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WATCHING THE FISHING-BOATS. -Page 13. 



NELLIE NEWTON 



PATIEXCE AND PERSEYERAXCE. 




PUBLISHED BY THE 

AMERICAX TRACT SOCIETY, 

23 COnXIIILL, BOSTOX. 



Eeprinted from the London Religious Tract 
Society. 



KOCKWELL AND ROLLINS, 

I'KIXTURS AND STEREOTYPEKS, 

li'2 Washington St., Boston. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 



. CHAPTER 11. 
The dra\^'i>'g of the Seine • ... 16 

CHAPTER III. 
The Accident ...... 38 

CHAPTER lY. 
Tatiexce ....... 50 

CHAPTER Y. 
A NEW Friend ...... 59 

2052926 , 



IV CONTEXTS. 

CHAPTER VI. 

PAGE 

A Night on the Cliffs .... 73 

CILiPTER VII. 

Tnu Rescue 8G 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Old Job 97 

CHAPTER IX. 
Nellie's Surprise ..... 108 

CHAPTER X. 
The BiPvThday Gift ..... 128 



Is^ELLIE XEWTOT^ 



CHAPTER I. 

STIiOXXALE. 

fF yeVe no thin' better to do, Xellie 
Xewton, may be j^e'd run down to the 
/^Y shore, and look out for the boats' 
% comin' in, and it's just as like as not 
I may find a dab or two for ye by and 
by," said a big, brawny woman, coming 
out of a cottage door, and speaking to a 
little girl who happened to be passing at 
the moment. "I've a sight o' shrimps an' 
prawns here must be seen to, so you let 
mc know time enough to go down, like a 
good lass." 

"I will, if mother don't want me, Mrs. 
Xeale, and tell you the very minute the 



G KELLIE NEWTON. 

boats come round the Head. I'll go and 
see, and if I can't be spared, I'll let you 
know," she called back, as she ran ofl'. 
Mrs. Xeale stood, with arms a-kimbo, 
looking after the child, until she saw her 
dart out of her mother's cottage again, as 
fast as she had entered it, and, pointing 
towards the beach, disappear down the 
rocky pathway which led to it. 

Nellie Newton's native place, which we 
will call Stronnale, was a small fishing 
hamlet, lying picturesquely between the 
hisfh chalk cliffs which stood out on either 
side of a sheltered bay, on the south-west 
coast of England. The chief trade of 
this little place, in days gone by, was car- 
ried on mainly l^y the smugglers, who 
made that rugged coast their stronghold, 
and of whose daring exploits and cunning 
stratagems there is many an exciting talc 
yet told in that country side. 



smoxxALE, 7 

Stronnale Head is now surmounted, 
however, by the flag-staff of the coast- 
guard station, and the present inhabitants 
of the cottao-es are a noble race of men, 
not less hardy and brave than their fore- 
fathers, thou2'h en2:a£>'ed in a lawful and 
peaceable calling. A deep opening or 
cleft in the rocks formed a natui-al path 
upwards from the beach, which gradually 
widened out into a steep roadway, bounded 
on either side by rough pitching, with here 
and there a paving-stone, before the row 
of humble dwellings which formed the 
entire village. There was a rude quaint- 
ness and rough irregularity about the nar- 
row street upon which the gray, weather- 
beaten church tower had looked down for 
many a generation, which seemed to have 
imparted some of these characteristics to 
the manners and customs of the people 
who were born and bred there. A clear, 



8 NELLIE KEWTOy. 

sparkling stream gurgled over the uneven 
stones of the channel which kept it within 
hounds, as, running doAvn one side of the 
street, and turning a mill-wheel on the 
cliff, it fell headlong over its rugged face, 
and, sinking into the shingle, mingled, at 
length, its fresh waters with the ocean. 
There could he no question as to the trade 
carried on at Stronnale, as more thai/ one 
sense could testify, for nets were liung 
outside the cottage doors, and split fish 
were dried upon nails fastened to the wall, 
and fisher lads lounged ahout in their blue 
guernsej^s, and, above all, the very air 
itself was fishy. 

In days gone by, the occupation of the 
women, which was tliat of lace-making, 
would doubtless have called forth the dis- 
approbation of many good people, for even 
George Herbert advised that girls should 
not be taught it, calling it a " vain trade ; " 



STTiOXXALE. 9 

but no one finds any fault nowadays with 
the wives and daughters of the fishermen, 
who, while the boats are away upon the 
sea, sit in groups before their doors through 
the lono^ eveninirs, chattiu^* and laus^hinsr, 
as they work busily at the pillow on theii* 
knees. A few, however, like Mrs. Nealc, 
were fish-women, and made it their busi- 
ness to attend all the auctions on the beach, 
on the arrival of the boats, bargaining for 
the fish, which they afterwards carried in 
panniers on donkej'-back, for sale round 
the country for miles. 

One little shop was all Stronuale could 
boast, and a stranire medlev of articles 
could be obtained there, as might well be 
supposed; and though, it is true, the tal- 
low candles did not improve the taste of 
the bacon they hung by, nor did the tea 
become any the 1>etter for a mingled flavor 
of yellow soap and red herrings, imparled 



10 IsELLIE NEWTON. 

to it by their close quarters, still *'tlie 
shop " had its convenient aspect as well, 
for there was no other within three miles 
at least. Good house-keepers, neverthe- 
less, generally managed to purchase their 
stores at Waterton, a thriving, bustling 
little town a few miles to eastward, on the 
coast. 

Nellie Newton's mother was a lace- 
worker, and though not a first-rate hand, 
still contrived to eke o ut a scanty living by 
her earnings, with the addition of a day's 
work now and then at one of the neigh- 
boring farm-houses, on any occasional em- 
ployment that offered. She was a widow, 
having lost her good, brave husband and 
two well-s^rown sons in one of the fearful 
storms which so often sweep our shores, 
carrying sorrow and death into many a 
poor fisherman's home. Five little ones 
were left to her, for whose daily bread she 



STltOXXALE. 11 

toiled aud struggled, and hard work it was 
to fill so many hungry mouths ; hut though 
poor, all who knew her respected Mrs. 
Newton, and it was her great aim, with 
God's help, to bring up her children in 
right and honest w^ays. 

Xellie, the eldest girl, was not quite 
nine years old at the time our story begins ; 
but, thoughtful beyond her years, she 
already desired to become her mother's 
little helper, and longed for the time Aviien 
she would be able, by her own earnings, 
to add to the contents of the worn leather 
purse, which, as she well knew, was too 
often empty. We shall see in the course 
of the following pages, how far she was 
successful in surmountino' the difficulties 
that lay in her path, by " patient continu- 
ance in well-doing," in humble dependence 
on Him who has promised to make his 
strength perfect in his children's weakness. 



12 NELLIE NEWTON. 

When Nellie reached the beach on Mrs. 
Nealc's errand, she found her brothers, 
Jacob and Bill, there before her, and, de- 
lighted to have their companionship, con- 
trived to make herself very happy in build- 
ing up roimd towers and castles with the 
smooth pebbles, vying with each other as 
to who should raise the highest in defiance 
of the advancing tide, until Jacob, in all 
the dignity of his eleven j^ears, getting 
tired of such child's play, clambered up 
into a boat, that he might keep better look- 
out upon the sea. The boy's great ambi- 
tion had lono' been to wear a blue «:uern- 
sey, and sou'-wester, and to be a fisher-lad 
like others of his own age in the village ; 
but his mother, remembering the two who 
already slept beneath the waves, would 
not hear of it ; and for the present, though 
sorely against his will, he remained at 
school. 



STnOXXALE. 13 

"Here they be, Xcll ; here they be!" 
he cried at last, waviug his hand, and 
pointing out to seaward, in the direction 
of the Head. " You'd best run up and tell 
Mrs. Xealc right away, for she always likes 
to be the first when any thing's goin'." 

Xellie sped away like a bird with her 
tidings, while the boats came nearer and 
nearer, and dropped anchor one by one 
within the shelter of the little cove. Mrs. 
Xeale and one or two others were barely 
able to reach the shore before the brown 
sails had been all hauled in, and a small 
])oat landed the lobster pots which the fii'st 
contained. One of the fishermen, all of 
whom were wearv enousrh after their nin^ht's 
toil, proceeded to spread out a well-worn 
Int of taipaulin upon the shingle ; and on 
this, in a few moments, some twenty or 
thirty lobsters and crabs, of all agjes and 
sL^es, were yainly clawing and struggling 



14 NELLIE NEWTOy. 

against their untimely fate. Not the bright 
red lobsters of the fishmongers' shops, but 
speckled and dingy bluish-black fellows, 
with nippers opening and shutting in angry- 
defiance, and long antenn86 waving vicious- 
ly, enough to deter those from meddling 
with them who are unaccustomed to such 
hostile demonstrations. The sprawling 
crabs, too, made desperate but iucfi'ectiial 
efforts to turn over and slide slyly back 
into their native element, as the tide came 
curling in over the shingle, leaving bits of 
red sea-weed and wrack and bright wet 
stones not far from them. But alas for the 
poor captives when once Mrs. Neale's 
knowing glance rested upon them, or 
Nancy Bidgway's, or old John Cotter's, for 
in five minutes they were all disposed of, 
and safely stowed away to make room for 
the next lot the men were bringing up 
from the boats. 



STnOXXALE. 15 

Mrs. Xcale, as good as her Tvord, found 
some fish for Xellie, who ran home with 
her prize, quite proud of having earned a 
dinner for that day at least ; and very soon 
after the beach was deserted by all, save 
the sea-gull which wheeled overhead, or 
found a resting-place in the lonely, weath- 
er-beaten cliiTs about the bay. 



CHAPTER n. 

THE DEAWIXG OF THE SEIXE. 

WOOT)ER, NelHc," said Mrs. Xew- 
ton one day, "if ye're fit to be trusted 
to go into the town, and do my mar- 
^ keting. I've a deal to busy me to- 
day, and 'twould be a real help. But 
there, ye're sueh a child, I don't think I 
dare send you." 

"Oh do, do, mother!" cried Xcllie, 
with sparkling eyes ; "I'm sure I could go 
for you. Why, Rachel Enticott goes 
every week for her mother, and Hannah 
Gosling, and ever so many more ! " 

"Ay," said Mrs. Newton, "and what 
did I hear t'other day about Rachel Enti- 

IG 



THE DBA WING OF THE SEIXE. 17 

cott, — that she lost a crown-piece for her 
mother; but there, I've uo crown-piece for 
you to lose, so take your bonnet, and the 
basket, and I'll send you this time ; but 
mind you don't forget any thing you'ye 
ii'one after." 

*'Xo, that. I won't, mother," cried the 
child, quite proud to be of some use ; "111 
make haste, and be home again in no time, 
and bring every thing back safe, if you'll 
tell me what you want." So Xellie was 
despatched to ^Vaterton with sundry 
errands, and she set off as flist as her little 
legs could cany her, feeling a very impor- 
tant person indeed, with her mother's big 
marketing basket on her arm. She had 
not gone very flir, however, before Jacob 
met her. "Holloa ! " said he, " why, Xell, 
^vhere are you off to ? " 

" I'm going to the town to do mother's 
shopping," said XcUic, posting on, for she 
remembered her promise not to loiter. 



18 NELLIE NEWTON. 

" I say, stop a bit," said Jacol3 ; *^ what 
are you in such a hurry for ? I think I'll 
come too. I've got nothing better to do." 

" Yery well," said Nell, " but you mustn't 
hinder me ; " and the two went on together. 

Nellie was in high spirits, and when 
they neared Waterton, she began to count 
up her errands on her fingers, to make 
sure of forgetting none. The shopping 
took some time, but at last all was finished, 
and tea and sugar and butter, and a host 
of smaller packets, were stowed safely 
away in the basket, before they set out on 
their homeward trudge. "That's a good 
girl," said Mr. Gould, the grocer (w^ho 
was a good-natured man, and had a num- 
ber of little ones of his own) , as he helped 
her to pack them all in ; " now make haste 
liome to mother, and here's a handful of 
raisins for you and Jacob there." Nellie 
thanked him, with her best courtesy, and 



THE DUAiriXG OF THE SEIXE, 19 

liiirriecl out to look for Jacob, who had 
ah'cady left the shop. She fouud hmi out- 
side, talking to a group of lads iu the 
street, and giving his sleeve a tug, dis- 
played her raisins. "I say, Xell, how did 
you come by 'em? " said he. 

"Mr. Gould gave 'em to me," saidXel- 
lie ; " but, Jacob, give me a hand with the 
basket ; it's a'most too heavy for me to 
carry." 

"Come along, then," said Jacob, for the 
raisins had coaxed him into an oblinins: 
humor ; " but, I say, look at 'em all a-run- 
ning down to the beach ! I do believe 
there's fish in the bay ; let's go down and 
see." 

" I'd a' like to," said Xellic, " but it's out 
of our way a good l)it, is it not ? " 

" Oh, never mind that," replied he ; " it'll 
be such fun, and 111 help you home with 
the things." 



20 KELLIE XEWTOX. 

It certainly was a great attraction to a 
iishermaji's childrcu, and it always is a 
pleasant sight to see the liberal reward of 
dangerous toil. But Nellie had promised 
her mother not to loiter, and the thought 
of this crossed her mind ; but she said, 
"Sure, mother wouldn't mind their seeing 
the seine drawn ; and may be they'd get a 
few little fish, if the haul was good." 

So, forgetting how easily harm may hap- 
pen when one is not strictly careful, away 
went the children with the rest to the 
shore. True enough, the mackerel were 
in the bay, and a pretty sight it was. The 
long rays of the afternoon sun glinted 
across the sea, which was very smooth, 
and only betrayed the presence of the 
shoal by a peculiar ripple, which, though 
hardly to be noticed by a chance observer, 
every fisherman knows well. 

On the beach all was excitement and 



THE Dr.AjnSG OF THE SEiyE. 21 

commotion, for already a crovrd had col- 
lected, awaiting the boats which were now 
returning to land, bringing in the seine, or 
large draw-net, which is used in shoal 
jQshing. To this very mode of fishing our 
blessed Saviour made reference in his par- 
able of the draw-net, which from its large 
size encircles the whole shoal within it, 
and gathers all kinds of fish, " both bad 
and good." This, when it was full, men 
drew to shore, and sat down and gathered 
the good into vessels, but cast the bad 
away ; so now, as soon as our fishermen 
catch sight of the mackerel, they row out, 
dropping the net around them, which, 
beinsr weia'hted with lead, falls to the bot- 
tom of the sea, while on the surface it 
is supported with corks, and then the ends 
are dragged towards the shore, where it 
is soon hauled up by numbers of willing 
hands, each of vrhom claims a share of the 



22 KELLIE XElFTOy. 

contents, in return for the assistance ren- 
dered. Sometimes the " takes " of fish in 
this way are very frequent and exceedingly 
large, but the season of which we speak 
had been an unusually bad one, and this 
was the first time the mackerel had appeared 
in the bay ; hence, on this occasion, there 
was even more interest manifested than 
usual. 

"Hurrah!" cried Jacob, "we're Justin 
time to see the seine drawn ; I thought as 
much. Oh, that's capital ! " Jacob only 
shared the general feeling of joy, for a 
good haul of mackerel or herrings is the 
fisherman's harvest, upon which ho depends 
for his daily bread, as much as the farmer 
does on the yellow sheaves of wheat and 
barley which ripen on our fields and up- 
lands ; nor must we forget that it is the 
same good hand of God, which has so 
abundantly replenished the waters for our 



THE DnAWING OF THE SEIXE. 23 

use, that also clothes the earth iu its goldcu 
robe of harvest. Surely, we may well 
say, " O Lord, how manifold are thy 
works ! Iu wisdom hast thou made them 
all ; the earth is full of thy riches. So is 
this great and wide sea, wherein are things 
creeping iimumerable, both small and 
great." 

Groups of people were standing about 
near the point for which the boats were 
maldng, and as they were still a good way 
out, the children wandered some little dis- 
tance along the beach. The tide was com- 
ing in, and they went so close to the edge 
that the water splashed over their feet, 
when, to their surprise and delight, a 
stronger wave than usual threw up a quan- 
tity of tiny glittering fish, which quivered 
and leaped upon the shingle, as the retreat- 
ing wave left them, high and dry, out of 
their natural element; and at almost the 

2* 



24 NELLIE NEWTOX. 

same moment a silveiy line along the shore 
showed that numbers more had been 
stranded. Here, then, was the cause of 
the shoal of mackerel in the bay, a large 
portion of which was at that very time in- 
closed in the bag of the great net, which 
was fast being drawn in. They had ven- 
tured close in shore, driving the sprats 
before them into shallow water, which then 
fell an easy spoil to their stronger com- 
rades of the sea; and as the children 
scanned the water more narrowly, they 
could see the bright hues of the larger fish, 
mingled with the silvery whiteness of their 
tiny prey, which they pursued Avith the 
greatest eagerness, while they themselves 
were falling unwitting victims to their own 
voracity. 

"Oh, Jacob," — "Oh, Nell," cried both 
at once, "only see the sprats! What a 
lot we can pick up ; and won't mother bo 
glad!" 



THE DEA WIXG OF THE SEINE. 25 

"Yes," said Nellie, as she gatlicred them 
into her pinafore, as fast as the little slip- 
pery fish would let her; "but wherever 
shall we put 'cm all ! I can't carry manj^ 
like this." 

"Didn't mother put a cloth in the basket," 
said Jacob, "that we could take? That 
would hold a good lot." 

"So she did," answered Nellie; "Td 
quite forgot ; " and setting the basket on 
the ground, she hastily pulled it out, and 
in doing so, displaced a good many of the 
packages. It took some minutes to re- 
arrange them, and by the time they had 
picked up enough of the sprats, which 
tempted them on further and further at 
every step, they had gone some way from 
Waterton. 

" Holloa ! " cried Jacob at last, looking 
in the direction of the town, "they've 
brought in the seine, and we'll be too late, 
if we don't hurry." 



26 NELLIE NEWTON. 

"But, Jacob, whatever shall we do with 
the basket now ? It'll be too heavy to take 
it all the waj^ back, with the sjarats be- 
sides." 

In Xellie's secret heart there was a strug- 
gle going on between duty and inclination. 
She felt she ought to hasten home with her 
mother's goods, as she had promised; but 
then the seine and the mackerel and the 
auction, — how much she would miss if she 
did not return ; besides, Jacob woidd cer- 
tainly go without her ; and Duty's voice 
waxed fainter and fainter, as Inclination 
gained an easy victory. Jacob, meanwhile, 
looked puzzled, but he was only thinking 
how best to dispose of the basket. " I'll 
tell you what," said he, at length, as a bright 
idea struck him, "we'll hide it np there, 
mider the cliif ; there's no one a-passing, so 
that it'll be quite safe, while we run back 
and look at the haul." 



TRE DRAWIXG OF THE SEIXE. 27 

It was uo sooner said than it was done ; 
and having managed to secure their treas- 
ures pretty efieetually amongst the bram- 
bles which trailed in wild luxuriance under 
the rocks, they hastened back to the town. 
The seine had been emptied, by basketful 
after basketful, of many-colored, glittering 
mackerel, and on the beach lay a goodly 
heap, which the fishermen were busily en- 
gaged in sorting from the John Dorys, red 
mullet, conger eels, and other fish, which, 
having been found in company with the 
hungry shoal, had been taken in the same 
net. The beautiful chanoinor tints of the 
fish were touched with a deeper glow by 
the last beams of the evening sun, liow 
rapidly sinking behind the clifi', which 
made their hues more lovely still, and 
lighted up the eager faces of the men and 
women who stood around, awaiting the 
sale by auction, which always takes place 



28 NELLIE XEWTOy. 

Oil such occasions. The time passed quick- 
ly, as the children lingered amongst the 
crowd. 

" It's a famous haul, John Cotter," said a 
fish-woman, close to Nellie. 

" Ay, ay," said the old man ; "thousands, 
more or less, I'll be bound — and more 
where these come from. Holloa, young- 
sters," added he, suddenly spying Jacob 
and Nellie, " you here, this time of the day ? 
If ye take my advice, ye'll make the best 
o' your ways home, for it's gettin' late, and 
your mother '11 be on the lookout for 'ee." 

"All right," said Jacob. "Good even- 
ing, Mr. Cotter ; come along, Nell ; we may 
as well be going." 

They soon reached the spot where the 
basket was, and dragging it out of its 
hiding-place, trudged along the wearisome 
shingle towards home. 

The shortest way to Stronnale was Ijy a 



THE nnjiriycr of the setxe, 20 

very steep ascent up the side of the clilT, 
which was much overgi'OTvn at this spot 
"with a tangled mass of scnibljy blackthorn 
and brambles ; then turning to the left, it 
wound along the coast-guard's path at. a 
giddy height above the sea, until a sudden 
dip brought the foot-passenger into the 
villas^e. It was hard work to climb with 
their load, and Jacob went first, holding 
one handle, while Nellie, with her bundle 
of sprats on her arm, came behind, trying 
hard to take her share of the weight. 

" Oh, what a bother the basket is ! " said 
Jacob, after they had gone a few steps ; "so 
heavy as it is, too ! Let's see if we can't 
carry it easier somehow," and he dived his 
hand into his pocket for a piece of strong 
twine. "There, I thou^rht I had somethinsc 
that would soon settle that business," add- 
ed he, brinninGT out a bit of old cord ; "so 
here goes." He tied it iirmlv to one handle. 



80 KELLTE XEJFTOy. 

and lioistin^^ it over his shoulder, went on 
lip the cliff; but by this plan poor little 
Kellie had the worst of the bargain, for the 
greater part of the burden fell back upon 
her. She toiled manfully on, until at 
Icnirth her stren<2rth was fast failin*?. 

" Oh, Jacob, don't 'ee go on so fast, 
don't ! It's ever so much heavier for me 
now, and I can't keep up," said she, pant- 
ing for breath. 

" Oh, what a bother it is ! " said Jacob 
again, giving an impatient tug, when, all 
at once, snap went the cord, aAvay went 
sugar and butter and tea, bump, bump, 
bump doAvn the cliff, with the basket 
helter-skelter after them ; while poor Nel- 
lie, upset by the sudden shock, found her- 
self lodged m the middle jof a furze-bush, 
grovring close to the path, which probably 
saved her from a much worse tuml)lc. 

Jacob stood aghast witli open mouth at 



THE DUAJTIXG OF THE SEIXE, 31 

lliG mischief he had caused, and Xelllo 
burst into tears as she picked herself up. 

"Oh! eTacob, Jacob, whatever shall we 
do ? The things are all tumbled out of the 
basket, and they'll all be spoilt. Oh ! dear, 
dear, what will mother say ? " 

"Pm sure I can't tell," said the boy; 
"but there, don't take on so, Xell ; let's see 
if we can pick 'em up again." 

"Oh, I w4sh you'd never a'thought on 
that nasty string, that I do ! " said she, 
sobbing. 

"Well," said Jacob, beginning to wdiim- 
per too, " I'm sure it an't my fault it broke. 
It's as much your doin's as mine, for you 
let go ; but there, what's the use o' cry- 
ing," — restraining his own tears with an 
efFoi-t, — "let's see what's to be done." 
"With heavy hearts they retraced their 
steps ; but, alas ! alas I the remains were 
scarcely worth picking up. The sugar was 



82 . NELLIE NEWTOX. 

all scattered about, the tea was sown broad- 
cast over the cliff, and the butter they 
found at last in the middle of a clay pud- 
dle, at the foot of the rocks. 

The children looked at each other in 
mute dismay, and were so absorbed in their 
troubles, that they did not hear a light foot- 
step behind them, nor discover that they 
were not alone, until a hand was laid on 
Nellie's shoulder, and a kind voice asked, 
" What's the matter, my little gu'l ? You 
seem to be very unhappy." 

Nellie's tears broke out afresh, and the 
lady turned to Jacob for an explanation. 
He, in his turn, looked very sheepish, and 
began scraping the shingle with his foot. 

"Please, ma'am, weVe been and spilt 
mother's things." 

" But what were you doing, my boy ? " 

" Only a-going up the path," said Jacob. 

" "Was it an accident then, or how did it 
happen?" asked the lady. 



THE DRAWiya OF THE SEIXE. 33 

"Please, ma'am," said Nellie, getting the 
better of her tears, " we were going home 
with mother's basket full of things, and 
Jacob tied a string to it — and it broke — 
and I fell amoni? the bushes — and it's all 
spoilt — and, oh dear ! " she added, with a 
fidtering voice, "whatever shall we do?" 

"And what is this you have here, my 
dear?" 

" It's sprats, ma'am, that we've just pick- 
ed up on the shore," and Nellie untied the 
cloth. 

"And so you were sent to do your 
mother's vshopping for her ? — but what is 
her name, for you have not told me?" 

" She's widow Newton, as lives at Stron- 
nale," said Jacob, taking courage. 

" Oh, indeed," said the lady ; " so you 
are Mrs. NcAvton's children, are you? Well 
my dear," added she, turning to Nellie, 
" I know your mother, and you may tell 



34 KLLLIE XElVTOy. 

her that Miss Laiigton is coming to see her 
to-morrow ; but stay, I think I should like 
to have some of your sprats, if you will 
give me a few in this little basket." 

"Oh yes, ma'am," said IN^ellie, with a 
smile on her tearful face ; and putting 
some nice fresh grass at the bottom, she 
laid in the sprats, one by one, and quite at 
the top slipped in a small mackerel, which 
both the children had considered a prize a 
little while before. 

" Thank you," said Miss Langion. "Now 
will you carry this half-crown home safely 
to your mother, and tell her that I paid for 
the fish with it? and I hope," she added 
with a smile, as she wished the children 
good-by, "that you will meet no further 
mishaps by the way." 

They both thanked the kind lady as well 
as they could, and then hastened home. 

"Vv^ell," said Mrs. Newton, when she 



THE DnAWIXG OF THE SEIXE. o<} 

heard their story, "I cau't he angry with 
ye, for 'twas an accident, though ye had no 
business to loiter; but indeed, children, 
'tis a loss I could ill a' borne ; and I'm very 
thankful to the lady for her kindness. Ay,"' 
she added, reverently, as a tear started to 
her eye, "and to the God of the fatherless 
and the widow, who put it into her heart 
to doit ; for evervirood s^ift comes from him. 
I do believe he'll never leave nor forsake 
them that put tlieir trust in him ; but, Xel- 
lie, let this be a caution to ye, my lass, to 
be doubly careful in the future ; for, mind, 
we can't expect always to meet with kind 
friends — leastways when it's our own 
wrong: doin's as brins; the trouble." 

"And oh ! mother," said Xellie, present- 
ly, "I did mean to be such a help to you, 
and now I'm afraid you'll never trust mo 
again." 

"Xay, child," replied Mrs. Xewtou, 



36 KELLIE KEWTOy. 

"3^011 arc but young yet, and may bo tliis'll 
be a lesson to make ye more cautious for 
the time to come, as I said before. Any- 
how ye know now it an't always so easy to 
do right as it seems to be ; but you keep 
straight on in the good way, and, with 
God's help, I hope, one day ye'll be fit to 
be trusted- with greater things than my 
Saturday marketings." 

Jacob, who stood by, listening to her 
words, looked rather uncomfortable, for he 
remembered that he had induced Nellie to 
remain longer on the beach than she wished, 
and, moreover, that it was his impatient 
tug at the luckless cord which had really 
caused the disaster. 

"Mother," said he, hanging his head, — 
for thoughtless though he might be, he was 
neither imtruthful nor ungenerous, — "it 
wasn't Nell's fault, that it wasn't. 'Twas 
all along o' that old rope I tied to the 



THE DliAJVIXG OF THE SEISE. 37 

basket to get it up the clifT, or 'twould 
never a' been." 

"Well, Jacob, I'm glad you're not the 
one to let the blame rest where it shouldn't ; 
but we'll all have to suffer for it, for 'tis but 
a poor supper we'll have to-night. But 
there, I'll cook some o' the sprats for ye, 
and w^e'll say no more about it." 

It was, perhaps, a trifling incident in it- 
self, but Xellie never forgot, when she was 
tempted to idle instead of patiently perse- 
vering in her appointed work, that even- 
ing's adventure with Jacob \\]} Stronnalo 
cM\ 




CHAPTER m. 

TIIE ACCIDENT. 

IISS LxlXGTOX kept her promise, 
and T\'hen she came next day, 

^^^ Mrs. Xewton thanked her very 
gratefully for her kindness. 

" How have you been getting on since I 
saw 3'ou last, Mrs. ISTewton?" said she. 

"Well, ma'am, jiretty middling, at times, 
and then again it goes hard with us ; but 
I've no need to complain, for we've never 
yet wanted bread, and I trust the Lord vrill 
l^rovide." 

" And are you able to send the children 
to school regularly ? " 

"Jacob and the three little ones go, 
ma'am, but I'm forced to keep Nellie at 

88 



THE ACCJDLXT. oU 

home, for she's able to help me a good bit 
now, and it takes more nor I can spare to 
send 'cm all." 

"I supi^ose you can read, however, Xel- 
lie?" said uMiss Langton, turning to the 
child. 

^' Yes, ma'am," answered Xellie. 

"AVell, then," said the lady, taking a 
little book out of the bag in her hand, "let 
me hear if you can read this." Xellie 
blushed very much, but did as she was 
told, and ]Miss Langton was so pleased 
that she gave her the book for her o\\ti. 
" Do you think you could spare your little 
girl to come to me twice a week for a les- 
son, Mrs. Xe^^i:on? I intend remaining 
here for some months, and it seems a pity 
she should forget all her schooling. Per- 
haps by that time you may be able to send 
her again." 

"I'm sure, maam, 3'ou're very kind : I 



40 NELLIE NEWTON. 

could spare her well enough, if you're so 
good as to take the trouble," replied her 
mother. 

"Yerywell, then, Nellie, come up to- 
morrow morning, and I will see on what 
days I can have you most conveniently," 
and after a little more kind and pleasant 
conversation, Miss Langton took her leave. 
And so it came about that every Tuesday 
and Friday morning, for two or three sum- 
mers, Nellie trotted off to kind Miss Lang- 
ton's house, who taught her many useful 
things ; but above all, she read the Bible 
with her, and explained it so simply and 
clearly that she soon learned to like that 
part of her lesson best. 

Nellie Newton was an intelligent child, 
as Miss Langton quickly discovered. Her 
mother, being a superior woman for her 
station in life, had alwa3^s endeavored to 
train her children carefully, and to shield 



THE AC C IB EXT. 41 

them as much as possible from evil influ- 
ences. They were all, therefore, more 
mannerly than most of their companions ; 
but it was iu Nellie that the effects of her 
care could be traced more particularly. 
Her kind friend was so pleased with her 
progress that, when she was about twelve 
years old, she had a scheme in her mind 
for placing her little scholar with Miss New- 
man, the school-mistress at Stronnale, as a 
pupil teacher, when she herself left the 
neighborhood that autumn, thinking that 
by this means Nellie might become iu time 
veiy useful and influential for good, as well 
as a great comfort and assistance to her 
mother. But it is much more easj' for us 
to make plans for the future than to carry 
them out ; for truly " we know not what a 
day," or even a single houi', "may bring 
forth." 
It was haying time, and one delicious 

3* 



42 K EL LIE XEWTOX. 

cvcnins;, T\'hcn half the yilla2:c had turned 
out into the fields, ]Mrs. Xewton gave Nel- 
lie leave to take the little ones — Esther, 
Mercy, and Bill — for a romp amongst the 
hay-cocks. Off went the children, as mer- 
rily as possible, and as they were passing 
farmer Trott's yard, they met Job Mutter, 
the carter, coming out vvith the empty 
wagon. 

" Oh, Job, do let us have a ride, do ! " 
cried the children, running up to him. 
Job was a good-natured old man, as one 
could see by the twinkle of his gray eye 
when he said, " Don't know as I shall : 
what can 3'oungsters like 3'ou want a ride 
for, I"d a like to know?" 

" Oh yes, you will. Job ; you know you 
always do ; " and sturdy little Bill caught 
hold of the tail-board of the Vv'agou, as 
though his feeble arm could check the 
great strong horses. 



THE AC C ID EXT. 43 

"Xow tlieu, have a care little uu — well, 
I s'pose I must let 'ee this time," said Job, 
as he lifted them in. "There now, don't 
'ee bother me any more, but bide still like 
good children." 

On went the wagon over the rough 
stones, past the church, up the lane into 
the field, while the sweet scent of the hay 
was Vv^afted to them on the evening ah'. 
Every thing seemed beautiful and bright 
and joyous, and the childi-en's voices 
sounded cheerful and pleasant as they 
shouted in their glee, when a crack of the 
whip caused the horses to turn too sharply 
up the steep hill-side, and in a moment, 
before Job could stop them, the wagon was 
upset. It might happen twenty times on 
those rugged hills, and little harm be done, 
and so Job hoped it might be now ; but 
when a moan of irreat sufierin<? fell on his 
car, as he hastened to the children's aid, 



44 NELLIE NEWT02T. 

his worst fears were aroused, and he called 
to the haj-makers in the field to come to his 
help. Quickly they righted the overturn- 
ed wagon, and there lay poor Nellie, al- 
most insensible, with her leg dreadfully 
crushed between the great broad wheel and 
a bit of rock, which cropped out at that 
particular spot. The little ones, more 
frightened than hurt, croAvded round, cry- 
ing bitterly as they listened to her low 
moans, and many an exclamation of sorrow 
and sympathy was uttered by those who 
tenderly lifted the suffering child from the 
ground, to place her on the hurdle which 
had been hastily brought from a sheepfold 
near at hand. Very gently they carried 
her back to the village, followed by the 
crowd, which quickly gathers on such oc- 
casions, for Nellie was a favorite with them 
all ; but at the first movement she fainted 



THE ACCIDEXT. 45 

quite aTvay, and remained uuconscious for 
a long time. 

Tidings of the accident had already 
reached ]\Irs. Xewton when the mournful 
procession, with the still and apparently 
lifeless form of little Xellie, arrived at her 
door. 

" She's killed — she's dead ! — my little 
lass is dead ! " cried the poor mother in an 
ai^fonv of £rrief, as they brousfht her in. 

"Xo, no! my good woman," said the 
doctor, who was fortunately near the spot 
at the moment, "not so bad as all that, let 
us hope. Xow, my friends," added he, 
turnins: to the well-meanino^ but officious 
nciirhbors who were crowdinsr after him 
into the little room, "the greatest kindness 
you can do is to give the poor child plenty 
of air ; and if some of you could take 
these little ones, and keep them out of the 
way, while I see what's to ])e done, it 



4:Q XELLIE NEWTOy. 

might be of some real use ; " saying vrliicli, 
he turned them all, without further cere- 
mony, out of the cottage — all but Job, who 
had quietly taken up his station at the foot 
of the bed where they had laid little Nell, 
looking the -picture of woe, and saying 
over and over again to himself, while the 
tears ran dov,ai his furrowed cheeks, " Poor 
little lass I poor little lass ! and it's been 
all my doin's. I'd a' give my right hand, 
if it hadn't a' happened." 

Alas ! alas ! it was a terrible crush ; and, 
after a careful examination, Dr. Goodo- 
nough was obliged to tell the poor woman 
that he feared it would be impossible to 
save the injured limb. 

"Oh, sir," cried Mrs. Kewton, "can't 
you do nothing to save it ? — must it really 
be taken off? My poor, poor child'll be a 
cripple for life ! " 

" Better so than lose her altoo-ctlier, 



TTIE ACCIDEXT. 47 

tboiigli," replied the doctor. "But how- 
ever, I shall be more able to judge to-mor- 
row, and, in the mean time, not a word of 
this to the child. In her present state I 
could not answer for the consequences ; 
and it would be only cruel to alarm her, 
when she need know nothing of it until it 
is over." 

A slioiit movement told that Nellie misfht 
be returning to consciousness, and, putting 
his finger to his lips to enjoin silence, he 
bent again over the child. 

" Where am I ? what's happened ? " she 
feebly whispered, and then, as she became 
sensiljle to the intense pain, she closed her 
eyes again with a shudder of recollection. 

"There, my little girl, we shall do very 
well now, only you must lie quite still, and 
try to bear the pain as patiently as you can," 
said the kind-hearted doctor. The strange 
voice roused her aijain, and she looked 



48 NELLIE NEWT OX. 

round, evidently seeking her mother. 
"Mother," she said faintly, "mother, where 
arc 3'ou? Were the children hurt?" 

"jSTo, no," answered the doctor again, 
seeing Mrs. Newton was much agitated, 
and speaking for her. "There's no one 
hurt but yourself, my poor child , and we'll 
soon have you well again, I hope ; but noAV 
you must talk no more. Do you give her 
the medicine according to my directions, 
Mrs. Newton ; and be sure she's kept very 
quiet. I'll look in again b}' and by, to see 
how she's going on." 

" Oh ! mother," said Nellie again, as soon 
as he had gone, " the pain is very bad ; but 
God will help me to bear it. You ask him, 
mother, to give me patience." 

It was a sad sight to see the little suf- 
ferer, so gentle and resigned ; and poor old 
Job, who, for a long time could not be 



THE ACCinrxT. 49 

persiiadec! to leave her, learned a lesson 
that night of submission to the will of God, 
which he never forgot. It was the good 
seed of Miss Langlon's teaching, bearing 
fruit in the hour of Xellie's trial. 



CHAPTER IV. 

PATIENCE. 



(^: 



^^HE morrow came, and with it tlio 
^^^ doctor, who fomid no reason to 
Wfs ^Iter his opinion that it was neces- 

S saiy for poor Xeliie to lose her 
limb. It would be needless for us to dwell 
on the j)ainful details of the operation. 
Suffice it to say, that under the influence 
of chloroform, that great boon which God 
has bestowed to lessen the agonies of hun- 
dreds of poor sufferers in similar circum- 
stances, it was performed without the slight- 
est consciousness on the part of the little 
patient, who was thus spared all the torture 
of anticipation, and the actual pain. 

When she awoke, it was some time 

50 



PATIEXCE. 51 

before she could evcu believe it was over, 
for, curiously enough, the sensation of the 
injured foot and ancle remained long after 
the limb was removed. But Xcllie's trial 
was not over. It was some weeks before 
she could move from one position, and 
much pain and weakness attended her slow 
and tedious recovery. During this weary 
time, her kind friend. Miss Langton, came 
to see her very constantly, and often 
brought nice books and pictures for her 
amusement. 

" Oh, mother," she said one day when 
another lady sent her a beautiful basket of 
fruit, '' how good God is to put it into their 
hearts to be so kind to me ! " 

But Xellie was not always patient. The 
long confinement to bed became very irk- 
some to her, and she was often u-ritable 
and cross ; for we all have the bitter root 
of sin lying deep down in our hearts, one 



52 NELLIE XETFTOy. 

sad result of which is pain and suffering ; 
and it is only through constant Tvatchfuhicss 
and lighting against it, that God by the 
grace of his Holy Spirit enables us to over- 
come, in any degree, the evil within. ^Ve 
should watch and pray at all times, and 
look to Jesus as our best example of pa- 
tient endurance of sorrow and grief. It 
will never entirely cease to trouble us until 
we are called to his glorious home above, 
where nothinsf that is sinful can enter. 

The cottage was small, and it was diffi- 
cult for the little ones always to bear in 
mind that poor Nellie was hardly able to 
endure the noise of then- healthy play, es- 
pecially when it constantly reminded her 
that she could never again hope to join in 
their merry games. 

" I wonder you can't remember that such 
a noise always makes my head ache," she 
said once, peevishly, "It's very well for 



PATIEXCE. 53 

you "vvlio can run about and enjoy your- 
selves, while I have to lie here day after day 
— be quiet, do ! " Her conscience smote her 
for her impatience a moment after, when 
Esther, who was a sweet-tempered child, 
ran up to her, saying, " Oh, Nell, I'm sor- 
ry ; I didn't mean to make your head ache ; " 
and when the romps presently became as 
boisterous as ever, she checked the hasty 
vrords which were rising to her lips. Poor 
little Xell ! it was hard discipline for one 
so young ; but trials are never sent without 
some wise and good purpose, though often 
we cannot see the "need be," when our 
cherished plans are all broken up. 

Patience was the one great lesson which 
Xellie learned durmg her illness. It was 
not alwaj's easy to be patient, — far from it, 
— for by nature our hearts are ever fretting 
against that which crosses our wayward 
vrills, and Nellie found it so ; but the 



54 NELLIE KEWTOX. 

^YGarisome clays and long nights of pain, 
^vllilc she lay on her sick-bed, were God's 
way of teaching her ; and though it was 
very hard at the time, yet in after days she 
could look back and say, " It is good for 
me that I have been afflicted." 

One day she was thinking of her crip- 
pled state, when Miss Langton came in, 
who immediately noticed the troubled look 
of the little wan face, and determined to 
find out the cause. 

" When does the doctor think you may 
begin to get about again, Nellie?" 

" He says it will not be long now, ma'am, 
if I go on as well as I am at present," 
answered Nellie. 

" That will be a pleasant change for you, 
after lying still so long ; " but Nellie did 
not reply, and large tears gathered slowly 
in her eyes. She was thinking hoiu chang- 
ed every thing would be 



PATIENCE, 55 

along the shore with Jacob ; no more 
races down the hill-side with the mcny 
healthy village children . for her — and,- 
above all, no more hope of going to ser- 
vice, and coming home now and then, to 
lay the carefully-treasurcd-up wages in her 
mother's lap. 

"It will bo a trial, ioo^ in some respects, 
my child," Miss Langton went on ; " but 
try and look at the bright side as t\-g11. 
IIow mercifully your life has been spared ; 
and then, how much you may yet be able 
to do for yom^ mother, even though it is 
God's will that you should be lame." 

"Oh ! ma'am," replied Xellie, "how can 
that be ? Yrho would ever employ a poor 
cripple like me ? I shall be nothing but a 
trouble and burden to i3oor mother, all my 
days!" 

"Xay, Xellie," 3'ou speak now without 
thinking, my child," said ]\Iiss Langton. 



56 NELLIE NEWTOX. 

"How many occupations there are which 
your lameness Avill never interfere with — 
lace-making for iiistance. If you had lost 
your right arm now, how much more diffi- 
cult it would have been to find ways of 
employment for you ! " 

"I never thought of that," said Nellie. 
" Oh, I'm afraid I've been very wicked, and 
forgetful of God's goodness to me. I'm 
sure, ma'am, I never can thank you enough 
for all 3'ou've taught me." 

"Well, Nellie, do you remember the 
circumstance which led to our acquaint- 
ance ? " 

"Oh, yes," said Nellie, smiling; "how 
often I've thought of it since ! It seems so 
long ago, now ! " 

" You were in trouble then, great trouble 
it seemed to you at the time — and yet 
good has come out of it, Nellie." 

"Indeed it has, ma'am," she replied, 



PATIENCE. 57 

earnestly ; " I never knew how much I 
owed to you until I came to lie here. It 
was you who first showed me my need of 
forgiveness, and taught me to know and 
love my Saviour. Oh, how can I ever 
thank you ! " 

" It was the Holy Spirit's teaching, my 
dear Xellie, not mine," said Miss Langton, 
much touched ; " but I was going to say, 
how often things which seem in themselves 
to be only evil, are made to be the very 
links in the chain of God's providence to 
bring about some great good. You remem- 
ber the verse, ^All things work together 
for good to them that love God,' and so it 
may be now. The day Avill come, I have 
no doubt, when you vrill be able to thank 
God for this very trial, which now seems 
so heav}\" 

Nellie was much comforted b}' Miss 
Langton's visit, and after she was gone 



58 KELLIE NEWTOX. 

she took up her little Bible, which always 
lay by her side, aucl looked out some of 
the texts which referred to the subject they 
had beeu talking about. 

" The trying of your faith worketh pa- 
tience," she said to herself — "yes, that 
must be what God is teaching me — a les- 
son of patience." Looking upwards, with 
her hands clasped in silent prayer, she 
asked for the Holy Spirit's help to enable 
her to submit to God's will, whatever that 
might be, with a ready heart ; and to be 
gentle and patient to all around her, so 
that she might be like Jesus. And when 
her mother returned — for she had been 
absent durin£>" JMiss Lansfton's visit — Nel- 
lie was able to greet her with a bright, 
happy smile, which told of the peace with- 
in — the answer to her prayer. 




, J '"'^ ) 



CHxVPTER Y. 

A KEW FEIEXD. 

EYERAL years passed after Nel- 
lie's accideut, and brought with 
them few changes to the XewtoDS. 
^ It was not now, however, such a 
struggle with them for daily bread ; for 
Nellie, who was fast growing up into 
womanhood, was able to earn something 
by her iace-making, and, in spite of her 
lameness, was her mother's right hand and 
greatest comfort. Jacob had regular em- 
ployment on board a Brixham fishing 
smack (for he had, at leng-th, gained his 
point with his mother), and only came 
home now and then. Esther had obtained 
a nm*sery-maid's place in a gentleman's 

4* 59 



CO NELLIE NEWTOX. 

flimily at Waiertpn, aud gave fair promise 
of doing well ; while Mercy and Bill still 
went to school every day, though, as their 
mother told them, it would soon be time 
for them to seek work as well as the rest. 
There was an air of greater comfort, too, 
about the cottage than formerly ; in short, 
by dint of good management and strict 
honesty, they all seemed to be working 
their way up towards prosperity. 

Miss Langton still came, year after year, 
to spend the summer months by the sea, 
and never lost the kind interest she had 
taken in the family from the time of their 
first acquaintance. Old Job jMutter was 
by this time getting on in years, and the 
infirmities of age were fast creeping upon 
him. It was but little he could do now in 
the way of work. " Ah ! " he would say in 
his south country dialect, " toime were 
when oi could do a day's turn v\^i' th' best 



A NEW FBIEND, 61 

on *em; but, neow, measter, lio says oi 
beant worth a zaxpence a day, an' it do 
coom hard to oi, that it do — but there, 
moi ould b^Yuns do yeake so, I s'pose oi 
mun be gettin' past it loike — seame as 
ould Dobbin up in th' Barumead there I " 
Job lived all by himself, for he had neither 
kith nor kin in the place to care for him. 
From the time of the accident he seemed 
to attach himself particularly to jSTellie, who 
in her turn was able to do him many a 
little act of womanly kindness, Avhich 
helped to make his solitary life less lonely 
and cheerless. 

As soon as Nellie had sufficiently recov- 
ered from her illness, she had set herself 
diligently to work to learn lace-making. 
It was by no means the employment she 
would have chosen for herself, for formerly 
she had always been active, and fond of 
bustling about, even to restlessness, and 



62 NELLIE KEWTOy. 

had disliked beyond measure any occnpa- 
tion, such as needle-work, which obliged 
her to keep still. Now that her infirmity 
made it necessary, she did not find it less 
irksome to be forced to sit quietly, bending 
over the fine threads which needed such 
careful handling and keen sight, until her 
eyes grew weary and her shoulders ached 
with her task. But Xellie felt it was to be 
her appointed work ; no other seemed to 
ofier, and she determined, with God's help, 
to overcome the aversion she felt to it, and 
to surmount, by patient labor, every diffi- 
culty in her path. Others were able to 
earn enough by the trade to add considera- 
bly to the comfort of their homes ; and she 
resolved that whatever her hand found to 
do, she would do it with her might. Very 
soon she excelled her mother, for Mrs. 
Newton had begun to learn later in life, 
when her fingers were too stifl:' easily to 



A xrir FLiEXD.. C3 

acquire the nimble movements of a skillful 
lace-maker ; and before many months had 
passed, Xellie bade fair to become a first- 
rate hand, and understood all the mys- 
teries of the art, including the button-hole 
stitch or raised work, \Yhich is the most 
intricate, and most costlj when made. 
Greater likin^r for her work came with 
increased aptitude for it, and she wondered 
then how it could ever have been so dis- 
tasteful to her. 

It was much lousier before she could feel 
quite submissive vrith regard to the other 
aspect of her trial. How she longed, 
sometimes, when she saw other young 
people of her own age enjoying the free 
use of their limbs, to be able to fling aside 
her crutches, and join them in their walks 
and amusements. But that would never 
be again, and often rebellious thoughts 
would come into her heart, and repining 



64 NELLIE NEWTON. 

words rise to her lips, until she remem- 
bered ichose hand bad sent that pai-ticular 
trial to her ; and tben she would pray for 
grace to bear in mind our Saviour's words, 
"In your patience possess ye your souls." 
Strength came in answer to her prayer, 
and Nellie Xewton learned the blessedness, 
at length, of having no other will in her 
affliction than the will of God. Patiently, 
therefore, she strove to take up her daily 
cross ; and the tune came when one could 
not have wished to see a more cheerful, 
contented expression than that which 
rested habitually on lame Nellie's gentle 
foce. 

In a year or two Nellie became a design- 
er of new patterns for her lace, as the more 
skillful workers often do. In this manner 
her natural taste developed itself; and 
while it rendered her labor more interest- 
ing, it gave her an object for seeking oat 



A NEW Fr.IEXD. 05 

of doors the fern-leaves and wild flowers 
with which the beautiful Devonshire lanes 
and hedge-rows abound ; and by degi'ees 
she learned to see a wondrous beauty in 
God's book of nature, which she had never 
even suspected before. 

One summer day, when Kellie was in 
her fifteenth year, Stronnale was astonished 
by the somewhat unwonted sight of a gen- 
tleman walking do^^^l the steep village 
street. Little children playing in the road 
stopped to stare ; heads were thrust out of 
cottage doors, and all eyes followed the 
stranger, who little knew the excitement 
his presence had created. "What could 
bring him to Stronnale ? " was the question 
on every tongue. " May be 'tis fish he 
wants," thought Mrs. Xeale, as he saun- 
tered slowly on past her door ; whereupon 
she seized the chance of turning an honest 
penny, by rushing out upon him with tlie 



66 NELLIE NEWTOy. 

query, "Any fish, to-day, sir? fine fresh 
turbot and lobsters , crabs or whiting ? I've 
a lot of prawns, fresh boiled, sir, as fine as 
any I've had this long "while : would ye 
please to look at them, sir?" 

"Not to-day, thank you," said the 
stranger, without stopping, much to her 
disappointment ; and w^alking on down the 
street, and turning ofi* to the right, he soon 
reached JNIrs. Newton's cottage, where 
Nellie was sitting at the door, busied as 
usual with her lace-pillow. "Ah," he said 
to himself as he made a pause by the gate, 
"this looks more like the kind of thing. 
Can you tell me, my good girl," added he, 
aloud, "if I could manage to get a clean 
bedroom any where about here, for a week 
or two ? " 

" Vr^on't you please to walk in , sir ? " said 
Nellie, rising ; " mother's indoors, and she'd 




MK. RIVEKSDALE. 



A XEJV rniEXD. 07 

be able to tell you better tliau I can." The 
a'eutlemau followed her in, and ]Mrs. Xew- 
ton came forward, dusting a chair with her 
apron, as she said, ''Did you please to say 
■\'ou wanted a room in the villai]^e, sir?" 

"Yes, if I can find a corner decently 
clean and tidy. I don't mind much what 
it's like, providing I'm not poisoned with 
the smell of fish from morning till night. 
You don't seem to be doing any thing in 
that line," said he, looking round the neat 
cottage ; " don't you think now you could 
put me up somewhere yourself? " 

Mrs. Newton shook her head. " 'Tis but 
a poor place for the likes o' you, sir ; but 
even if you could put up wi' it, I don't see 
as how we could spare the room." 

"Mother," said Xellie, who was standing 
In', " d'ye think old Job could let the gen- 
tleman have a room up at the Warren ? " 

"Ay, may be he might now," replied 



68 NELLIE XEWT02T. 

Mrs. Ne\^i;on, "leastways, farmer Trott 
could, for Job's only put iu to keep the 
place like. Ye see, sir, there an't many 
rooms round here as would be fit for gen- 
tlefolks ; but before the land about these 
parts came mto his hands — farmer Trott^s, 
that is — the AYarren belonged to a gentle- 
man, and he had this little place built, so 
that, now and agen, when so be as he liked 
to come down for a day's shoo tin' or sea- 
fishin', he might have a roof to his head ; 
and many's the time he's spent days there, 
and nio-hts too for the matter o' that." 

o 

" And whereabouts is the AYarren ? " said 
Mr. Eiversdale ; " for it seems to be the 
very thing to suit me." 

" It's may be a quarter of a mile further 
on, over the cliff, sir ; but 'tis not what it 
used to be now ; I doubt if there he's a 
chair or a table in the place — but there, 



A XEW FniEXD. GO 

farmer Trott could let ye have all ye waut 
for a week or two, I dare say." 

"And where maj' farmer Trott be found ?" 
said Mr. Eiversdale ; " for I suppose he's 
the person to apply to in the first 
instance." 

"Xellie, you take your bonnet and show 
the gentleman the way, will jq, like a good 
lass," said her mother. " Yon're welcome, 
I'm sure, sir," added Mrs. Newton, as the 
gentleman apologized for the trouble he 
was giving. " 'Tis but a step, and the 
air'll do her good, poor lassie ! " 

Farmer Trott was perfectly willing to let 
the rooms, and Mr. Eiversdale, being quite 
satisfied with the survey he made of the 
place and its situation, soon concluded the 
bargain. A good-sized kitchen below, and 
the same space divided into two small rooms 
at the top of the narrow stairway, was all 
the accommodation the cottage could boast, 



70 NELLIE XElVTOy. 

besides the "leau-to," occupied by old 
Job, at the back ; but a carpet for the stone 
floor, with a mat or two, and a curtain for 
the shutterless window, soon transformed 
the lower room into a very decent parlor ; 
while a few comforts of a like nature, in- 
cluding a small iron bedstead, conveyed 
up-stairs, made a very tolerable bedroom 
— airy and clean, if not very luxurious. 
It was arranged that Mrs. Newton should 
come up every day to put things straight, 
and to act as Mr. Riversdale's house-keeper, 
so that every difficulty in the way was 
smoothed over. Mrs. Newton and Nellie 
were not without their simple curiosit}^ in 
the matter ; for why could not the gentle- 
man have taken a room in Waterton, where 
gentlefolk often went, and where he might 
have been more suitably lodged? "But 
'twas none of their business," as Mrs. New- 
ton very justly remarked ; and so Mr. 



A NEW FRIEXD. 71 

Eiversdale quietly took up his quarters at 
the Warreu without further ado. 

"Aud so," said he oue day, soon after 
he came, ''you are Xellie Xewton, are 
you? Well, it is an odd thing I should 
have lighted upon you all down here, for 
I've heard Miss Langton speak about 
Stronnale and lame Xellie many a time, 
though it never struck mc till now." 

" Oh, sir !" cried Xellie, delighted, " do 
you know Miss Langton?" 

" Well, Xellie, I ought to know some- 
thing of her, seeing that she's my mother's 
only sister; and what's more, I'm called 
after her, too, for my name is Langton 
Eiversdale — and a kinder, better aunt, a 
fellow never had," he added, in his warm- 
hearted, off-hand way. We may be sure 
]Mr. Eiversdale did not fare any the worse 
after this discovery, for Mrs. Xewton and 
X'ellie, and old Job himself, vied with each 



72 NELLIE NEWTON. 

other to do honor to their kind friend's 
relative ; though, for the matter of that, 
they soon liked the stranger so much for 
his own sake, that little more was needed 
to insure him", at their hands, the best 
treatment they knew how to give. 



CHAPTER Yl. 

A KEGHT OX THE CLIFFS. 

(fTV^Pv. EH^ERSDALE was an artist; 

,^i. 1^ and the lovely sea and island views 
<' of the neighborhood, and the 

cV^ picturesque characteristics of the 
village itself, were his great attractions to 
Stromiale. The cottage in which he lodged 
was situated in as sweet a nook as his heart 
could desire, for a thickly wooded dip, or 
opening in the cliff, led down to a pebbly 
beach, which, however, twice in every 
tweutj'-four hours disappeared entirely 
when the waves rolled in, higher and 
higher, upon the shingle, till they dashed 
over the foot of the rock itself. The flat 
ground at the top was a rocky, rugged bit 

5 73 



74 NELLIE NEWTOX. 

of moorland, where hiinclrecls of rabbits 
had for years found a habitation amongst 
furze and heather, and the low brush-wood 
which clothed the ftice of the cliff. Far 
down below, the restless sea murmured its 
.never-endins^ sono* in the resoundins: caves. 

Mr. Rivcrsdale loved his art, as all true 
painters do ; but that did not prevent his 
occasionally throwing aside his palette and 
his brushes, and exploring the country on 
foot. Very often, too, he went out in the 
boats on a fishing expedition, and not a 
fisherman in the place but soon learned 
to know and like the open-hearted, free- 
spoken stranger. In Xellie Newton he 
had an especial interest, for her sensible, 
yet childish ways, and gentle manner, 
added to her infirmity, won the good-will 
of all. 

" Why, Xellie," said Mr. Eiversdale, one 
day, when he found her tracing a border 



A KIGJIT OX THE CLIFFS. lo 

of her favorite fcru-lcaf pattern for her 
lace-workj "you are doiug something in 
uiy line ! Eeally this is very pretty, and 
quite artistic," he added, presently, after 
having carefully examined the design ; 
"what do you intend this to be?" 

"I can't tell yet, sir," said Xellie, blush- 
ing vrith pleasure at the praise ; " may be 
a handkerchief, or a flounce for a dress, 
more like — if ever I get one to make." 

A little sigh followed this speech, as if 
such a commission were quite beyond poor 
Xellie's reach. 

" Have you any more of these designs ? " 
asked Mr. Eiversdale. 

" Oh yes, sir," answered Xellie, eagerly ; 

" would you please to " and the girl 

stopped, ashamed of her presumption. 

"Would I please to — what, Xellie?" 
said he, laughing — " buy some of j^our lace, 
I suppose ? Well, I am afraid that's not 



76 NELLIE NEWTOy. 

much in my way just uow, but I should 
like to see your designs, nevertheless." 

" That's what I meant, sir," said Nellie, 
quite pleased ; and taking her crutches, she 
went to the old-fashioned bureau at the 
other side of the cottage, and took out of a 
drawer a carefully folded blue paper, which 
contained all her treasures. Mr. Eivers- 
dale was much interested in the elegance 
and correct beauty of the sprigs, which she 
displayed with great pride against the blue 
ground, and gave Nellie some useful hints 
to help her in improving her patterns. 
"Dear me, Nellie, how heavy your lace- 
cushion is ! " said he, lifting it. 

"We call it a 'pilt,' sir," replied Nellie, 
smiling. " 'Tis no wonder it's heavy, for 
it's stuffed with a whole bundle of barley 
straw. For ' trawl work,' * such as I'm 

* Yard-lace, which is wound round and round the pillow 
until enough is made. 



A XIGHT OX THE CLIFFS. 77 

about now, I couldn't use any other ; but 
for sprigs and the like, I have a smaller 
flat one." 

" Show the master the ' sticks ' as Jacob 
made for ye, Xcll, the last time he was 
home ; they're as pretty a set as ever I see," 
said Mrs. Newton. Nellie drew Mr. Riv- 
ersdale's attention to the carving of the 
little wooden reels on which her thread 
was wound. "The lads about here often 
make 'em for presents," continued Mrs. 
Newton, "and cut the name, or leastways, 
the first letters on 'em ; and Nellie thinks 
a deal of hers, for they're better than 
common." 

"And very pretty they are, too," said 
Mr. Eiversdale. "Well, Mrs. Newton," 
added he, at last, "I must be going now; 
but I hope some day we shall hear of Nel- 
lie's being a famous lace-maker, — and per- 
haps she may have an order for the royal 

6* 



78 NELLIE NEWTON: 

familyj who knows ? " Nellie laughecl, and 
shook her head ; but the few kind words 
the gentleman had said cheered the poor 
lame girl, and encouraged her to be iudus- 
ti"ious and persevering in her work. We 
little know, sometimes, how much good 
v/e may do to those about us by a kind 
w^ord or thoughtful action, trifling as it 
may seem in itself. 

The object of 'My. Eiversdale's visit to 
Mrs. Newton was to ask her to have his 
dinner ready by two o'clock, as he had 
some plan arranged for the afternoon which 
he particularly wished to carry out. Ac- 
cordingly, she wont up to the Warren, and 
had everj^ thing in readiness in good time, 
knowing that Mr. River sdale was very 
punctual in his habits . Two o'clock struck , 
however, and no Mr. Kiversdale came ; — 
an hour passed, and Mrs. Newton, finding 
she could vrait no longer, left full instruc- 



A NIGHT OX THE CLIFFS. id 

tions with old Job, and went home, prom- 
ising to come back later. Mrs. Xewton, 
as it happened, was detained, so she sent 
Xellie in her stead to make every thing 
comfortable as usual in the evening, — but 
still Mr. Eiversdale had not made his 
appearance. 

"Hasn't he been home to his dinner. 
Job?" saidXellie. 

" Xoa, but he an't far off now, I reckon,'' 
answered th'e old man. " Most like he's 
met wi' a friend and gone off wi' um or 
summat ; he'll be in soon, never fear." 

"AVell," said Xellie, "I'll put on the 
kettle then, and ye'll see to it. Job, won't 
ye ? for I can't wait." 

"Ay," said he ; "you just set the things 
all ready afore ye go, and I'll see to it." 

It was a still, calm evening, and Xellie 
paused to rest for a moment as she went 
home. Few sounds reached her, save the 



80 NELLIE XEIFTOy. 

low plasli of the sea along the shore, and 
the cry of the gulls, as they skimmed . the 
blue water, or wheeled round the cliffs ou 
snowy wing. A light breeze seemed to 
spring up suddenly, and on it was wafted 
the clang of a distant church clock strik- 
ing seven ; and still Xellie lingered looking 
out over the sea. The tall chffs hid the 
little bay of Stronnale, but further off, she 
could see Waterton, with its white houses 
and flat beach, and the great red rocks ris- 
ing up beyond it ; and further away still 
on the distant horizon, she could dimly 
discern the hills of Portland, like a boat 
keel upwards, hardly distinguishable 
throuHi the eveninsf mist. A small fleet 
of fishing-boats standing out to sea, pre- 
paring to take up their stations for the 
night, and the sheep cropping the fine 
herbage of the cliff close at hand, with the 
low-wooded hills in the backgi'ound, com- 



A NIGHT OX THE CLIFFS. 81 

pleted the picture. "All," thought Xellie, 
'' how thankful I should be that God did 
not take away my sight, instead of mak- 
ing: me lame, — what should I have done 
if I had been blind ? " Tears started to 
her eyes ; but presently she began to 
sing the familiar words of a h}Tnn she had 
learned in the Sunday school : — 

"Holy, lioly, holy, Lord God Almighty! 

All thy works shall praise thy name in earth, and 
sky, and sea; 
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty, 

God in three persons, blessed Trinity ! " 

But hark ! — surely she heard a cry, as 
of some one calling for help ! She paused 
in her singing. Xo sound reached her 
now but the tinkhug of the sheep-bell, 
added to the murmur of the waves. Could 
it have been only her fancy ? She listened 
for some time, strainmg her ear to catch 
the faintest sound ; but no, — the evening 



82 NELLIE xEirroy. 

breeze stirred her sun-bonnet, which had 
fiillen back upon her shoulders, but it bore 
upon it no call for aid. She moved on 
slowly, listening as she went, and once 
airain she thou2:ht she heard a distant 
"Halloo." "'Tis only the men on the 
beach, getting out the boats," she said to 
herself, as she hastened on towards home. 

"Well, Nellie, lass, have you put all to 
rights?" said Mrs. Newton; "and I hope 
you told master how it were I couldn't 
come up myself? " 

"Mr. Eiversdale an't a' come home yet, 
mother." 

"Not a' come home!" said Mrs. New- 
ton, in a tone of surprise; "well, now, 
that's strange, for he came back agen to 
tell me to be sure and have his dinner 
ready. What's kep' him, I wonder? It 
an't never likely he's got into any trouble, 
surely ? " 



A XIGHT OX THE CLIFFS. 83 

In an instant Nellie tliouglit of the ciy 
she had heard. 

" Oh ! mother," she said, " d'je know I 
heard some one a' calling, I'm sure I did, 
as I come over the cliff, for I listened ever 
so long, and heard it twice, as plain as 
could be, only I thought most like 'twere 
the men on the shore. It couldn't be him 
a-shoutin' for help, could it? " 

"I'm sure I can't say, but I'm not easy 
about it, for I've known a many lose their 
lives on these cliffs, in my time." 

"What's best to be done, mother?" 
said Xellie. " Oh ! I do hope there's noth- 
ing wrong ! " 

"TVhy, child, don't ye shake so, — may 
be it's nothing after all, for there's no tell- 
ing what a young man like him might do, 
when he's a mind to; but there, — you 
get your supper, and I'll just step up to 



84: NELLIE NEWTON. 

the Warren by and by, and sec if he's come 
in then." 

But Mr. Riversdale had not made his 
appearance ; his dinner remained still un- 
touched, and even old Job became restless 
and uneasy as the shades of evening deep- 
ened into night, and yet he did not come. 
"But there," he said, "I dunno' as there's 
any use to trouble about it, for there's no 
sayin' if he an't out in one o' th' bwoats, 
or summat." So Mrs. Newton returned 
home, though she could not feel quite sat- 
isfied; but then, what was to be done? 
The men of the village were almost all out, 
and Job's suggestion as to the cause of ]\Ir. 
Riversdale's absence was very probably the 
true one, and he would come in with one 
of the fishinof-boats in the mornino:. It 
seemed so likely that her mind at length 
became easier, and she went to rest, with 
few misgivings about his safety, after read- 



A NIGHT OX THE CLIFFS. 85 

ing a chapter in the large old Bible with 
her children, as her custom was, and com- 
niittiuof herself and them to the care of 
their heavenly Father during the silent 
hours of darkness and sleep. 




CHAPTEE Vn. 

THE RESCUE. 

)0T so Nellie, however. She coalcl 
yi^ not forget Mr. Eiversclale's kincl- 
\^^ ness ; and anxiety lest he might 
possibly have come to some harm, 
kept her awake. The short summer night 
soon passed by, though to her it seemed 
long ; and with the earliest dawn she rose 
softly, not wishing to awake her mother, 
and went out into the dewy morning. It 
was still hardly light, when, taking the 
pathway along the top of the cliff, she went 
towards the Warren. JSTothing was stir- 
ring save the sea-birds, already busy in 
seeking food for their young; but the 
morning had not yet thoroughly aroused 



THE RESCUE. 87 

the inlial3itants of the hedgerows and fields, 
for as she passed a low, tangled patch of 
furze, a blackbuTl, alarmed by the sound 
of her crutches, suddenly flew out, start- 
ling her with its loud, sharp cry, and im- 
mediately the twittering on every side 
denoted a general reawakening to the bus- 
iness and cares of the day. 

The cottage at the Warren was closed, 
and Xellie, looking in at the window of 
the lower room, saw every thing exactly 
as she had left it the evening before, and 
Mr. Eivei'sdale had evidently been absent 
all night. Sick at heart with fear lest 
their misgivings might be all too well 
founded, she turned away from the cot- 
tage, and wandered along the edge of the 
cliff. " Oh," she thought, « if I could but 
hear that cry now, may be I might find 
him. I wish we'd tried to look last night ; " 
for she could not dispossess her mind of 



88 NELLIE NEWTON. 

the idea that it was Mr. Riversclale's voice 
after all that she had heard. On and on 
she walked, until almost exhausted, for the 
crutches always wearied her, and she was 
faint for want of food, and now was fain 
to sit down and rest. "It's no use," she 
said to herself. " I might a' thought I could 
do no good. Only if I could but hear him 
call again, may be I might get help." 

Every thing was wide awake now ; the 
wild flowers which hung their heads, 
crowned with the heavy dew, were begin- 
ning to look up again as the sunbeams 
kissed away the drops ; and the clover un- 
folded its triple leaves in the bright morn- 
ing light. Blue smoke curled up from 
many a distant farm-house and outlying 
hamlet, and busy sounds of life reached 
I^ellie as she sat on the bank, not caring 
to turn back after her fruitless walk, and 
equally uncertain about going further. " I 



THE JIESCUE. 89 

suppose I'd best go home," she thought, at 
last ; and rising rather reluctantly, she 
went as near as she dared to the edge of 
the clilT, and looked over. The crags just 
at that spot were precipitous, rising almost 
perpendicularly from the shore ; and as 
she tried to look down, her head became 
dizzy, and she was obliged to tm*n Cjuickly 
away lest she might lose her balance, — 
when the sudden flutter of somethinsf 
white, midway up the rock, a few hundred 
yards further on, caught her eye. She 
was anxiously'trying to make out what this 
could be, when the wind lifted it again, 
and she could plainly distinguish a hand- 
kerchief tied to the lonfir trailins^ runner of 
a blackberry bush, and seemingly placed 
there intentionally. Her heart beat flist. 
"Was this Mr. Eiversdale's sisfnal of dis- 
tress? The rock seemed to be inacces- 
sible from above, and to look over even 
made her giddy. 



90 NELLIE NEWTON. 

"Is any body there?" she cried, and her 
own voice sounded strangely weak and 
low. No answer came, but a faint echo. 
Again she raised her voice, and more 
loudly this time, and, oh ! joy, a reply 
came from below, and indeed it was Mr. 
Riversdale ! 

" Holloa, there !" he cried, "whoever you 
are, for pity's sake give me help, will you? 
Get a good strong rope, and a couple of 
men." 

" Oh, sir ! oh, Mr. Eiversdale ! " shout- 
ed Nellie, as loudly as she could, "is that 
you ? I'll go as fast as ever I can. 'Tis 
me, sir, — Nellie Newton." 

" You, Nellie ! " he returned ; " well, be 
as quick as you can, there's a good girl, 
and get some one to help me up." 

Nellie hobbled off to a farm-house, the 
nearest she could see. She did not know 
who lived there, but on hearing her tale, 



THE RESCUE. 91 

tlicy came with all speed to Mr. Eivers- 
dale's assistance, though cveu then a good 
deal of delay was unavoidable ; and a man 
being let down over the cliff, by means of 
a rope, he by and by managed, not with- 
out difficulty, to help him, sadly cramped 
and benumbed, out of his perilous position. 

"Safe once more, thank God," said he, 
lifting his hat reverently when he stood on 
level ground. " I scarcely thought, at one 
time, I should have been able to hold on 
much lonsrer : and if I had once lost mv 
balance, it would have been all over with ^ 
me." 

" Ay," said the farmer, who had hastened 
to the spot at Nellie's urgent request, " them 
rocks an't the most cheery place to spend 
the night on. How did it come about, 
sir? but there, — I must ask 3^our pardon, 
for sure enough yc're not fit to tell a story, 
nor aught else, by the looks of yc ; and if 



92 NELLIE XEWTOy. 

yell just step up to the house, and have a 
mouthful of summat to eat, may be 'twould 
put some strength into ye." 

" A very comfortable suggestion, which 
I shall be only too glad to accept, — and 
this lassie, too," said Mr. Eivcrsdale, sud- 
denly turning to the young girl, who stood 
quietly by, thankful for the support of her 
crutches, and with tears of joy in her eyes 
at the thought of having been of some 
use, — "why, Nellie, how came you 
here?" 
1^ Nellie related in her simple way the 
events of the last few hours, not forget- 
ting to mention the shouts which had so 
strongly impressed her. 

"If it hadn't a' been for that, you know, 

. sir, I should never a' thought about it ; for 

mother, she made sure you'd gone out in 

one of the boats ; but somehow, I couldn't 



THE RESCUE. 93 

sleep for tliinking of those cries, — and 
oh, sh', thank God you're safe at last ! " 

"It was God who sent you to my help, 
I can not but think, Xellie ; for though I 
shouted and shouted again, no one seemed 
to hear ; and I waved my handkerchief as 
well, for a long time, in hope one of the 
boats might see it from out at sea." 

" But how did you get there, sir ? " asked 
Xellie. 

"Why, Xellie, I carelessly allowed my- 
self to be surrounded by the tide, as I Avas 
strolling along the shore, and not being 
willing to wait several hours, until I could 
get round the Head again, I thought I 
would try to scale the rocks, and managed 
to scramble half-way up tolerably well ; 
but, at last, it became too steep for me, 
and I found I could neither get higher up, 
nor even clamber down ; so there I was on 
a little ledge of the cliff, where there was 



94 NELLIE NEWTOy. 

scarcely standing room, and very little to 
hold on by I A most unpleasant position, 
I can assnre you, to keep for nearly eight- 
een hours ; for had I made the least false 
movement, it would certainly have been 
at the risk of being dashed to pieces on the 
shingle below ! " 

Xellie shuddered. " Oh ! sir, how 
thankful I am I got up and came along the 
cliff this morning I " 

"Yes, N"ellie, and I hope it has taught 
me a lesson of deeper thankfulness to the 
Great Keeper of his people, who neither 
slumbers nor sleeps, while he watches 
over our going out and coming in, and has 
so mercifully preserved me from this 
danger." 

By this time they had reached the farm, 
and Mr. Hockey, the farmer, who had hur- 
ried on to make preparations for breakfast, 
came out to meet them, followed by his 



THE RESCUE. \)o 

good wife, from -syhom they received a 
hearty welcome. 

By the time they left the form it was 
quite eight o'clock; and Mrs. Xewton, 
who had been fidgeting iu and out many 
times, looking for Xellie, at length went 
up to the ^Varren. What was her sur- 
prise, when she saw Mr. Riversdale him- 
self driving Xellie up to the cottage in the 
former's light cart, which he had insisted 
on placijig at his disposal. 

" Oh ! sir," she exclaimed, as she ran 
out, "what has been the matter? We've 
been in such a taking about ye ! " 

" And might have been for a good long 
time, perhaps, Mrs. Xewton, if it had not 
been for Xellie here," said Mr. Eivers- 
dale, — and then the whole story had to 
be gone over again. 

" Well, to be sure ! " said Mrs. Xewton ; 
"to think of you having been (Uit all night 

6* 



06 NELLIE NEWTON. 

ou the rocks ! But God be praised you 
are safe at last, for it's not the first time I 
have heard tell of terrible things happen- 
ing amongst these cliffs about here." 

This little incident was quite an event 
in Nellie's quiet life ; and we shall find 
that it was the means, under Providence, 
of changing the tenor of her whole future 
history. 




'-^ 



CHAPTEE Yin. 

OLD JOB. 

)Pv. RIYERSDxVLE did not remain 
much longer at Stronnale, and all 
regretted his departure. A week 
'i^'^ or two after he had left, a letter 
came for Xellie Xewton, — an event so 
unwonted, she could scarcely believe that 
it was true ; indeed, I am not sure if it 
were not the very first she had ever received 
in her life. She read the addi'css again 
and again, and examined the stamp, then 
turned it over and looked at the post- 
mark, and wondered who could have sent 
it, until at last, it occurred to her that she 
must open it before she could find out. 
" What can the postman want Avith our 

97 



98 NELLIE NEWTOX. 

Nell?" said Bill, who was getting ready 
for school. " Why, mother, she's got a 
letter, do just look ! " and both the chil- 
dren ran out to the gate in eager haste. 

"Who is it from?" said Mrs. Newton, 
as Nellie put it into her hand ; " why, it's 
for you, child ! — well, let's see what it's 
all about." 

It proved to be from their kind friend, 
]\Iiss Langton ; and who can describe Nel- 
lie's delight w^hen she found it contained, 
— what do you think? — an order for a 
bridal veil of the finest work and most 
beautiful pattern she could design ! It 
was to be a gift, as the letter informed 
her, and must be completed before the end 
of the year ; consequently she Vv^ould have 
to work very hard to get it ready in time. 
And thus, at last, one of Nellie's dearest 
wishes was to be fuliilled, and she vras 
really to undertake a piece of vrork, the 



OLD JOB. 99 

payiiient for which would enable lier to be 
of very great assistance to her mother. 

"Oh," she exclaimed, "I am so thank- 
ful ! Xow we'll be able to get a good 
thick blanket or two before this Avinter sets 
in, — don't you remember how we wanted 
them last Christmas? and a warm shawl 
for you, motlier, and may be a frock and a 
pair of strong boots for Mercy and Bill. 
I do believe God has put it into her heart 
to give us the order, clear, kind lady ! for 
you know 'tvv^as only last Aveek we were 
saying how hard 'twould be to get through 
this winter, when every thing is so dear." 

"Ay, lass, he'll never let the widow and 
the orphan want who put their trust in 
him," said Mrs. Xewton ; " but, mind you, 
there's many a w^eary hour afore the last 
stitch is done, and you'll have to work hard 
not to disappoint the lady." 

It was by no means the hrst order for 



100 NELLIE NEWTON. 

lace-TTork ^hich Nellie had received, let 
the reader understand. But the secret of 
the difference to her was this ; when lace 
had been bespoken by the dealer, in those 
days, the payment was generally made in 
orders on certain shops, where even then 
they would receive such articles only as 
the shop-keeper chose, and, too often, un- 
principled tradesmen would compel the 
poor lace-workers to take such goods off 
their hands as were either damaged, or of 
bad quality, or otherwise unsalable. The 
lace-women constantly complained of this 
great hardship, but in vain, for by no 
other possible means could those who lived 
in secluded parts of the country get a sale 
at all for their wares. Doubtless the 
easier conveyance of goods by means of 
the railway has been the chief cause of 
the gradual decline of the many evils of 
the " truck " system which used to oppress 



OLD JOB. 101 

SO many of the poor ; but Xellic aud her 
mother had often sighed over the parcel 
they had brought home from the linen- 
draper's, in payment for many a weary 
day's work, when, perhaps, they sorely 
needed flour from the mill for their daily 
bread, or money in hand to pay the rent 
which was already overdue. It was this, 
therefore, that gave Kellie additional pleas- 
ure in receiving an order direct from pri- 
vate hands, and she resolved to do her 
very best, not only for the sake of her 
grateful attachment to Miss Langton, but 
also that she might give such satisfliction 
to her kind employer as might lead her, 
possibly, to recommend her vrork to others. 
The lace was so fine that it was little Mrs. 
Xewton could do in the way of helping 
Nellie, for her eyes were failing, and she 
had never been a very expert worker. 
"XeFlic, lass," she would say, "I Avish I 



102 NELLIE XEWTOX. 

could be o' more help to ye, but I expect 
'twould be more of a hindrance than aught 
else if I tried." And Xellie would answer, 
with one of her cheerful smiles, "Never 
you mind, mother ; you know 'tis all I can 
do now, so 'tis just as it should be." 

But, truth to tell, Nellie did often get 
weary, and longed to throw aside her 
" pilt ; " for day after day brought with it 
the same sprigs to make, and the same 
work to do, over and over again. But 
Nellie had already begun to learn another 
lesson in the school of life, — that of per- 
severance in labor, without which great 
talents and abilities have been too often 
wasted. Little by little her work grew 
under her diligent hand; and as it pro- 
gressed, her mother sometimes began to 
fear lest her application to it might be too 
close for her health, and would often per- 
suade her to go up to the Warren on some 



OLD JOB. 103 

kind errand to old Job, upon whom the 
infirmities of age were pressing somewhat 
heavily. The poor old man delighted in 
her visits, and would often ask her to take 
"the Book," as he always called the large- 
print Bible his clergyman, ]Mr. Morton, 
had given him, that she might read him 
one of his favorite chapters. He had 
never been "much of a scholar," as he 
used to say ; and now that his eyes were 
dim, Xellie's clear young voice sounded 
very sweet to him, as she read* aloud the 
holy words which he could hardly distin- 
guish for himself. For a long time a work 
of grace, silent but none the less real, had 
been going on in the old man's heart, dat- 
ing from the hour when XelHe's patient 
submission to the will of God, under se- 
vere pain and trial, had impressed itself 
so deeply on his mind ; and he, too, longed 
to possess a religion which conld thus sap- 



104 NELLIE NEWTON. 

port and comforf the true believer under 
sorrow and suflcring. Little by little ho 
learned to see, as he watched Nellie's daily 
life, that humble faith in a crucified Ee- 
deemer was the mainspring of all her 
actions ; and though far from being per- 
fect, he felt that there was a reality in the 
religion which influenced all her conduct. 
Her words on the subject were very few 
and simple, but they were such as old Job 
could easily understand ; and through her 
gentle and child-like teaching, all unknown 
to herself, she had been made the instru- 
ment in God's hand of leading the old man 
to a knowled^'c of his lost and sinful state 
by nature, and of the only refuge for the 
weary and heavy laden with the burden of 
sin, even Jesus Christ the Eighteous. He 
had realized the preciousness of that truth 
that Christ is able to save to the utter- 
most, and of that word of promise, " Him 



OLD JOB. 105 

that Cometh to me I will in no wise cast 
out." 

"Ah, Nellie, lass," he said, one autmnu 
day, as she sat on a low scat by his side, 
looking out upon the calm, gray sea, "ye 
have been an old man's blessing and com- 
fort this many a day, and God Avill reward 
ye for it, though I can't. Ye've been more 
to me than ye think, for if it hadn't a' been 
for 3'ou I should never have known what a 
miserable old sinner I've been all my days. 
Ay," he went on, as the tears rolled down 
his wrinkled face, " true enough I've gone 
astray like a lost sheep, but I humbly 
trust that the Good Shepherd has found 
me wandering, and led me into his fold, 
and that he'll guide me safe home at last. 
'Twon't be long now, lassie ; and thank the 
Lord I hope I'm ready to go when he calls 
me ; but 'tis all of his goodness and mercy 
if I be." 



106 NELLIE NEWTOX. 

"Yes," said Xellie, "that's what we 
must all say, — * being justified freely by 
his grace through the redemption that is in 
Christ Jesus.' It's only the precious blood 
of Jesus that can cleanse us from all sin ; 
for you know the Bible says, * There is 
no difference; for all have sinned, and 
come short of the glory of God.' " 

" Ay," returned the old man, " the Book 
says so ; and so it is, though I sometimes 
sit and think how wonderful it be that 
there's but one way for young and old, 
rich and poor ; and that 'tis a free gift to 
all, — to as many as will take it. But 
there," he added, with the simple faith of 
a little child, " 'tis not for the like of me 
to wonder at the Lord's doings, except it 
be that he has had mercy on a poor old 
sinner who has never loved nor served him 
all through a long life as he ought to a' 
done, — but who humbly trusts that he'll 



OLD JOB. 107 

be accepted, even at the eleventh hour, 
for the sake of Him who died on the 
cross, — the Lord Jesus Christ." 

Nellie had not many more talks with her 
old friend, for very soon after this J oh 
was taken to his rest ; but as she stood by 
the newly-made grave, she felt she could 
not grieve as for one whom she could have 
no hope of meeting again ; for she was 
sure that the foith which had brii^htened 
his declining years was true and sincere, 
and that he would be one amongst that 
great multitude who will hereafter sing the 
new song of praise and honor and glory to 
Him who giveth us the victor}^, — even to 
the "Lamb of God," vdio was slain to 
"take away the sin of the world." 




CHAPTER IX. 

Nellie's surprise. 

FTER many a weary stitch, as Mrs. 
Newton had said, at length the 
'PpSjy veil was finished ; and every one 
'^Q^ who saw it pronounced it a most 
beautiful piece of workmanship. There 
still remained a week to the time which 
Miss Langton had fixed ; and with the 
greatest care Nellie packed it up in the 
flat card-board box she had procured on 
purpose, and despatched it to its destina- 
tion. " Oh, mother," she said, "I do hope 
it'll go all right. I'll be in such a way till 
I know that Miss Lans^ton has Cfot it." 

But several days passed, and no tidmgs 
came, which made Nellie restless and un- 

108 



XELLIE'S SURPRISE. 109 

easy, lest any harm should have happened 
to the precious box. It was drawing 
towards Christmas time, and the weather 
was cold and boisterous, so that thej could 
no longer sit with open doors and windows, 
when one afternoon, just as they had put 
on the kettle for their tea, and Xelb'e had 
given up all hopes of hearing any tidings 
of the veil for that day, a knock came at 
the door. 

" Does Xellie Xewton live here ? " said a 
cheerful voice, as jN'ellie opened it ; andou 
being invited in, a pleasant-looking young 
woman, with a small milliner's basket in 
her hand, entered. "I've brought a mes- 
saii'e from Miss Lano'tonfor vou," she said, 
as she took the chair by the fireside which 
]Mrs. Xewton had offered her. 

"Is it about the veil?" asked Xellie, 
whose heart began to beat quite tast. 

" Yes ; I was bid to say that she was 

7 



110 NELLIE NEWTOX. 

very well pleased with it, and that it 
reached her quite safely. But it's not alto- 
gether that I've come about, either," said 
the young woman. " I wonder, now, if 
you'd be able to guess ? " 

"Something else?" said Nellie, in sur- 
prise. " I don't know that I expected to 
hear about any thing else, exce^Dt, may be 

" she stopped, not liking to appear so 

impatient to be paid for her work. 

"Nor I don't believe you'd ever guess, 
neither," said the young woman, laughing, 
"if I gave you from now till bed-time. 
Why, it's just this : Miss Langton wants 
you to come to Thornecliffe to see the wed- 
ding that is to be. "hlj mistress is going 
to drive over in her own carriage, and as I 
wait onher, I'm going too ; and Miss Lang- 
ton has asked jMrs. Scaforth to let you go 
along with me, — leastways, if you like to 
come, that's to say; and I don't suppose 
you'll bo one to refuse." 



NELLIE'S sunpniSE. Ill 

"Me go to see the wedding I " said poor 
Xellie, who had never been more than live 
miles out of Stronnale in her life, quite 
bewildered at the news. " You can't mean 
it, surely?" 

" Why, child, ye've got nothing fit to go 
in along wi' this young woman," said Mrs. 
Newton, thinking with dismay of poor 
Nellie's wardrobe, and surveying their vis- 
itor—who was dressed, in her estimation, 
"like a lady " — from top to toe, through 
her spectacles. 

"I expect Miss Langton's thought of 
that, too," said Nancy IMorris, for that was 
the girl's name. " See here what I have 
brought with me," and she opened the 
basket and took out a bonnet and shawl 
and a neat stufl' dress, all ready for Nellie 
to wear on the eventful occasion. It was 
surprise upon surprise ! 

"All these for me?" said she, looking 



112 jriLLIE NEWTOy. 

quite puzzled, and half afraid to examine 
the treasures which Nancy declared were 
hero. 

"Why, yes, to be sure. You don't 
zhink I'd have come all the way from Wa- 
tertou to bring them to you if they hadn't 
been?" returned she, amused at Nellie's 
doubts. "But now, if you'll let me have 
a cup of tea I shall be glad of it, before I 
start home again; for it is cold walking 
over the cliff I can tell you, with this wind 
blowins^ in one's teeth." 

Mrs. Newton, meanwhile, had slipped 
an extra spoonful of tea into the pot, and 
was quite ready to press Nancy to join 
their meal, who rattled on about the grand 
doings they would see at Thornecliffe, and 
the fine company, until Nellie felt quite 
abashed. At last, however, she got up 
to go. 

"It's to be on Wednesday, and we're 



KELLIE'S SURPniSE. 113 

going on Tuesday, for ThorncclilTe's twenty 
miles away from here ; so be sure you're 
all ready, Nellie Xewton. By the way, 
my mistress bid me say that the carriage 
would pass the top of the lane up there 
beyond the church ; so if you'll be there 
by half-past twelve, we'll stop and pick 
you up. I'd most forgot to tell you, I 
declare ! " and so saying, Nancy took her 
leave. 

"Well, Nellie, who'd a' thought it?'* 
said Mrs. Newi:on, quite delighted at her 
lame gii'l's good fortune. " X\\ these nice 
clothes and an outing beside. Why, child, 
you'll be quite set up, — it'll do you good, 
that it will." 

" Isn't it kind of Miss Langton, mother? 
To think of her sending me all these I It's 
just like her goodness; and, do look, if 
there a'nt a pair of gloves besides ! " 

"Oh, Nell," said Mercy, "how I wish I 

7* 



114 KELLJE KEWTOir. 

was going too ! I should so like to see all 
the company, and the pretty dresses ; oh ! 
and the veil, — you'll see how that looks, 
and all, — for the lady's to wear it, an't 
she, mother?" 

"Ah, but I'd like to sit up beside the 
coachman, and see the horses, I would," 
said Bill. " What a jolly time you'll have, 
Nell ! an't you in luck, that's all." 

But nobody grudged Nellie her expedi- 
tion, for she was such a good daughter, 
and kind, loving sister, that they all re- 
joiced in her happiness ; and besides, they 
remembered how few pleasures the poor 
lame girl could enjoy in comparison with 
others. 

Tuesday came at length, and Nellie was 
carefully dressed by her mother's loving- 
hands in Miss Langton's kind present. It 
was wonderful the change it made in her 
appearance; for though every thing was 



NELLIE'S sunrniSE. 115 

plain, and suitable to her station in life, 
still she had never before possessed a whole 
new suit, and her mother's eyes fliirly 
brimmed over as she looked at her child. 
When tTTclvc o'clock came, ^Irs. Xewton 
walked with her up to the top of the hill. 
All in good time Mrs. Seaforth's carriage 
made its appearance, and Xellie was helped 
up to a seat beside Xancy Morris, who was 
in the rumble behind. She had only time 
for a wave of the hand to her mother be- 
fore the carriage rolled away again, and 
Mrs. Xewton was left standing alone, look- 
ing after it, until a turn in the road hid 
her daughter from her sight. 

All was new to Xellie, and greatly she 
enjoyed the drive, though she felt a little 
timid sometimes, until Xancy's merry chat- 
ter put her quite at her ease. Oddly 
enough, she had never yet heard whoso 
wedding she was going to see, and it never 



116 NELLIE NEWTOX. 

occurred to hor simple miud to be curious 
about the matter. She only remembered 
the great pleasure that was in store for her, 
of meeting her kind friend, Miss Langton, 
again, mingled with anxiety, which was 
but natural, to see the effect of the work 
of her own hands. As for the rest, she 
felt rather nervous at being brought into 
the company of so many strangers in the 
servants' hall at Thornecliffe, which Xancy 
described with such lively interest and 
delight. 

After a very long drive, the lodge-gates 
at Thornecliffe Hall at last opened to re- 
ceive them, and the carriaofc rolled alon«: 
the smooth drive until it came to a stand 
before the porch, where Mrs. Seaforth and 
another lady who was with her got out, 
and then John, the coachman, drove round 
to the stables. Here Nancy alighted, and 
Nellie being lifted down, they were ush- 



NELLIE'S sunrnisE. 117 

erecl into the large kitchen, where a num- 
ber of servants were assembled. After a 
while, the house-keeper, who was a very 
grand ladj indeed, Xellie thought, in her 
black silk dress, came for her, and she was 
shown the vray to a small room, which she 
liked much better than the great servants' 
hall, where a bright fire was burning, with 
the kettle singing on the hob, and tea was 
ready set upon the table. 

" This is my own room, my dear," said 
Mrs. Koper, who was a kind, motherlj^ 
person ; " and as Miss Langton asked me 
to have a special care of you, I thought 
very likely you'd as soon come in here and 
have your tea with me, as be with that 
noisy set in the hall. So sit you down 
there by the fii'e, and make yourself com- 
fortable, while I pour out the tea." 

jS"ellie soon got over her shjmess, and 
she thought she had never tasted any thing 



118 NELLIE NEWTON: 

SO good as the uice cake and preserve 
which Mrs. Roper gave her, for her long 
drive had made her hungry. She could 
not help wishing that her mother and ail 
of them were there to enjoy her visit with 
her ; but that could not be, and she felt a 
little frisrhtened as she thousfht how far 
away she was from every one she kncAV. 
She had seen nothing yet of Miss Langton, 
and, summonins: ni) courasje at last, she 
asked if "she were well, and whether she 
might see her by and by ? " 

"Oh, yes," said Mrs. Roper, " she's quite 
well, but there's a deal of company in the 
house, and she can't see you until the 
dressing-bell rings, and then you're to go 
up to her room ; but that won't be yet 
awhile, so you must just make yourself at 
home here in the mean time." 

This Nellie contrived to do sooner than 
she expected, for Mrs. Roper trJked to her 



NELLIE'S SULPmSE. UQ 

SO pleasantly, and asked so many questions 
about her lace-work, that before long she 
found herself chatting away as if she had 
known her all her life ; and when the great 
bell on the top of the house began to ring, 
she was astonished to find how quickly the 
time had passed. "I'm sure, ma'am, it's 
very kind of you to let me be here with 
you instead of along with the rest, for I 
began to feel quite afraid, wlien I saw 
what a many there was in the great room 
yonder," said Xellie, as she followed Mrs. 
Eoper up stau's to Miss Langton's room. 

"Here's Kellie Xewton, ma'am," said 
she, in ansv.'er to Miss Langton's gentle 
" Come in," after her knock ; and opening 
the door, she ushered Xellie in, and left 
her with her kind friend, whom she was 
overjo^'ed to see again. 

"^Veil, Xellie," said Miss Langtou, after 
the iir^t greetings vrcre over, '' I h-jpe ycni 



120 NELLIE NEWTON, 

are pleased with our little plan for you. I 
thought it would be a treat to you to see 
how your own work looked, for indeed 
you have done it most skillfully." 

"You're very kind, ma'am," said Nellie ; 
" I'm sure I don't know how to thank you 
enough, and for all these beautiful thhigs 
you sent me, too ! Mother bid me give 
you her duty, and tell you how grateful 
we are for all ^^ou've done for us." 

"But you must remember, Nellie, you 
have done something for us, too. My 
nephew told me how you had been the 
means of getting him out of a sad difficul- 
ty, in the summer, — perhaps even of sav- 
ing his life, — so that we are in your debt 
now." 

" Oh ! ma'am, I'm sure 'twas nothing I 
did. ]Mr. Rivcrsdale was always so kind, 
and — and — oh ! ma'am, I'd always do 
any thing I could for any one that belonged 



NELLIE'S sunrnisE. 121 

to you. I can never forget all you've 
done for me ; " and Xellie fairly broke 
down in her eagerness. 

" Well," said Miss Langton, "at any rate 
I owe you for six months' work, ^N'ellic, 
and that will amount to a good deal. But 
we will see about that before you leave 
Thornecliff. In the mean time, I hope 
they make you comfortable down-stairs ? " 

"Oh, yes, ma'am; Mrs. Roper gave me 
my tea in her own room, and she says I 
may stay there if I like, instead of going 
into the large hall with the others." 

"xVh, that's right. I dare say you do 
like it better, and I feel sure ^Irs. Roper 
will be kind to you," said Miss Langton. 

The morrow came, — a bright frosty 
da}', and not too cold. Every one was up 
betimes, and such a bustle and running to 
and fro, and giving of orders here, and 
ringing of bells there, Xcllic ne^cr hjard 



122 KELLIE NEIVTOX. 

iu her life iDcfore. About half-past ten 
Nancy came for her, and bade her pat on 
her bonnet and shawl, for it was time for 
them to go to the church. "But stay," 
said she, " have you seen the breakfast- 
room 3'et?" 

"No," said Nellie, thinking in her own 
mmd it was rather late to be talking of 
breakfast. 

" Come along, then," said Nancy, " and 
we'll just peep in before we go." Such a 
sight as it was to Nellie, with the great 
white wedding-cake in the center, encir- 
cled with a beautiful ATreath ; and flowers 
in full bloom cyery here and there down 
the long table, scattenng their sweet per- 
fume over the whole room ; and numbers 
of bright and glittering things of which 
Nellie did not even know the use. " There, 
— I expect you never saw any thing like 
that in your life before ! " said Nancy, 




THE WEDDING SITPER. 



NELLIE'S sun PELS E. 123 

with not a little pride at her ovni superior 
knowledge, and a slight dash of contempt 
for Nellie's ignorance, as she noticed her 
amazed look at so much finery ; " but we 
shall be late at the wedding, if we don't 
make haste." 

The pretty country church was deco- 
rated with evergreens, for it was close 
upon Christmas time ; and the red holly- 
berries shone brightly out of the dark 
foliage. Xellie was taken to a place which 
had been kept for her ; a great many ladies 
and gentlemen were there, and Xellie won- 
dered whether the bride could be among 
them or no, but she looked in vain for the 
veil, which she felt sure she Avould know 
at once ; and besides, all seemed waiting 
for some one else to arrive. At leni^ih 
Xancy whispered, "Here she comes!" 
and then Xellie saw a sweet-looldng young 
lady, dressed all in white, and half-hiddeu 



124 NELLIE KEWTOX. 

by the veil, — her veil, every stitch of 
which Nellie seemed to remember, — 
walking up the aisle, leaning on the arm 
of a tall old gentleman. 

"That's her father," said Nancy; but 
Nellie had no eyes for any one but the 
bride, in the delicate lace which she, Nel- 
lie, had made with her own hands. She 
watched her all the way up the church, 
and then somebody stepped forwaixl to 
meet her. 

Surely Nellie must be dreaming, — but 
no, it was indeed Mr. Eiversdale who 
placed himself by the young lady's side ! 
Could she believe her eyes ? Nellie caught 
hold of Nancy's sleeve. " "Who's she go- 
ing to be married to ? " she whispered, in 
ffreat excitement. 

" Why, Mr. Eiversdale, to be sure ; 
don't you see him standing there ? " 

"To ^Ir. Eiversdale!" said Nellie: 



NELLIE'S sunmiSE. 125 

" why they never told me, and I've been 
working all this while for " 

"Hush," said JN'ancy, and then^immedi- 
ately the service began. But Nellie could 
not get over her surprise ; every thing had 
acquired a new interest to her within the 
last few minutes ; and now, as she looked 
at Mr. Eiversdale and his fair young- 
bride, she thought how truly kind IMiss 
Langton had been, to give her such a pleas- 
ure as this. Little did she then imagine 
that it was Mr. Eiversdale himself who 
had planned it all, and who had given the 
order for the veil himself moreover, 
through his aunt, who might never have 
thought of it but for his suggestion. 

But now the ceremony was over, and a 
little table was brousrht down from the ves- 
try, which was an old-fashioned room, up 
a steep, dark stairway, very inconvenient 
to go up or dovrn ; and the registers were 



126 NELLIE NEWTON. 

opened and the names were signed, and 
then every one came forward to congratu- 
late Mr. 'and Mrs. Eiversdale. Presently 
he turned and whispered a few words to 
his bride, and they both crossed over, and 
spoke to Nell, who stood up covered with 
blushes at being so publicly noticed. 

"Well, Nellie," said Mr. Eiversdale, 
laughing, " don't you think your workman- 
ship is Avell bestowed ? But my wife has 
come to thank you for having looked after 
me so well that summer mornins: amon2:st 
the rocks. I assure you, Margaret," he 
added, in a low tone, "I might never have 
seen this happy day, if it had not been for 
Nellie Newton, through God's mercy." 

"Indeed," said Mrs. Eiversdale, with 
tears in her eyes, " I have been wishing to 
see you for a long time, to thank you m}^- 
self ; and I am so glad to think that you 



NELLIE'S SCJirHLb'E. 127 

were able to make my veil for me, for it 
will always be a pleasant meraor)\" 

Nellie's heart was too full to allow her 
to reply; but years after, she spoke of 
that moment as oue of the proudest aud 
happiest she had ever kuowu iu her life. 




CHAPTER X. 

THE BIRTHDAY GIFT, 

)ELLIE did not see Miss Langton 
again that day, for she was too 
much occupied with the guests as- 
sembled at ThornecliiFe to attend to 
She was very happy, however, in 
Eoper's snug little room, who 
showed her many things she had never 
seen in her life before. But Nellie enjoyed 
going into the large green-house, full of 
beautiful and bright flowering plants, most 
of all; and the gardener was so pleased 
with her expressions of delight that he 
gave her a little plant in a pot to take home 
with her next day, telling her at the same 
time how to tend it properly, which she 

128 



THE BIRTHDAY GIFT. 129 

promised to do. The effect of tae kindly 
notice taken of Nellie by Mr. and ]Mrs. 
Eiversdale on Nancy's demeanor ^vas won- 
derful to behold. Question followed ques- 
tion, until at length she succeeded in learn- 
ing the whole story, when her patronizing 
air grew qnite respectful. Indeed, Xellio 
was made so much of by ^Irs. Roper and 
some of the older servants, that had she 
not accidentally overheard some thought- 
less and rather nnkind remarks about her 
lameness, her poor little head might havo 
been almost turned. She felt it keenly ; 
but if the medicine was bitter, it did her 
good, and helped to keep her from being 
too much elated by her good fortune. 

Next day Miss Langton sent for her to 
her own room, and talked to her for some 
time with so much real interest in her wel- 
fare, that Nellie thought it was the most 
pleasant part of her visit to Thornecliffe, 



130 NELLIE XEWTOX, 

for it recalled the bappy clays when she 
used to be taught by her kind friend. 

"And now," said Miss Langton, at 
length, as she put into Nellie's hands a 
purse, containing ample payment for her 
many hours of toil, bending over her lace- 
pillow, " do you remember a talk we had 
lonsr a£:o tosfether about the future? I 
recollect you were very much cast down 
because you thought you would never be 
able to help your good mother, as you had 
hoped, by active service ; and I reminded 
you then how God oftentimes used the 
very means we fancied most unfavorable to 
bring about his own good purpose towards 
us. Now, I think, you find that * all things 
Aare worked together' for your good, do 
you not, my dear? Probably you would 
never have been able to earn so much in 
service as I hope you vrill now do ; and 
besides this, Nellie, I trust that far better 



THE LinrnDAY GIFT. 131 

blessings than mere eai-tlily ones have been 
added unto you, — even the * peace and 
joy in believing,' which our heavenly 
Father intends to be the fruit of the trials 
he sends to his children." 

Very soon after, Mrs. Scaforth's car- 
riage came to the door, and Xellie bade 
farewell to Miss Langton and Mrs. Roper, 
vrho had been so kind to her, with regret ; 
but she longed, nevertheless, to be once 
more in her own home, and was eager to 
recount all the doings of the past two daj's 
to her dear mother, as well as to place in 
her hand the first fruits of her own Libor. 



Years passed quickly on, and during the 
interval great changes had taken place in 
almost every direction, bnt still Stronnale 
remained, in all its main features, the 
same quiet fishing-viilage as of yore. Xo 

8* 



132 NELLIE newton: 

railway as yet peuctrated into its immedi- 
ate neighborhood, though each year brought 
it nearer and nearer to the lonely hamlet 
mider the cUfF. Old and young had been 
added to the number of the silent dwellers 
in the churchyard, but others had taken 
their places, and the same brown houses 
were, for the most part, occupied by those 
who bore the same names, and followed 
the same handicrafts as their fathers had 
before them. 

As time crept on, it had brought some 
changes to the Newtons, but they could 
still thank God that death had caused no 
blank by their fireside, and that their flim- 
ily circle, although it was now seldom com- 
plete around it, was yet unbroken. Nel- 
lie was, of course, her mother's constant 
companion, and was very often the only 
one at home. Esther was happily mar- 
ried, and lived not far off. Jacob was now 



THE mnrnDAY gift. 133 

master of a fishing-smack, and had taken 
Bill on hoard to train him also to a sea-far- 
ing life, rather to his mother's discontent, 
which, however, was overruled vrhen she 
saw his evident fitness and liking for it. 
jMercy had gone into ]\Irs. Eiversdalo's 
service while still quite 3'oung, and now 
held a position of some responsibility in 
the household, where she was respected 
and esteemed by her master and mistress, 
and loved by their children. 

Xellie's work had increased so rapidly 
after the making of the veil, that at length 
it was suggested to her that it might be 
useful to her neighbors, as well as an ad- 
vantage to herself, if she established a 
school for lace-making. Accordingly, the 
phm was carried out, and had proved so 
successful, that Nellie was never to be seen 
in vrorkins: hours otherwise than surround- 
cd by a busy group of girls, whom she 



134 KrLLir keiftox. 

first of all taught, and afterwards employed 
in the execution of her orders. Some of 
these "were engaged, therefore, in making 
delicate sprigs, others in joining old frag- 
ments of lace, which looked like old rags, 
until b}^ careful skill they vrere so put to- 
gether and fitted in with new work, that 
the whole became an elegant flounce, or 
tunic, or handkerchief, such as one can see 
any day in the shop windows in London. 
Others, again, who were only beginners, 
learned the m^^steries of "single-stitch," 
*^ no-pin stitch," " diamond cut," or " raised- 
work," according to their various attain- 
ments and capabilities. 

Nellie Newton was no longer in the first 
bloom of her j^outh, but she still found that 
patience and perseverance in her appoint- 
ed work were as needful, if not even more 
so than in her younger days ; and it was, 
perhaps, this feature in her character which 



THE BIRTHDAY GIFT. 135 

enabled her to be so useful to the young 
people whom she superintended. Thej all 
loved Xellie, whose Christian example and 
gentle admonitions were not lost upon 
them; and many were able, in after life, 
to trace back their first serious impressions, 
and their fii*st steps in a right direction, to 
her counsels and kindly interest in their 
welfare, 

Xellie might also be found every Sunday 
in the school, endeavoring to lead the little 
ones there to that Saviour whom she her- 
self knew to be the only refuge from the 
storms and tempests of sin and trouble. 
In short, her gentle influence for good was 
a real blessing to those about her in the 
villa2:e where she lived. It was her Gfreat 
aim to brius: relij^ion into all the minor 
concerns of daily life, thus commending it 
to all around her. 

lYith one more little incident in Xcllio 



136 NELLIE NEWTON. 

Newton's quiet life, we must bring our 
story to a close, trusting that it may not 
entirely fail in its oljject of teaching, how- 
ever imperfectly, that God's blessing will 
surely follow patient submission to his holy 
■will, and diligent perseverance in our ap- 
pointed work, whatever it may be. 

In the summer of 18 — , a few of Nellie's 
scholars discovered by chance that the 20th 
of July was their beloved teacher's birth- 
day, and they resolved, on that occasion, 
to give her some little token of their grate- 
ful attachment. IMiss Langton had inter- 
ested herself very much in Nellie's under- 
taking, and had never failed to visit her 
school when she came into the neighbor- 
hood. To lier, therefore, as she was iu 
Waterton, they determined to appl}^ — 
begging the kind-hearted lady to advise 
them in the choice of a gift, and entrusting 
her with its purchase. The sum collected 



THE BIRTHDAY GIFT. 137 

amou2:st them was far from beiiiG: a laro:e 
one, for it bacl.loeen saved out of hard-won 
earnings ; but it would be sufficient, Miss 
Lan!]:ton thouirbt, with some little addition 
from her own purse, to buy a neat clock, 
of which they had often felt the want in 
their work-room. All were delighted with 
the su2:2:c3tion. 

It was arranged beforehand that Xellie 
should take a holiday on that day; and, 
quite unconscious of any surprise in store 
for her, she determined to invite such of 
her scholars as liked to come, to drink tea 
with her mother and herself. The girls 
were charmed, for this suited their plans 
admiriibly. It was to be a family gather- 
ing as well ; for Jacob and Bill, now line 
young men, were able to be at home ; and 
Esther, with her husband and children, had 
promised to join them. 

It was as much as they could do to 



138 NELLIE NEWTON. 

squeeze into so small a room, but somehow 
or other it was managed; and it would 
have been diiScult to find a happier party 
than the one assembled that summer after- 
noon in Mrs. Newton's best parlor, enjoy- 
ing the strawberries and cream which Miss 
Langton's kind forethought had provided 
for them. The clock, their birthday gift, 
had been secretly conveyed earlier in the 
day to a neighbor's cottage, that when Miss 
Langton made her appearance, as she was 
expected to do towards evening, it might 
be close at hand. 

It had been a pleasant day altogether to 
Nellie Newton, and her heart was filled 
with deep but silent thankfulness to her 
Father in heaven, for the many mercies he 
bad bestowed upon her. Her mother, 
though getting on in years, was yet hale 
and hearty, and Nellie felt happy in the 
thought that she was now able by her own 



THE BIRTHDAY GIFT. 139 

exertions to suiTound her with many com- 
forts, unknown to them in former days. 
As she looked round, too, on the bright 
young faces of the lace girls, lighted up 
with eager expectancy (for IMiss Langton 
surely would soon arrive) , she was glad to 
knoAV that one and all loved her, and that, 
vrith God's help, her inuuence over them 
might be for good. The crutches were 
novr no trial at all ; and as she called to 
mind how different her position might have 
been, had no accident befallen her, and she 
had been left to carry out her cherished 
plan of domestic service, she inwardly 
exclaimed. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
and forsfct not all his benefits." 

Lookins: across the sea towards TTater- 
ton, as she stood in the doorway chatting 
with one of the girls, she noticed a rowing 
boat making for Stronnale bay. It came 
nearer and nearer, and at length the party 



140 NELLIE yEfFTOy. 

landed, and Nellie Newton uttered an 
exclamation of pleasure as she saw that it 
was Miss Langton accompanied by IMr. and 
Mrs. Eiversdale, who were coming up from 
the beach towards their cottage. Silver 
threads w^ere now visible here and there in 
[Miss Langton's dark hair Avhich w^ere not 
there wdien we first became acquainted with 
her, but the same gentle expression rested 
on her kind face. Time had dealt tender- 
ly, too, with Mr. and Mrs. Eiversdale, 
though, as v>^ith Nellie herself, the flush of 
youth had past with each of them. Kindly 
greetings and mutual inquiries were ex- 
changed, and half an hour passed quickly 
away, when one of the 3^0 ung people, at a 
sign from Miss Langton, brought in the 
gift, to present which was to be the event 
of the evening. 

"Well, Nellie," said Miss Langton, un- 
doing the wrappers, "it was not altogether 



THE LimnDAY GIFT. 141 

on our owtI account that \;g came across 
the bay this evening, for I must tell you 
that I have still a duty to perform, and a 
very pleasant one it is. In the name of 
your scholars I have been asked to present 
you with this birthday gift, as a token of 
their affection, and with every good wish 
for your welfare ; and if you have only 
half as much pleasure in accepting it, as 
they have had in making the purchase for 
you, I am sure they will feel amply re- 
paid." 

"And," continued Mr. Ers'ersdale, "as 
we thought it would be more useful placed 
in your work-room, w^here it seems that 
time flies so quickly that you are some- 
times at loss to know how it goes, we hope 
you will like the stand ]Mrs. Riversdale and 
I have added to make the clock more com- 
plete." 

Poor Xe}lie was quite overcome ; and 



142 NELLIE KEJVTOy. 

Mrs. Newton, who had been as innocent 
of any knowledge of the affair as her 
daughter was, looked from one to the 
other in perfect bewilderment. " I'm sure 
I can not thank you all as I ought," said 
Xellie, at last; "it's taken me so by sur- 
prise — but I know I shall value it as long 
as I live, as a precious token of your kind- 
ness." 

"And now," said Mr. Riversdale, think- 
ing it much better to cut the matter short 
and spare Xellie's feelings, "what do you 
say to my winding it up, and setting it 
going ; for you'll all allow a silent clock 
is about as useless an article as well can 
be. Dear me, auntie," added he, looking 
at his watch, " do you know that we shall 
be benis^hted if we don't make haste ? " 

A few minutes later they took their 
leave, while Xellie and the girls eagerly 
gathered round the clock and its pedestal 



THE niUTHDAT GIFT. l-iS 

to examine its quality and workmansliip. 
The case was of walnut wood, plain but 
handsome, and not unsuita])lc to the rest 
of the furnitm*e of their work-room ; while 
on a neat silver plate in front was this in- 
scription : — 

TO ELEA^^OR XEWTOX, 

FROM II EP. 

GKATEFUL AXD AFFECTIOXATE SCHOLARS, THE 
LACE OniLS OF STEOX>'ALE, JULY COxn, IS — 

Soon after the party separated ; and the 
Newtons before they retired to rest that 
night, all joined with heart and voice in 
sinaini? the errand old Doxoloiry, — 

" Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; 
Praise Him, all creatures here below ; 
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host ; 
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." 

It was long before Xcllio could sleep, 
for thoughts of the past and good resolu- 



1-14 KELLTE NEWTOy, 

tions for the future, mingled with the pleas- 
ant but unwonted " tick, tick " of the birth- 
day gift, combined to make her wakeful ; 
but when at last she fell asleep, it was the 
calm, unbroken rest of one whose heart 
was with God, in Christ Jesus, and whose 
life was spent in striving to do her Lord's 
work patiently and humbly on earth, wait- 
ing until she heard her Master's summons : 
"Well done, good and faithful servant; 
thou hast been faithful in a few things, 
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 



THE END. 




B 000 002 387 9 



I 



