The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-09-15

hope that he would win much more
than enough to repay her secretly.
Poor Nell was now in absolute ter
ror. She woke him that night and told
him of terrible dream, wherein she
saw men like him robbing those asleep.
She made him flee with her at once.
On and on they walked, farther and
farther from London. Finally they
came to smoky town. A poor work
man took the tired child In his arms
and led the way near the furnace room
or huge factory where they could
sleep warmly.
The poor girl was nearly exhausted,
but In the morning they pressed on
their journey. At last they saw ia
miliar form. The child screamed and
fell senseless at the feet of the school
master. He carried her gently into a
nearby inn, and there she gradually
recovered by means of stimulants, food
and rest.
The schoolmaster had received what
was to him princely appointment. He
had been given position paying thir-
ty-five pounds annually In a distant
town, and he was walking there. He
had loved Nell since he saw her and
begged them to go and live near him.
Entirely friendless, except for him,
they went gladly. Their new home was
in beautiful peaceful village. Nell
obtained position as caretaker of the
church, and they lived next door to
the schoolmaster.
Now the old mans servant, Kit, had
| obtained an excellent position near
home by being strictly honest in his
dealings with kind old man, Mr.. Gar
land. He had never lost his desire to
find and help Nell and her GRANDPA
ther.
A strange gentleman appears in the
story in search of the same personages.
He proves to be the old grandfather's
younger brother, who has lived abroad
many years. He has made much money
and has returned to share it with his
aged relative, who has now disap-
peared. After one unsuccessful jour-
ney, he found out where Nell and her
grandfather were living. Taking Kit
and Mr.. Garland along, the younger
brother Travelled to the village. They
arrived there late at night, but Kit
discovered the old man at once. He
asked for Nell, and her grandfather
said she was asleep. Then the younger
brother, Mr.. Garland, the schoolmas-
ter and an old man who had befriend-
ed Nell entered.
Poor Nell had been dead for two
days. "There upon her little bed she
lay at rest. No sleep so beautiful and
calm, so free from trace Of pain, so fair
to look upon. She seemed a creature
fresh from the hand Of God and wait
ing for the breath Of life; not one who
had lived and suffered DEATH" Worn
out by her long journey, her lack of
food, her exposure, and the anxiety for
her grandfather, she had never recov-
cred from the strain, although her last
days had been spent in perfect peace
and JOY.
The old man was found dead upon
her grave not long afterward.
How Kits honesty had once been
questioned because Of plot laid
against him by the wretched Quilp,
and his lawyer; how his innocence had
been proven through the testimony Of
the lawyers servant maid, a starved,
abused child; how the humorous Dick
Swiveller assisted in freeing Kit, and
how he was rewarded; how the horri-
BILE dwarf met well-deserved death
by drowning-all these side-lights to
the main story Of Little Nell are told
in Dickens own inimitable way. But
they must ever be regarded as mere ac-
cessories in the development Of the
short life history Of one Of the most
pathetic and lovable characters in our
literature.
Oh, mightiest master Of the pen of
English fiction, we thank thee for the
gift Of little Nell, to show us by her
love and innocence and faith how much
Of God may reside in humanity.
Copyright, 1919, by the Post Publishing
Co. (The Boston PosD. Copyright In the
United Kingdom, the Dominions, Its Col
onies and dependencies, under the copy
right act, by the Post Publishing Co.,
Boston, Mass, u. s. A. All rights re-
served.