The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-07


 her hands before her face. She shook with sobs; but when the boy began to cry bitterly she looked up and smiled through her tears and promised him that she would stay fas long as heaven would let her. Then she charged him earnestly never to tell her grandfather what had been said.
 "The birds sing again in the spring. thought Little Nell that evening as she looked at the setting sun. Spring! A beautiful and a happy time!"
 And so the winter came: and Little l Nell could go about only very slowly. Her grandfather. sensible through his dimmed mind of subtle and solemn change in her, followed her up and down. waiting till she should tire and l lean upon his arm. He would rise in the cold, dark nights to listen to her breathe in her sleep and crouched for hours by her bedside only to touch her l hand.
 When Mr. Trent and Kit set forth on their swift journey. impelled by eager 1 love. Little Nell was setting forth on a l 1 a love still greater Fast as the coach tore over England's highways, fast as the winter wind blew behind it as if to urge it on, that which was bearing Lit- tie Nell away was faster and more ur- gent far.
 1 When at last the travellers came to the little cottage late at night. they found | only the schoolmaster and a few old friends in the room. Whisperingly, on tiptoe. they guided the arrivals to the lit- tie room where Nell had dwelled The old man lay by her bed, holding her small, transparent hand.
 Her couchNwas dressed with some win- ter berries and green leaves, gathered from spot she used to favor. The traces of her early cares, her sufferings and fatigues, were all gone. Peace and perfect happiness were imaged in her tranquil beauty and profound repose.
 Dear, gentle, patient, noble Nell was dead. Her little bird-a poor slight thing that the pressure of finger would have crushed-was stirring nimbly in its cage; and the strong heart of it's child-mistress was mute and motion1ess forever.
 She had been dead two days They were dll dDOul hSI liiO lllilcs hiOWih6 that the end was drawing on. Some times she slept, and then they knew, by what she faintly uttered in her dreams. that they were of her wanderings with the old man. They were of no painful scenes, but of people who had helped and used them kindly, for she often saidi God bless youl" Waking, she never wandered in her mind but once, and then she spoke of beautiful music that she said was in the air. God knows. It may have been.
 Soon the bell rang it's remorseless toll for her, so young, so beautiful, so good. Along the crowded path they bore her, pure as the newly-fal1en snow that cov- cred 1t. whose day on earth had been, as feeting.
 Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dustl Many young hand dropped in It's little wreath, many stined sob was heard. The service done, the mourners stoop apart and the villagers gathered to look into the grave, before the stone should be replaced. One called to mind how he had seen her sitting in that very spot and how her books had fallen on her lap and she was gazing with a pensivs face into the sky. Another told how bold  she had been, for one so delicate; how she had never feared to enter the church alone at night, but had often climbed the tower stair with no more light than that of the moon-rays stealing through the loopholes. whisper went about among the oldest that she had seen and talked ] with angels.
 Gradually they withdrew and in time | Ize4 o1- sexton and the mourning friends. They saw the vault covered and the stone fixed down. Then, when the dusk of evening had come on and not a sound disturbed the sacred stiffness of the place, when the moon poured her light on tomb and mon- ument pillar and wall and arch, and on her quiet grave, they turned away and left the child with God.
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