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Entered according: to Act of Congress, in June, 1869, by J. W. Burke & Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia.
Vol. III—No. 18.
NELLIE WARE S ERIEND.
ELLIE WARE was a pretty
girl, with pink cheeks, blue
?Wieyes, and a perfect mass of
soft, light-brown, waving hair. Her
mother was dead, but she had three sis
ters at home, older than herself, who
loved her very much, and by their kind
care of her almost supplied their dear
mother's place. Indeed, Mary, the
eldest, who had taken care of Nellie
ever since she was a baby, seemed to
her more like a mother than a sister.
Everybody who knew Nellie loved
her, not simply because she was pretty
to look at, but because she was so lov
ing and gentle. She was so kind-hearted
and unselfish that it always made her
unhappy to see others so.
“ What makes my little daughter so
grave?” asked her father, one evening,
as he noticed Nellie looking very in
tently at the fire for a long time.
“ Why, papa, I was thinking about
Jenny Ray, and feeling sorry for her.”
“ Who is Jenny Ray, and why do you
feel soiry for her?” stroking down his
daughter’s hair.
“ She comes to our school,” answer
ed Nellie, “ and hardly any of the girls
speak to her. I think it’s because she
doesn’t wear very pretty dresses. She
seems to be a good girl, and always re
cites her lessons well.”
“ Does NeUie Ware speak to her and
treat her well?” asked the Judge.
b “Yes, papa, I always say ‘good mor
ning,’ and try to get acquainted with
her, but she doesn’t say much back. I
wonder what the reason is.”
“ Perhaps she thinks you really don’t
care to get acquainted with her, but on
ly speak to her because the other girls
slight her. If I were in your place, I
think I would call on her, in her own
home, and invite her to visit me in
turn.”
“ 1 will, if Mary will let me !” she ex
claimed, and ran away to her sister for
permission, which was granted as soon
as Mary asked a few questions, to satis
fy herself that Jenny was a fit associate
for her young sister.
MACON, GEORGIA, OCTOBER 30, 1869.
Jenny Ray’s mother lived in a little
cottage, with a beautiful cherry tree in
front, and a small parden at the back.
In this garden she raised nearly all the
vegetables which supplied their frugal
table. She also made button holes for
the tailors at a cent and a half a-piece.
Constant practice had made her so ex
pert at this business that she was not
only able to pay her rent, but to furnish
herself and daughter with comfortable
clothes, pay for Jenny’s books and tui
tion, and put a small sum, weekly, into
the treasury of the Lord.
Nellie knew where Jenny lived, hav
ing often seen her go in and out of the
little cottage. In answer to her tap,
Mrs. Ray opened the door with her
thimble on, and a neeole sticking in the
half-finished button hole of a thick vest
which she held in her left hand. She
could not afford to lose the time which
putting down and taking up her work
would require, so she kept it in her
hand.
Mrs. Ray directed Nellie to the gar
den, where she found Jenny studying
her lessons for the morrow, in a little
grape arbor. Beside her was a little
black and white kitten, holding an open
book in her paws. She looked so comi
cal, gazing steadily at the book, that
Nellie laughed outright.
When Nellie went home, Jenny in
sisted that she should take the kitten as
a present, saying : “You can teach her
almost anything.”
In a few days, the kitten seemed well
contented, and Nellie neglected books
and dolls, for a time, to play with her
new pet.
After Nellie’s visit, Jenny seemed
more willing to talk. Judge Ware was
right. As soon as she was convinced
that Nelly really wished to become ac
quainted with her, she put aside all her
reserve, and in a short time the two girls
were warm friends.
The girls in school, however, did not
seem much pleased with the sudden and
strong friendship which their favorite
had formed for the one who had been
Whole No. 122.
treated by them with such neglect and
contempt.
“ I think if Nellie Ware’s father knew
how intimate she is with that Ray girl ,
he wouldn’t like it much,” said one.
“Isn’t it strange what makes Nellie
like her?” said another.
“She is so homely, and awkward,
and wears such horrid clothes,” remark
ed a third.
“ While Nellie, herself, is just as sweet
as she can be,” said a little girl who
wished to be on the popular side, and
y et would much rather speak good than
11 of every one.
Whenever such remarks came to Nel
lie’s ears, she only smiled. Her father
and sisters had seen Jenny, and ap
proved the intimacy. She loved Jen
ny, and w r as loved by her in return.
That was enough.
Not many weeks passed before Jen
ny’s schoolmates began to take more
notice of her. They found it difficult to
spare Nellie Ware’s beautiful hair and
complexion from their tableaux, or her
skill in music from their parties ; and
as she absolutely refused to take part in
the one, or attend the other, unless her
friend was invited, they were compelled
to treat Jenny with respect. They be
gan to like her, too, as they became bet
ter acquainted. When properly treat
ed, she was found to be neither so awk
ward nor so vulgar as they had thought
her. Nellie taught her how to arrange
her hair becomingly, and also gave her
many friendly hints about her dress,
and the improvement of her manners,
which Jenny gladly received and acted
upon.
Jenny was a sweet singer, but her
mother had never been able to afford
her any instruction on the piano. This
w T as a sort of trial to Nellie, as nearly
all the girls in school were taking les
sons, and could play a little. She did
not like to see Jenny fall below them,
either in talents or acquirements. She
thought about this a great deal, and at
last the idea entered her head that she
might herself instruct Jenny in music
on Saturdays, and at other times when
she had leisure.
“ I can teach her as much as I know