for spoils.
Wild Nancy is something worth
glancing at, as she stands there dirty
but picturesque. Out from many a
tangle of lustrous brown hair shine a
pair of very dark bright eyes. Hercom-
pleXiou, what one can see of it for the
dirt, is remarkably clear, and a tawny,
healthy red gives dash OF the gypsy
to her countenance.
Her apron is torn clear across, and
hangs down in an unmistakable rag,
| that trails to the floor. Her shoes are
what she calls new, that.is, they have
| been worn for five or six months by
some better fed, and better housed
mortal, and it is evident that the girl
is unused to restraint, and cares very
| little for those who are called her SUI
| periors.
II thought you promised me you
would wash your hands and comb
your hair before you came here again, y
said Miss Blifkins.
Eyes, l know but dad broke the
comb, and we amt got no wash basin,
and the bath room is nailed up
What bath room ?" asked Miss Blif-
kins innocently.
1.-The bath room that ought to be up
in the sky parlor. Oh Miss Blif
where'd you git that -
Its an old picture my mother had,
years ago. l couldn't get frame and
so tackled it up yesterday"
MY gracious ~ cried Nancy, draw
ing out every vowel to its fullest eX-
tent. "Ain't that the devil p
1T certainly is said Miss Blifkins,
land those people there are supposed
to have been very wicked. The fruits
on those trees are sins if you could
read you could understand them, but
as you can't sometime when am less
busy I'll explain to you
"Oh Miss Blif amt he rakin' EN-
in? Oh | should like to be him! I'd
put old Dow down there for hitting
me Yesterday. and I'd rake Sam in fol
telling lies on me. There's lots OF PEG,
pie I'd push down that hole, and
then I'd holler and ask them how they
felt"
"And suppose somebody should
want to rake you down there p quer
led Miss Blifkins.
Couldn't catch this child" she
laughed back, but l say, don't | like
picters Amt a day but what &C
up street and look in the windows
Oh don't | like pretty things? Don't
L? But l shan't never have none, j
she added refiectively.
Seems to me you might mend that
tear in your apron said Miss Blif
kins.
''Ain't got nothin' but a darnin
needle, and that's broke was the re
ply;
''I'll give you needle"
"Ain't got any cotton
"And some cotton
Nor no thimble. Oh, what's Tho
use ~ and Miss Blifkins, looking up
saw her dash the tears from her bright
dark eyes. That was something new
but before the astonished woman
could learn the reason the girl hat
bounded out of the room.
The tone of voice in which the chile
had said "Oh, don't l like prett.
things - had penetrated Miss Blif
kins's heart and touched her feelings
She slowly rose, unlocked an unused
box, and fumbling there q moment
brought forth thimble case, a needle
case, and q box of cotton. Now the
thimble case was work of art, a littl,
velvet box with gold edges, to initiate
the Bible. The thimble was spotles
silver, the needle case was quite as ar
tistic, and the box as pretty ant
bright as any child might desire.
"They're all I've got to remind III
that he lived and loved me-" murmur
: ed the thin little spinster, but then
: he was studying for the ministry
what wouldn't he have done to save
poor soul? Besides it ought to be
sacrifice, or it wouldn't be good TO
much. | will" and she went back t
her sewing with tender, beautiful
smile upon her face which if he saw
must have been beautiful in his sight
Two days after that wild Name.
came again. She had sedulousl
r mended her rags, but oh such memo
ing
"See here, Nancy" said Miss Bill
kins, and she displayed her treasures
"Oh amt they lovely - cried TIL
girl, with rapturous emphasis. g