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274
once , and then, if she did not like it, she
need not go again.
The next day it seemed to Nelly as if
school never would be out, and everything
was against her getting a perfect report.
One of the girls made such a funny face
that Nelly was obliged to laugh, and that
gave her one bad mark, and then just as
she closed her desk in a great hurry she
turned over her inkstand, so that gave
her another. But she said her lessons
well, and her teacher took off both marks,
and she had a good report to carry home
after all.
As soon as dinner was over, Mrs. Scott
said: “Now, Nelly, run up stairs and
wash your face and put on your wrap
pings, so that I may fulfil my promise
and take you to see Ann Owens.”
Nelly was soon ready. Her little checks
were as rosy and her eyes as bright as if
she was going somewhere on a frolic, in
stead of to visit a poor sick child. But
she knew she was doing what was right,
and that always makes children happy.
It was a long walk, that’s a fact, and if
it had not been that Mrs. Scott was talk
ing to Nelly all the time, to prevent her
from thinking about being tired, I know
she would have given out soon after they
left home. As it was, she had to ask her
mother to wait a few moments and let
her rest before they went up the long
flight of steps that led to Mrs. Owens’
room.
Mrs. Scott knocked at the door, and
Nelly’s heart beat very quickly as she
heard a weak voice say, “ Come in.” She
was afraid to raise her eyes until her mo
th eir said:
“Ann, I have brought my daughter to
see you.”
Nelly looked up and saw a little thin
hand held out to her. She took it in hers
and said :
“I hope you are better to-day.”
“ Thank you, I feel comfortable. I al
ways feel right w T ell when the sun shines.”
“ I suppose that is the reason you are
so bright whenever I see you,” said Mrs.
Scott; “ I happen to come on the sunshi
ny days.”
“I expect so, ma’am; I’m afraid you
would think me real cross if you could see
me wdien it rains.”
While this conversation was going on,
Nelly was looking at Ann. She saw no
thing about her appearance that indicated
suffering, except that she was pale and
thin. Ann was so pleased to see Mrs.
Scott, that her face was flushed, and her
eyes bright, and Nelly thought she had
never seen any little girl who was pret
tier than Ann Owens.
Nelly has come with me this after-
BURKE’S WEEKLY.
noon,” said Mrs. Scott, “to see if there is
anything she can do for you.”
“I am very much obliged to her,” said
Ann, “ but the only thing I care for now,
I am afraid would give her too much
trouble.”
“ I will not mind the trouble,” said Nel
ly, “if I can help you ; but what is it you
want me to do?”
“ I am so anxious to learn some kind
of work, so that I may not sit here all the
day idle, while mother is working hard.
If I only knew how to knit, I think I
might earn a little money.”
“Oh, mother,” said Nelly, “please let
me teach her. You know you said I
could knit almost as well as you, and Ann
would soon learn.”
“ Certainly, my child, if you wish it. I
am very glad you are able to teach her,
but Ann has no materials to learn with
yet.”
“ One of the ladies mother works for
gave me a few cents, won’t they help a
little?”
“And I have twenty-five cents of my
own,” said Nelly, “and I know that will
be enough to buy yarn and needles ; won’t
it, mother?”
“ Yes, that will do for a beginning; but
if you take that money you cannot buy
that dress for your doll that you wished
for so much.”
“ Never mind that, mother; dolly don’t
want her dress, and Ann does want to
learn how to knit.”
“ Yery well, my child, I have no objec
tion. You can come here next Saturday
morning, and stay while I am at the Mo
ther’s Mission. I will call for you as I
go home.”
Mrs. Scott and Nelly talked with Ann
a little while longer, and then they left.
I wish I had room to tell you how
quickly Ann has learned to knit, and how
sho sells her socks just as soon as they
are done, and how Nelly still goes to see
her every Saturday, and has taught her
to read and write as well as she does; but
I am afraid our friend, Mr. Burke, will
think this story too long now, and tell
me that I must not write any more.
If he will let me write again, I shall be
only too glad to tell my little friends
something more about the “Easter offer
ingß-” Byrd Lyttle.
[We are sure that the little readers of
the Weekly will be as glad as ourselves
to hear more about Nelly and her Easter
offerings; and we venture, in their name,
to beg that our correspondent will “write
again,” and often.— Editor.]
Never play at any game of chance.
Written for Burke’s Weekly
MAROONER’S ISLAND;
OR,
Dr. Gordon in Search of his Children.
BY REV. F. R. GOULDTNG,
Author of the “ Young Marooners .”
CHAPTER XXI— continued.
IMPROVISED ARMOR —WELL AIMED SHOT
DANGEROUS PASSAGE —BLOOD ON ROTH
SIDES CHINNOBEE.
■ EFORE they had march
| ed with circumspection,
but after this revelation
of danger their watchful
as redoubled. There was
ush, nor hillock, much less
« „ within gun-shot of the
' beach, capable of concealing a
* foe, that was not examined be
fore passing. All observed, too, that
Simpson’s mode of adjusting his load
was such as both to conceal his face
and to act as armor to defend his vital
parts. A bag of biscuits was balanced on
his right shoulder and kept raised as high
as his cap, while a broad-bladed hatchet
was stuck under his vest, on a line with
his lungs and heart; and a camp-kettle
that he volunteered to carry for one of
the men, was hung on his left arm, so as
to protect his hip and the greater part of
his side.
After travelling thus for about an hour
they came to a point of woods so thickly
grown up with palmettoes and other low
shrubs that examination was perilous as
well as hopeless. They, therefore, moved
by with all possible celerity; but while
doing so, there was heard the sharp crack
of a rifle. Simpson staggered and fell at
the water’s edge, and there came from
amidst the palmettoes a yell of triumph
from at least three voices, which, how
ever, were so broken into short shrill
notes as to sound more like the yells of
an hundred. Tomkins instantly ordered
a charge, and heading the men, who drop
ped everything except their arms, they
rushed up the bluff, and into the thicket.
Nobody, however, was to be seen, not
even the sign of a footprint, although
they went to the very spot from which
the smoke and the yells seemed to hau
proceeded. Such, however, was the size
and impenetrableness of the thicket-ca
pable of concealing a thousand men ni
ambush—that Tomkins deemed it p lU '
dent to withdraw his little force to tin
beach, from which he dispatched two of
them to a point where they could com
mand the ground without being them
selves exposed to danger. They watclu<
a few moments, and saw in the distant
underbrush a movement which satisfied
them that the foe had retired. r l° the