The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

occupied by an old person who had kept the beys of the church and opened and closed it for services. This position, made vacant by her death, the schoolmaster had obtained for Nell
 The rooms were vaulted chambers that still retained in groined roofs and stone tracery the message of past grandeur. The child looked about her, and at her benefactor, and knew with happy tears that she had found the end of the long journey.
 Soon, though she was so quiet and so shy. they grew to love her in the simple place. The minister fell into the daily custom of speaking with her. Even the old sexton, selfish with age, lost something of his frost and frightened when Nell came into the churchyard.
 But among them all, minister. school master, villagers. half blind sexton, there was something that made their fondness , for the child a tender, almost awed feel ing, feeling dominated by solicitude and d compassionate regard for her. The very schoolboys, light hearted and thoughtless dS lttN were, ltil illlO llit iidbiA ol dShib [, for her at her lattice window on days when she failed ta be in her usual place in the graveyard or the church. Some feeling was abroad which raised the child above them all. She spent much of her time in the church, loving to wander in it's quiet aisles or to climb slowly to the tower top. She ,l; ft at r1ior 1srbc only moon rays stole through the old loop holes in the tower walls to light the winding stairs She had another occupa- tion, too-a strange one for child. Each day she went to the churchyard, and there, quiet and peacefully, she plucked the long grass and nettles from the tombs, smoothed the turf and cleared it of leaves and weeds.
 They noticed that when she began this
 work she began with the graves of chil- dren and young people; and more than cne when they thought of this, touched her cheek gently and spoke to her with softened voice.
 The time came when Little Nell. e&- hausted, had to lie whole evenings on a couch beside the fire. and one day boy, of whom she had grown very fond, came running to her with his eyes full of tears and clasped his little arms passionately around her neck
 She kissed him and looked at him won deringly.
 You must not be one, Nel!'' cried the | boy. We can't see them! They never come to play with us or talk to us,'' "I do not understand you" said Nell. "Tell me what you mean?''
 "They say" answered the boy, looking up into her face, that you will be an angel before the birds sing again. But you
 won't be- will you? Don't leave us, Nell,
 don't leave us!''
 l Nell dropped her head, and put her hands before her face. He tried to re- move them, but he could not, and sat | there, holding her hands and sobbing, un- til at last she looked up with smile and
 promised him that she would stay as long as God would let her.
 "The birds sing again in the spring. thought Little Nell, as she leaned at hel
 easement window that evening. Spring A beautiful and happy time.' l If she grieved she never murmured nol | complained. With quiet mind and man i ner .ouite unaltered save that every day 1 she became more gentle and more grate ful she fades like the tender light of g 1 long summer evening
 When they knew at last that the enc
 was drawing near, they were all abou
 her. In the earlier part of the night they road and talked to her, but as the hours crept on. she sank to sleep. They coult 1 fell bv what she faintly uttered in hel l dreams. that they were of her journey. l ings with tbe old man. They were of nc painful scenes, but of those who haf
 helped and used them kindly Waking
 she never wandered in her mind but once and that was when she spoke of beautiful
 music which she said was in the air. Coo knows It may have been. I
 Opening her eyes from very quie
 sleep, she begged that they would kiss
 her once again. That done. she turned tt the old man with smile upon her face
 such, they said, as they never had seer and never could forget-and clung witt both her arms around his neck. They die not know that she was dead, at first.