THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 Rare Book Room 
 GIFT OF 
 
 John W, Beckman 
 
66 t 
 
 ' l *^ 
 
 ', 
 

KELLY NASH, 
 
 OR 
 
 'I DIDN'T THINK. 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR OF THE BLUE FLAG, CHEERILY, 
 CHEERILY, ETC. 
 
 "PONDER THE PATH OF THY FEET." 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 AMERICAN TEACT SOCIETY, 
 
 150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK. 
 
The main incident of this story occur 
 red in this country many years since. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by the 
 AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court 
 of the Southern District of the State of New York. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 A June Morning 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Kelly's Home .................................... 15 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 The Cooper's Cottage- ............................. 25 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 J New Quarters ..................................... 36 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 Annie Ingalls ......................... - ........... 46 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Annie's Secret .................................... 62 
 
 CHAPTER, VII. 
 Farmer Dodkins .................................. 73 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Kelly forced to Think 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 KirkwoodBun 89 
 
4 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 The Hospital 108 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 Love and Duty 115 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 A Trying Interview 124 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Conclusion 131 
 
KELLY NASH. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A JUNE MORNING. 
 
 H*AD Jack Frost been at his pranks 
 on a bright June morning ? That could 
 hardly be, and yet somebody or some 
 thing had been imitating the winter-king's 
 work so well, that you rubbed your eyes 
 and thought it must be December instead 
 of June. 
 
 Kelly Nash was standing in a long, 
 low room, looking leisurely about him. 
 He had a broom in his hand, but as yet 
 it was as idle a broom as if it were still 
 waving above the rustling corn. The 
 pleasant sunlight was streaming in through 
 an open door. Into every chink and 
 
6 KELLY NASH. 
 
 crevice it peered, as if determined to 
 leave no lurking-place for the conquered 
 darkness. 
 
 The floor of the room was as wh^te as 
 if covered with the hoar-frost, and every 
 nail of Kelly's boots had left its print, as 
 he had walked from the door to the place 
 where the broom had been hanging. The 
 bare beams which supported the ceiling 
 had their white coating, and every jag 
 ged, rough splinter seemed to have put 
 out its little hand to get a share of the 
 snow-like covering, so generously spread 
 abroad. The slender cobwebs had be 
 come white drapery, falling in such heavy 
 festoons, that the flies would have been 
 silly indeed to have been caught in such 
 clumsy traps. 
 
 "Round the house, round the house, 
 And leaves a white glove in every window," 
 
 says the old riddle ; and so some myste 
 rious work had been going on in the 
 
A JUNE MOENING. T 
 
 night, leaving white tokens everj^where, 
 while all the good people of Kirkwood 
 had been fast asleep. 
 
 Kelly Nash did not seem to think there 
 was any riddle for him to unfold, nor 
 did he fancy he was in an enchanted pal 
 ace, because the very floor shook under 
 him, and the whole building trembled 
 and thrilled like the frame of a steamer 
 when the great engine is at work. 
 
 After a complacent glance about him, 
 Kelly opened a small door, and looked 
 for a moment into the great dark room 
 in which a huge wheel was going round 
 and round, plashing and dripping at every 
 turn. Kelly had been in a mill before. 
 He understood the secret of the white 
 dust from the flour, which coated and 
 sprinkled every thing with its signs of 
 plenty to come. Many a time had he 
 gone home at evening with his crisp 
 brown curls powdered, and his very eye- 
 
8 KELLY NASH. 
 
 lashes as white as his grandfather's. Yet 
 nobocty ever took Kelly Nash for an old 
 man. There was too merry a twinkle in 
 his blue eye for that. It was plain that 
 all the nonsens-e of boyhood had not been 
 taken out of him. 
 
 Kelly knew very well that it was his 
 business to sweep the floor, and rob the 
 window-seats of their soft covering be 
 fore any one else should come in. Yet 
 there , he stood, leaning again on his 
 broom, and watching two figures that 
 were slowly approaching the mill. Kel 
 ly knew every boy and girl in the neigh 
 borhood of Kirkwood, at least by sight, 
 and with most of them he had exchanged 
 greetings of war or peace too frequent 
 ly the former, for his good reputation in 
 the village. Kelly was very sure he 
 had never seen that slender lad before. 
 His straw hat bound with green was of 
 a fashion new in Kirkwood, arid his 
 
A JUNE MOBNING. 9 
 
 clothes of blue check had not their match 
 in school-rom or work-shop. The lit 
 tle girl skipping at his side had a trim, 
 tidy look to which Kelly was unaccus 
 tomed, and her starched pink sun-bon 
 net, of the Quaker pattern, set Kelly off 
 into one of his merry laughs, in w r hich 
 nobody could help joining, senseless as 
 they were. 
 
 "Who are youV said Kelly, as the 
 children paused and looked in at the 
 door of the mill. 
 
 The boy did not condescend to give 
 any other reply than a quiet glance of 
 his dark eye ; but the little girl lifted her 
 round, cheerful face and answered, " We 
 are the new cooper. We only came yes 
 terday." 
 
 "The new cooper!' 7 repeated Kelly 
 with a laugh. "Well, I hope you are a 
 good hand at the business. 77 
 
 "Is this the mill? 77 asked the little 
 
10 KELLY NASH. 
 
 girl, as though never dreaming that any 
 one could be laughing at her. 
 
 "Yes, this is Kirkwood mill; and 1 7 m 
 Kelly Nash, the best fellow in the place. 
 Everybody likes me ; and I like myself, 
 to be in the fashion. Wont you walk in, 
 miss, and see what we have to show?" 
 
 Kelly did not note the dark look on 
 the face of th& tall lad, who lingered at 
 the door as the little girl went in. 
 
 "What's that? 77 said the visitor, as 
 she surveyed the patent scales near her. 
 
 "Oh, that's our machine for weighing 
 people," said Kelly. "When any body 
 comes to Kirkwood, we always have 
 them weighed at once, to see how much 
 they gain here. If they grow very fat, 
 they have to pay a town tax, to get the 
 thin folks a Christmas dinner. Step up 
 and be weighed, miss you did n't tell 
 me your name. 77 
 
 The child did not regard the mocking 
 
A JUNE MOKNING. 11 
 
 tone in which she was addressed, and 
 she answered simply, "My name is An 
 nie Ingalls, and that is my brother Tru 
 man. Take iny bonnet, wont you? I 
 want to be fair. 77 
 
 As she spoke she stepped on the scales, 
 holding out her clean bonnet to Kelly. 
 
 If Annie Ingalls had been going to be 
 put up for sale after the weighing, there 
 would doubtless have been many a pur 
 chaser. She looked well worth every 
 pound of her weight in gold, as she stood 
 there in her sweet, trustful simplicity, 
 feeling kindly towards all the world, and 
 ready to believe that same world as lov 
 ing as herself. It was not her fresh, 
 glowing cheeks, or the soft turn of her 
 brown hair that gave the charm to her 
 appearance, but a something which comes 
 not from flesh and blood beauty, but is 
 the light of the soul, shining through the 
 living case wherein it dwells for a season. 
 
12 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Kelly felt inwardly ashamed of him 
 self, as he looked into her clear brown 
 eye ; and yet he was too fond of fun to 
 be stopped in a joke by a prick of con 
 science. 
 
 "Just thirty pounds/ 7 said Kelly, pre 
 tending to look carefully at the fine num 
 bering on the scales. 
 
 "Is that all? thank you/ 7 said Annie, 
 as she stepped down from the platform. 
 The tracks of her small feet on the floor 
 marked the straight line by which she 
 moved to the door, where her brother 
 was still standing. l ' Wont you be weigh 
 ed too/ 7 she said, as she looked up into 
 the face of the lad. 
 
 There was a flash in his dark eye, and 
 an indignant toss of his head, as he walk 
 ed quickly up to Kelly, exclaiming, 
 
 "You have not told the truth. You 
 have not weighed Annie fairly, and you 
 have been laughing at her all the time 
 
A JUNE MORNING. 13 
 
 that she thought you were doing her a 
 kindness. 77 
 
 "And who are you? 77 said Kelly, lean 
 ing on his broom, and giving a long low 
 whistle. 
 
 Truman laid his hand firmly "on Kel 
 ly's shoulder, and seemed about to com 
 mence a trial of strength that would have 
 ended in no good. 
 
 " Truman, dear Truman, please don/t, 77 
 urged Annie. "You know father sent 
 us on an errand ; he will want an answer. 
 Kelly, when does Mr. Hilger the miller 
 come into his office ? Father wants to 
 see him. 77 
 
 "He 7 11 be here in five minutes, 77 said 
 Kelly, coming to himself, "and a pretty 
 row there 7 11 be if this floor is not as 
 clean as the back of his hand just out of 
 the wash-basin. Time has slipped off, 
 while I Ve been fooling. 77 
 
 Kelly began to whisk his broom about, 
 
14 KELLY NASH. 
 
 leaving long waving lines, like locks of 
 hoary hair dropped carelessly on the dull 
 brown boards. 
 
 "Let me help you," said Annie cheer 
 fully. ' ' I know mother would not mind 
 my stopping a minute." 
 
 Kelly was right glad of help, and he 
 handed a broom to his little companion, 
 who soon proved herself a valuable as 
 sistant. Annie did not speak one word, 
 but she kept at her task till the floor of 
 the great room was as clean as the hearth 
 stone in her mother's shining kitchen. 
 
 ' ' Good-morning, Kelly," she said pleas 
 antly, and then she lightly skipped away. 
 
 Kelly Nash was puzzled by the little 
 stranger. There was something about 
 her that he did not understand. He did 
 not dream that she had been deliberately 
 returning good for evil. He knew little 
 of the law of love, which was the rule of 
 Annie Ingalls' daily life. 
 
KELLY'S HOME. 15 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 KELLY'S HOM!Ek 
 
 THE western sky was glorious with the 
 golden hues of the setting sun. Kelly 
 Nash had no eye for the beauties of na 
 ture. He went whistling on his way up 
 the valley, not once noticing how the 
 pine trees seemed to be all on fire, and 
 how every blade of grass was shining 
 like an emerald, as it shimmered in the 
 sunset light. Kelly had a stick in his 
 hand, and he switched off the top of the 
 mullen stalks, without seeing the tender 
 young leaves, the " lambs 7 ears, 77 that 
 clustered so woolly and soft at their foot. 
 If they had been real bleating lambs, 
 Kelly would have been sure to have 
 seen them, and to have made them scam 
 per away quickly enough, with no very 
 good opinion of the merry-faced boy 
 
16 KELLY NASH. 
 
 who was turning his back on Kirkwood. 
 Kelly Nash did not live in the village. 
 Morning and evening he had a walk 
 along the banks of Kirkwood Run, as 
 pretty a walk as could be found the 
 country round. But, as we have said 
 before, Kelly had no eye for the beau 
 ties of nature, nor had he the devout 
 heart which loves the works of the Crea 
 tor because they have come from the 
 hand of the All-loving and the All-wise. 
 If you had met Kelly returning from the 
 mill, you would have fancied that he was 
 going towards some bright pleasant home, 
 where cheerful faces and a warm greet 
 ing awaited him. Kelly's home was a 
 mere hovel, a shelter against wind and 
 storm. Bee, bird, or beaver could boast 
 a more trim and tasteful dwelling-place. 
 A narrow path wound up to the old log 
 hut perched on the hill-side. No little 
 noses were flattened against the panes of 
 
KELLY'S HOME. 17 
 
 the one small front-window. No little 
 brothers and sisters were looking out for 
 Kelly, ready to jump into his arms. 
 
 A slender column of smoke was going 
 up from the chimney of the poor cottage. 
 Was a warm supper being made ready 
 for Kelly? Ah, no. Over the fire of 
 brush-wood an old man was cowering, 
 shivering at the pleasant coolness of the 
 evening, which sent the young blood glad 
 ly leaping through Kelly's veins. 
 
 "Cold, grandpa? 77 said Kelly as he 
 opened the door; "well, that's funny; 
 1 7 m as warm as toast. 77 
 
 "Wait till you get to be my age, and 
 then you 7 ll see, 77 said the old man, hold 
 ing his thin hands over the blaze. 
 
 Certainly it was not for lack of cloth 
 ing that the speaker was suffering. "Old 
 Nash, 77 as the villagers called Kelly's 
 grandfather, had but one style of dress 
 for winter and summer, in doors and out 
 
 Kelly Nah. 2 
 
18 KELLY NASH. 
 
 of doors. His short thin person was al 
 ways nearly covered by his long, shabby 
 overcoat, and far down on his forehead 
 was settled a great bell-crowned hat, 
 which evidently had not been made for 
 the wearer. Yet no one ever thought of 
 laughing at "Old Nash." The silver 
 hair which strayed about his temples of 
 course ought to have protected him from 
 such attacks, for it is a sin to mock at 
 the hoary head ; but it was not his age 
 alone which secured for "Old Nash" re 
 spect in his poverty. There was a kind 
 ly and innocent look in the small face of 
 the old man, that won upon a stranger 
 like the countenance of a trusting child. 
 "Old Nash" was a privileged charac 
 ter in Kirkwood. He had his poor hut 
 free of rent, and liberty to feed the fire 
 over which he liked to hover, from any 
 body's woods or wood-pile as pleased 
 him best. The rude baskets he wove 
 
KELLY'S HOME. 19 
 
 with his trembling fingers but half sup 
 plied the means of his scanty support, 
 which was eked out by a slender pittance 
 from the town. 
 
 When "Old Nash 'V first appeared in 
 Kirkwood, he was leading by the hand 
 a light-haired boy who could just toddle 
 at his side. The poor wanderer could 
 not without weeping tell his storj^ of sor 
 row, how one stroke had left the child 
 an orphan and the old man without an 
 arm to lean upon. He had turned his 
 back on the sad scene of his bereave 
 ment, to find a home among kindly stran 
 gers. It was a gaod providence which 
 guided the poor broken-down man to 
 Kirkwood, where he found what he so 
 earnestly sought for himself and his help 
 less charge. 
 
 Yes, all the weary years of his life, a 
 good providence had been around and 
 about " Old N&sh " yet he had not heard 
 
20 KELLY NASH. 
 
 the voice of his heavenly Father, nor re 
 membered Him in all his ways. He had 
 not taught little Kelly to fold his hands 
 in prayer, or to strive to follow the ex 
 ample of that Saviour who was pure and 
 perfect, though clothed in the form of 
 sinful man. 
 
 Kelly had had his own way far too 
 much for his good. "Old Nash" had 
 never laid hands on the boy to correct 
 him ; and indeed the simple creature soon 
 learned to look up to Kelly as if he were 
 the stronger and the wiser of the two 
 a view of things of which the merry- 
 hearted lad wholly approved. 
 
 Kelly had by nature a sunny temper - 
 and an abounding cheerfulness, which 
 seemed to thrive as well in the shade of 
 his hovel-like home as it could in a pal 
 ace. With youth and health on his side, 
 he cared little for hard fare and hard 
 bed, and when in due time hard work 
 
KELLY'S HOME. 21 
 
 became his lot, lie took to that as pleas 
 antly as to the rest of his fate. He did 
 not expect to find a hot supper awaiting 
 him on his return from the mill, and was 
 not at all surprised to see his grandfather 
 just where he always found him, cower 
 ing over the fire. Kelly knew that in 
 the quiet corner cupboard there was a 
 loaf of bread, and he had but to go leap 
 ing down the hill and he could get a cup 
 of pure water from the best spring in the 
 County. 
 
 Of this simple supper Kelly ate heart 
 ily, without one thought of gratitude to 
 Him who giveth the ravens food, and 
 appointeth to all men their daily bread. 
 
 There was but a crust to put back in 
 the empty cupboard, but Kelly was not 
 troubled with anxious thoughts for the 
 morrow ; so he shut the door and then 
 sat down near his grandfather, for their 
 usual evening talk. 
 
22 KELLY NASH. 
 
 " Well, lad/ 7 said the old man, looking 
 into the bright young face beside him. 
 
 "Well, grandpa, 77 was the reply, and 
 Kelly 7 s hand was laid on the old man's 
 back with what might have been meant 
 for a love-tap, but would have been more 
 appropriate as medical aid to an alder 
 man in danger of choking. 
 
 The two looked each other in the eye 
 for a moment in silence. It was plain 
 that " Old Nash 77 had something particu 
 lar to say, but did not know how to be 
 gin. Kelly helped him by starting up 
 suddenly, and kicking a bundle that he 
 had just spied in the corner. 
 
 " What 7 s this? What's this, grandpa? 77 
 said the boy, tossing the bundle about. 
 
 "Old Nash 77 looked on helplessly, and 
 did not try to speak, until Kelly paused 
 and stood for a moment beside him. 
 
 "That 7 s my bundle, and there 7 s my 
 stick. It 7 s a strong one. It took me all 
 
KELLY'S HOME. 23 
 
 the morning to pick it out. I wish you 
 could go with me, Kelly ; but you can't 
 you can't leave the mill. They could n't 
 get on without you.' 7 
 
 " Where are you going, grandpa?" in 
 terrupted Kelly most unceremoniously. 
 
 "I want to see the old place, Kelly. 
 You do n't remember ; you were too 
 young. They laid 'em side by side." 
 
 Here the old man choked, and couldn't 
 go on. 
 
 "Now, grandpa, you sha'n't go away 
 at all, " said Kelly decidedly. ' ' You a'n't 
 fit to be going about the country alone. 
 That stick will be a first-rate one for me 
 to keep the dogs off with, when I go to 
 farmer Dodkin's with the flour. It will 
 give you something to do to untie the 
 knots in that bundle in the morning." 
 
 Kelly laughed as he spoke, and in 
 truth the knots seemed to be put in for 
 much the same purpose as the lock of a 
 
24 KELLY NASH. 
 
 patent-safe is made. Surely, no one 
 could pick them out but the hand that 
 put them in. 
 
 Kelly forthwith kicked the bundle un 
 der the bed for safe-keeping, and consid 
 ered the matter settled. 
 
 Kelly did most of the talking for the 
 rest of the evening, and it must be owned 
 he had not a very attentive listener. 
 Now and then "Old Nash" mumbled 
 something to himself, but he did not 
 openly say one word to dispute Kelly's 
 decision. 
 
 Kelly slept that night the sound sleep 
 of youth and health. He did not hear 
 some one stirring in the room, in the 
 grey dawn. He did not see a sorrowful 
 old face bending over him in the dim 
 twilight. He did not hear his grandfa 
 ther gently closing the door behind him, 
 and stealing away down the narrow path 
 way that led to the village. 
 
THE COOPER'S COTTAGE. 25 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE COOPER'S COTTAGE. 
 
 IF you want to hear the birds singing 
 in earnest, you must be awake before 
 sunrise some bright summer morning. 
 Then it is not one liftle fellow whistling 
 and trilling, with two or three of his 
 companions joining in by way of a cho 
 rus. That will do very well in the mid 
 dle of the day, and very sweet it is, to 
 be sure ; but never think you have any 
 idea what the birds can do, till you have 
 heard the universal warbling and piping 
 and chirping which they set up as soon 
 as the rosy light begins to flame along 
 the eastern sky. The very air seems 
 full of music, glad music, which stirs your 
 heart, and makes you feel that you too 
 should begin the day with a song of praise 
 to the Giver of all good. 
 
26 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Annie Ingalls had passed her child 
 hood in a narrow street in a large city. 
 The rattling of wheels, the click of the 
 workman's hammer, or the rude brawls 
 of revellers returning from scenes of riot, 
 had often roused her from her slum 
 bers; but such a concert as the Kirk- 
 wood birds were having was a charming 
 novelty. Annie was almost wild with 
 delight, and had to stop ever so many 
 times while she was dressing, to see as 
 well as to hear the little singers. 
 
 "Is that a turtle up there? I see 
 something sticking its head out of the 
 shell every now and then," said a voice 
 from below. 
 
 "Why, Truman, I did not mean you 
 should get down first, 77 exclaimed Annie. 
 
 "Down first? I have brought round the 
 cow, and here she is, all ready to be 
 milked, 77 said Truman triumphantly. 
 
 Yes, there stood the red cow, looking 
 
THE COOPER'S COTTAGE. 2T 
 
 inquiringly about her, as if asking into 
 whose hands she had fallen. She cer 
 tainly ought to have been satisfied with 
 the appearance of the woman who now 
 came out of the small gate in front of the 
 house. She was Truman's mother. That, 
 any body could have seen at a glance ; 
 but his sober and almost severe expres 
 sion was very unlike the cheerful glit 
 ter of her black eyes, and the dimpling 
 smiles about her mouth. Tidiness itself 
 she seemed, and the new tin buckets she 
 had in her hand were not more smooth 
 and shining than the closely-brushed 
 bands of her dark hair. 
 
 Annie had intended to be present at 
 the milking, from beginning to end ; but 
 the minutes out of which the birds had 
 beguiled her were gone, and she knew 
 she could not catch them again, try as 
 hard as she might. True, she was all 
 dressed now, and could have been down 
 
28 KELLY NASH. 
 
 stairs and out of the front door in half a 
 dozen bounds of her nimble feet ; but An 
 nie Ingalls did not forget that she had a 
 soul as well as a body, and that it must 
 have its washing and dressing anew every 
 morning. Very humbly she knelt and 
 prayed that that soul might be made 
 pure through the Saviour 's blood, clothed 
 in his righteousness, and armed with the 
 whole armor of Grod. Annie asked for 
 what she really wanted. She asked to 
 be made obedient and gentle and unself 
 ish, a good daughter, a good sister, a 
 faithful, humble child of God. If Kelly 
 Nash had seen her then, kneeling in her 
 quiet room, he might have dimly un 
 derstood what was that something about 
 her which was to him a riddle hard to 
 read. 
 
 It was plain that Mrs. Ingalls had not 
 always lived in town. She well knew 
 how to set the milk all in a foam, as the 
 
THE COOPER'S COTTAGE. 29 
 
 white streams flowed free and fast through 
 her skilful fingers. 
 
 Annie arrived just in time to see the 
 finishing off of the milking, and to ex 
 press her hearty delight at her mother's 
 success. 
 
 "Is n't it splendid! 77 she exclaimed. 
 "May I have a drink of it now, just 
 warm from the cow? 77 
 
 Mrs. Ingalls nodded, and away ran An 
 nie for her precious cup, on which was 
 "THE GOOD GIRL 77 in staring red letters. 
 
 Just as she raised the delicious draught 
 to her lips, a stranger joined the little 
 party at the gate. An odd-looking stran 
 ger Annie thought him, and her brown 
 eyes gazed wonderingly into his small 
 face, as he paused and leaned on his 
 stick as if weary. 
 
 "Wont you sit down? 77 said Mrs. In 
 galls, handing the old man her milking- 
 stool, with one of her bright smiles. 
 
30 KELLY NASH. 
 
 "I will rest a bit. IVe come clear 
 from the other end of the village, and 
 beyond it too, a piece, 77 said "Old Nash 7 ' 
 in his simple way. 
 
 " You took an early start ; may-be you 
 didn't have time for breakfast. Here, 
 Annie,, give me your cup. Wont you 
 try some of Mooly's good milk, sir ? 77 
 
 "She 7 s a fine cow, and gives wonder 
 ful. Farmer Dodkins has nary better on 
 his farm. Thank ye. A drop of milk 
 wouldn't be bad. I know Mooly." As 
 "Old Nash 77 was drinking the milk, sip 
 ping it like a child, and looking about him 
 contentedly, Annie exclaimed, " There ; s 
 father at the .door. He 7 s ready for 
 prayers now. 77 
 
 "Yes, all ready, so come in at once, 77 
 said John Ingalls in his own prompt 
 way. 
 
 "The old man, father he hasn't got 
 through his milk. Mayn't he come in 
 
THE COOPER'S COTTAGE. 31 
 
 too? May-be he 7 d like to sit a little by 
 the kitchen fire. I saw him rubbing his 
 hands as if he was cold when he first 
 came up, though I don't see how any 
 body could be cold on such a morning. 77 
 
 Annie said all this in a whisper, her 
 father putting down his ear to catch the 
 mysterious communication. 
 
 " Will you come in a few minutes, and 
 sit by our kitchen fire? We are going 
 to have our prayers now, and we do n't 
 mind a wayfaring man's being with us 
 then. It rather helps us, we think." 
 John Ingalls had a straightforward way 
 of speaking, and a manner of stopping 
 suddenly, as if he expected an immedi 
 ate answer. 
 
 "Old Nash" made no answer, but he 
 handed the cup to Annie, and then pick 
 ing up the stool, moved towards the 
 house. 
 
 When the family were all assembled 
 
32 KELLY NASH. 
 
 in the snug kitchen, John Ingalls did not 
 take ont a great Bible and lay it before 
 him; he was but a poor scholar, and 
 could but spell out the words slowly 
 when he read for his own edification. 
 Often too he had his family prayers in 
 the dimness of the early morning. He 
 had hit upon a plan which would do as 
 well in the dark as by daylight. 
 
 "Now, Truman/ 7 said John when they 
 were all seated. 
 
 The boy stood up, and repeated, slow 
 ly and clearly, that beautiful chapter on 
 charity, 1 Corinthians 13. 
 
 "We must try to live by that/ 7 said 
 John earnestly, as Truman sat down. 
 
 There was a short pause, and then 
 Annie's voice sounded out sweetly in a 
 morning hymn, in which she was soon 
 joined by the whole family. 
 
 "We will all kneel down now, while 
 we pray," said John slowly and distinct- 
 
THE COOPER'S COTTAGE. 33 
 
 ly. He wished the stranger to be fully 
 prepared for what was about to be done. 
 
 " Old Nash " knelt down, bowed upon 
 his knees for the first time perhaps in all 
 his life. He heard God addressed as a 
 trusted Friend, glad to pour out his bless 
 ings on his loving children; and as a 
 Father, whom those children longed to 
 obey. For the poor wandering stran 
 ger "the old man who is with us to 
 day " there were special petitions. God 
 was asked to " bless his hoary head, 
 guard his footsteps, and help him to walk 
 in the way of life. 77 
 
 When the Lord 7 s prayer had been re 
 peated by all, and the Amen spoken, 
 " Old Nash ?7 rose with difficulty. Once 
 on his feet, he moved across the room, 
 and took John Ingalls by the hand. 
 
 "I wish you had spoken a word for 
 the boy not him, 77 said " Old Nash, 77 as 
 the fathers eye involuntarily turned to 
 
 Kelly Nash. 3 
 
34 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Truman "my Kelly, I mean. May-be 
 you know Kelly Nash. 77 
 
 "Kelly Nash! is he your boy? 77 said 
 Annie, sidling up to the old man. 
 
 " Yes, he 7 s my boy, and 1 7 m leaving 
 him. He said I must n 7 t go, but he don 7 t 
 know. He was only a child then. I 
 want to see 7 ern lying side by side once 
 more. Kelly 7 11 get on very well with 
 out me, but he ha 7 n 7 t no mother. If you 
 could only see Kelly, may-be you 7 d say 
 something for him sometimes in the morn 
 ing. He ha 7 n 7 t no ways like yours ; but 
 he 7 s a pleasant lad, my Kelly is. I 
 hope 1 7 11 see him when I come back." 
 
 "Old Nash 77 took up his bundle and 
 stick, and then bowing, he said, " Grood- 
 by, thank you, 77 to each one in the room. 
 
 As he stood on the threshold, he turned 
 to say, "You wont forget my boy when 
 you are down on your knees. 77 
 
 "We wont forget him, 77 said Mrs. In- 
 
THE COOPER'S COTTAGE. 35 
 
 galls' cheerful voice. "Here, let me 
 help you down these rough steps/ 7 she 
 added, suiting the action to the word. 
 
 " Old Nash" stood in the street once 
 more. One thin hand grasped the firmly- 
 knotted bundle, while the other held his 
 stout walking-stick. Kirkwood was be 
 hind him; before him lay many weary 
 miles, ere he could reach the long-for 
 saken home of his happier days. A 
 great load seemed to be rolled off the 
 old man's mind. He fancied he had se 
 cured a kind of protection for Kelly a 
 charm which would keep him from all 
 ill. Now, he could go his way, and be 
 sure no evil could happen to the lad. 
 
 Poor " Old Nash " in his blindness and 
 ignorance had hit upon a truth. There 
 is no such safeguard for our absent ones 
 as the sincere prayers of God's true chil 
 dren. 
 
36 KELLY NASH. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 NEW QUAETEES. 
 
 WAS Kelly Nash anxious and distress 
 ed when he found that grandfather, stick, 
 and bundle had suspiciously disappeared 
 together ? You should have heard Kel 
 ly's merry shout as he made this discov 
 ery, if 'you had any uneasiness as to 
 what he would think of the matter. 
 
 "He's a funny old soul, now," said 
 Kelly to himself, "to steal a march on 
 me that way. He '11 be back again soon ; 
 before night, very likely; right glad to 
 warm his hands over the fire, though 
 1 'in all in a perspiration. 77 
 
 Kelly's breakfast was but a light one, 
 but he was sure that good Mrs. Hilger 
 would send him a nice luncheon ; so he 
 gave himself no trouble on that score, 
 but coolly put off his appetite till a more 
 
NEW QUAETEES. 37 
 
 appropriate occasion. Kelly had a laugh 
 with everybody he met that morning, 
 at the idea of his grandfather's running 
 away; and by the time he got to the 
 mill, he had persuaded himself that the 
 whole affair was the funniest thing in the 
 world. He longed to tell the good joke 
 to Mr. Hilger, and hear what he would 
 have to say about it ; but the miller came 
 in with the new cooper, and went direct 
 ly to his office, where it was plain he 
 was talking on business and could not be 
 interrupted. 
 
 The business was over at last. The 
 bits of paper all covered with figures 
 and memoranda were laid aside, and then 
 Mr. Hilger put his feet upon the win 
 dow-sill and tilted back his chair, as if 
 prepared for more general conversation. 
 
 As the fat little miller made this effort 
 to be thoroughly comfortable, he became 
 conscious of a great package in his coat- 
 
38 KELLY NASH. 
 
 pocket winch was much in his way. He 
 forthwith drew out a greyish-white nap 
 kin, in which Mrs. Hilger had carefully 
 rolled what she called " Kelly's lunch 
 eon." That same luncheon was, in fact, 
 as comfortable a dinner for a growing 
 boy as could be served up cold in a nap 
 kin. 
 
 Through the glass door, Kelly had a 
 full view of what was going on in the 
 office ; he was therefore ready at once to 
 respond to Mr. Hilger's call, andTeceive 
 with a hearty " Thank you/ 7 the package 
 which had been such a foe to the good 
 miller's comfort. 
 
 Kelly was not a stickler for routine ; 
 he was not going to wait for luncheon 
 till luncheon-time, not he. He perched 
 himself on a barrel, and might soon have 
 been seen with a chicken's leg in one 
 hand and a slice of bread in the other, 
 presenting as satisfactory a picture of 
 
NEW QUARTERS. 39 
 
 contentment as an unsentimental painter 
 would wish to see. 
 
 Mr. Hilger was no painter, and yet he 
 had his share of pleasure as he got a 
 peep at Kelly midway in his progress 
 through the contents of the grey napkin. 
 It was a pleasure, however, not unmin- 
 gled with pain, as he exclaimed, "Just 
 look at Kelly. He must like Mrs. Hil- 
 ger's cooking. I do n't believe the poor 
 fellow has had a mouthful of breakfast. 
 Why, he ? s ravenous." 
 
 "Growing boys are always that way. 
 No matter how much you feed them, they 
 are just as ready for more," said John 
 Ingalls, with a sincerity that showed he 
 either spoke from late observation or 
 personal experience. 
 
 "Well, I don't know much about it, 
 but. Mrs. Hilger has a notion that Kelly 
 is only half fed at home. She really 
 worries about the boy, and gives me no 
 
40 KELLY NASH. 
 
 peace unless I load up my pockets for 
 him every morning. After all, there is 
 not a healthier-looking boy in Kirkwood 
 than Kelly Nash." 
 
 While the miller was speaking, John 
 Ingalls had kept his eye on the lad, and 
 could not help thinking that there was 
 real hunger in the way he devoured 
 every crumb of the abundant provision 
 that had been made for him. 
 
 "Kelly Nash! 77 exclaimed John, catch 
 ing at the name, "Kelly Nash! what has 
 he to do with a queer-looking little old 
 man, with a hat too big for his head, and 
 a coat too big for his body?" 
 
 "Old Nash. You've seen him then 
 already," said the miller smiling. "He ? s 
 Kelly's grandfather. Everybody knows 
 him about here." 
 
 We need not relate the conversation 
 in which the miller and the cooper told 
 each other all they knew about "Old 
 
NEW QUARTERS. 41 
 
 Nash/ 7 and were both much interested 
 in the story they heard. John Ingalls' 
 honest heart warmed towards the orphan- 
 boy, and the miller mentally compared 
 his own cosy home with the dreary, lonely 
 hovel to which Kelly must go at evening. 
 
 This conversation was but the wedge, 
 the small beginning of what happened 
 before a week was over. 
 
 What a change had taken place in 
 Kelly's life! The miller and Mr. In- 
 galls had made a bargain for Kelly's 
 special benefit. Three times a day he 
 sat down at Mrs. Ingalls' comfortable 
 table, and at night he slept in a snug 
 little room at the mill. The single but 
 ton on his jacket had now a half a dozen 
 fellows to keep it company; and break 
 and knot his shoe-strings as often as he 
 would, there was sure to be a strong 
 whole pair in those same shoes in the 
 morning. 
 
42 KELLY NASH. 
 
 In spite of all his new comforts, Kel 
 ly's thoughts would sometimes wander to 
 the simple old face that had so often 
 looked so kindly into his own. How 
 was his grandfather faring while such 
 new sunshine had fallen on his own lot ? 
 Kelly was not the boy to make himself 
 unhappy by any such questionings. He 
 persuaded himself that there was noth 
 ing for him to worry about ; and as he 
 became more and more accustomed to 
 his new way of life, he thought less and 
 less of "Old Nash." It was as the poor 
 old man had said: Kelly got on very 
 well without him. 
 
 Yet Kelly loved his grandfather bet 
 ter than any one else in the world. The 
 fact was, Kelly did not know how to 
 love truly and heartily. Merry and 
 thoughtless by nature, he had lived on, 
 made happy by the gladness of youth 
 and health, without making one effort 
 
NEW QUAETEKS. 43 
 
 for the comfort of others, or once grate 
 fully remembering the heavenly Father, 
 who had not suffered the orphan-boy to 
 know want or sorrow. 
 
 For all the mischief which sprang from 
 his wild pranks, Kelly had ever the ex 
 cuse, " I didn't think " li l didn't mean 
 any harm ;" which he seemed to consider 
 all-sufficient. Kelly " didn't think 77 to 
 care for his grandfather's comfort. He 
 did not think that the harmless animals, 
 whose torment gave him sport, could 
 suffer, though they could not plead with 
 him to spare them. Kelly did not think 
 that his life must have an end as well as 
 theirs, and that there was a world beyond 
 where happiness or misery was in store 
 for him. "When the church bell rang out 
 on Sunday morning, he did not think 
 whether it was right or wrong for him to 
 be off to the woods for birds'-nests, or 
 go straying through the fields seeking 
 
44 KELLY NASH. 
 
 for wild berries. Kelly had been like a 
 rudderless boat dancing over the rough 
 waves, little caring whither it was bound, 
 or on what rocks it might soon be dashed. 
 What wonder then that Kelly did not 
 grieve over his grandfathers disappear 
 ance, or suffer with anxiety lest the old 
 man should be sick among strangers, and 
 in want. Kelly did not think for him 
 self, but there were others now who were 
 thinking for him. Morning and evening 
 true prayer went up for him from John 
 Ingalls' family altar true prayer, which 
 was sure of a faithful, if not a speedy 
 answer. These prayers Kelly was care 
 ful not to hear. Having once been pres 
 ent at the hour of family worship, sol 
 emn thoughts had been forced upon him 
 thoughts which it had been hard to ban 
 ish. He would not risk such suggestions 
 again ; so he took pains to come in just 
 in time for breakfast, and to be off to the 
 
NEW QUARTERS. 45 
 
 mill before John Ingalls summoned his 
 family around him at night. 
 
 Poor Kelly, it was well that there was 
 an arm of Christian kindness stretched 
 out to him, and the voice of prayer 
 pleading for him at the throne of grace. 
 
46 KELLY NASH. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 ANNIE INGALLS. 
 
 MANY weeks had flown by since Kelly 
 had left the hovel on the hill-side for 
 John Ingalls' pleasant home. The wild 
 roses had hung out their pink blossoms, 
 and then scattered them on the sweet- 
 scented breeze. Every evening when 
 Mooly was driven home from pasture, 
 Annie Ingalls might have been seen be 
 hind her, not with a long stick in her 
 hand, but laden with nosegays of wild 
 flowers, all very, very beautiful to the 
 city-raised child. 
 
 Mrs. Ingalls did not scout at the dan 
 delions and daisies, butter-cups and wild- 
 roses with which Annie filled every old 
 mug and pitcher about the house. She 
 let the child have her innocent pleasure, 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. 4T 
 
 and found her none the less cheerful as 
 a worker for this kindly indulgence. 
 
 Annie was beginning to feel very much 
 at home in the woods and pastures about 
 Kirkwood. She found out where the 
 blackberries were ripening, and where 
 the vines were the most richly laden, 
 almost as soon as the wild birds, who 
 like her considered them common prop 
 erty. 
 
 It was a pleasant Saturday afternoon 
 in July. Annie was standing at her 
 mother's door, her bonnet on, and a bas 
 ket in her hand. That basket she meant 
 to fill with some choice blackberries that 
 had for some days been ripening in a 
 pasture a mile from Kirkwood. 
 
 " Take good care of yourself, and be 
 home before dark, 77 said the mother. " I 
 shall not be anxious about you ; I know 
 you will do just as I tell you. 77 
 
 " I promise you, mother, to come home 
 
48 KELLY NASH. 
 
 in season. You see if I don't keep my 
 word/ 7 said Annie ; and as she spoke she 
 put up her mouth for a good-by kiss. 
 
 Mrs. Ingalls followed with her eyes 
 the little figure as it passed quickly up 
 the street. Those were the eyes of a 
 happy, loving mother; and as she turned 
 back to her in-door duties, it was with 
 the thought that there was never a sweet 
 er or a better child than Annie Ingalls. 
 On went little Annie through the long 
 village street, her round face all smiles, 
 and her step light as her happy heart 
 within. Past the mill lay her path, and 
 her joy was not dampened when Kelly 
 called to her, " Look out for fanner Dod- 
 kin's black bull. He 's a terrible fellow 
 to gore, and jumps fences better than I 
 can. If you hear any thing like a bel 
 low, run as fast as you can, or he'll 
 catch you. 77 
 
 Kelly knew very well that Annie's 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. 49 
 
 ears would be saluted all the afternoon 
 by the voices of the cattle pastured in 
 the woods and fields where she was going. 
 He did not think that it was cruel to set 
 her so intensely on the watch, that she 
 would be startled by every innocent 
 sound. 
 
 Kelly's mischief failed this time. An 
 nie's thoughts turned to the words of the 
 psalm which she had read in the morn-- 
 ing: "For every beast of the forest is 
 mine, and the cattle upon a thousand 
 hills." " Call upon me in the day of 
 trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou 
 shalt glorify me." "I am like a green 
 olive-tree in the house of God. I trust 
 in the mercy of G-od for ever and ever. 77 
 
 These words floated through Annie's 
 mind with their sweet breath of comfort, 
 and she tripped lightly on her way, feel 
 ing as safe as if she were encompassed 
 with arms and defended by bow and spear. 
 
 Kelly Nash. 4 
 
50 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Along the path which Kelly had so 
 often trodden went Annie, winding up 
 the valley with the bright stream danc 
 ing at her side, a right cheerful compan 
 ion. Nature, which had been all silent 
 to Kelly's ears, had for her its voice full 
 of eloquent teaching. Every leaf and 
 tree and flower was for her a fresh mes 
 sage of love from her Saviour, " without 
 whom was not any thing made that was 
 made.' 7 
 
 Full of happy thoughts, she climbed 
 the narrow path which led over the hill 
 by Kelly's old home. 
 
 Dreary and desolate indeed looked the 
 poor hovel. Annie peered in at the win 
 dow, half expecting to see "Old Nash ?; 
 cowering in the dimness. There was no 
 sound of life in the silent dwelling, and 
 Annie went on her way, thinking with 
 renewed kindness of Kelly, poor Kelly, 
 who had had such a home for his child- 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. 51 
 
 hood poor Kelly, who had lost this one 
 friend, the simple, kindly old man who 
 loved him. Many a time through the 
 long afternoon Annie thought of that 
 desolate home and of Kelly. How she 
 hoped and prayed that now that he knew 
 her father and mother, he would be a dif 
 ferent, a better boy. 
 
 All unconscious of the working of An 
 nie's mind, Kelly toiled on through the 
 heat of the summer day, now rolling bar 
 rels, now lifting great sacks of meal, 
 making pleasure out of the very difficul 
 ties of his work. 
 
 The sun had not set when on her 
 homeward walk Annie Ingalls came in 
 sight of the mill. Her step was slow, 
 for she was weary, and from time to time 
 she changed the full basket from one tired 
 arm to the other. 
 
 Kelly was sitting on the door-step of 
 the mill, pushing back his crisp brown 
 
52 KELLY NASH. 
 
 curls from his forehead. He wondered 
 if his grandfather would want a fire on 
 such an evening. 
 
 "A full basket, eh, Annie? 77 said Kel 
 ly as the little girl held up her treasures 
 for him to see. Kelly took out a hand 
 ful of the berries and thrust them into 
 his mouth. " First-rate. Why, they cool 
 a fellow off wonderfully/ 7 he said, help 
 ing himself again. 
 
 Annie had not eaten a berry all the 
 afternoon. The zeal for collecting had 
 been upon her, and she wanted her bas 
 ket to be " as full as it could hold. 77 
 
 The kindly feeling she had been cher 
 ishing for Kelly, however, made her 
 think, "Poor fellow, I am glad he likes 
 my berries, 77 even while she grieved to 
 see him making a place where the inside 
 of the rim of the basket was plainly vis 
 ible. 
 
 "I say, Annie, 77 said Kelly, "I'm just 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. 53 
 
 as tired as I can be. Wont you run up 
 into the upper loft, and bring me down 
 my cap ? I left it there the last time I 
 was up." 
 
 Annie was tired too ; but she was ac 
 customed to think of others before her 
 self ; so she started off pleasantly to do 
 as she was asked. She thought of her 
 promise to be at home early ; but it would 
 not be dark for an hour yet, and she had 
 certainly time to do a kindness to Kelly. 
 Her mother would wish it, she was sure. 
 
 Up the weary stairs toiled the little 
 girl, her basket on her arm ; she had not 
 dared to leave that to Kelly's tender 
 mercies. 
 
 The cap was not easily found ; but she 
 looked about perseveringly for it, and 
 had just taken it gladly in her hand, 
 when she heard the upper stairway door 
 shut suddenly, and then somebody seem 
 ed to be working at the latch. 
 
54 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Annie ran down the steps. The door 
 was locked. Somebody had pegged the 
 latch on the other side. She was shut 
 in, shut in on purpose by somebody. 
 Could it be Kelly? He said he was so 
 tired just now ; and she had come up all 
 those stairs on purpose to oblige him. It 
 could not be Kelly. 
 
 Yes, it was Kelly. She could hear 
 him laughing to himself as he jumped 
 from step to step, his mischief having 
 apparently cured his fatigue. 
 
 Kelly had not dreamed of playing a 
 trick on Annie when he sent her up 
 stairs ; he was really in earnest in say 
 ing that he was for the moment tired. 
 When, however, he chanced to think 
 how nicely he could catch her up there, 
 and keep her as long as he pleased, the 
 idea so tickled him that he started off at 
 once to carry it out. 
 
 Annie bore her imprisonment very 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. -55 
 
 patiently for a while ; she had found that 
 was the best way to take Kelly's teasing. 
 Patience, however, did not bring the 
 jailer to terms. Annie could hear him 
 going about the mill whistling, as if he 
 had forgotten she was in existence. 
 
 The windows to the upper loft were 
 small, and so coated over with flour and 
 cobwebs that they were not good posi 
 tions for a look-out. The large door, 
 however, through which sacks of grain 
 were drawn up, was wide open. At 
 first Annie was almost afraid to go near 
 it. It seemed so very high such a dan 
 gerous place, where one might so easily 
 fall down and be dashed to pieces. By 
 degrees she became accustomed to look 
 ing out from it, and she tried to amuse 
 herself by watching to see if any one 
 passed on the road. 
 
 The sun was setting. She could be 
 sure of that, for the brilliant light was 
 
56 KELLY NASH. 
 
 gilding the western windows of the vil 
 lage as if there were an illumination for 
 a victory. What would her mother think 
 if she should not get home before dark ? 
 How uneasy she would be. 
 
 Just as this thought entered Annie's 
 mind, she saw Mr. Hilger coming along 
 the road in his open buggy. He stop 
 ped ; now he was beckoning to some one. 
 It must be that Kelly was standing in 
 the door of the mill. Kelly was running 
 out to speak to him. Kelly had put on 
 the old straw hat that hung by the door. 
 He did not need his cap, after all. That 
 was an aggravation. 
 
 Mr. Hilger and Kelly had a little talk ; 
 then, to Annie's distress, Kelly jumped 
 into the buggy beside him, and away 
 they drove together. She watched the 
 white horse along the dusty road as far 
 as she could see him, and then she sat 
 down on the floor and cried. Yes, cried : 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. 57 
 
 Annie Ingalls was as worried and dis 
 heartened as any other little girl would 
 have been under the same circumstances. 
 The twilight began to steal into the cor 
 ners of the loft, and in the dimness a rat 
 ran swiftly across the floor. It was not 
 the darkness nor an army of rats that 
 were Annie's bugbears. She was tired 
 enough to. have lain down on the floor 
 and slept soundly, if she could only have 
 been sure that her mother knew where 
 she was, and would not be worried about 
 her. Kelly was gone, gone on the road 
 to farmer Dodkins 7 , and might not be 
 home at all to supper. He did not come 
 sometimes, when he was very busy. 
 What should she do? Perhaps they 
 would think she was lost in the woods, 
 and all the people in Kirkwood would 
 be hunting for her, while she was crying 
 up there in the upper loft of the mill. 
 Nobody would think of searching for her 
 
58 KELLY NASH. 
 
 there. She could not make any body 
 hear if she tried. At least, Kelly never 
 looked up, though she called after him 
 as loud as she could. She knew Kelly 
 well enough to be sure that if he got in 
 terested in something else he would for 
 get all about her. 
 
 Her promise to her mother too, she 
 could not break that ; she ought to keep 
 her promise. As this thought entered 
 Annie's mind, her eye fell on the great 
 pulley which hung out above the door 
 near which she was sitting. The rope 
 that went round it was fastened firmly 
 at one end, while most of the rope lay 
 in a great coil on the floor beside her. 
 That must be a very strong rope. She 
 had seen it drawing up sacks of meal so 
 heavy that Kelly could hardly hoist them. 
 She had heard of people's escaping on 
 ropes in case of fire. Sailors climbed 
 the ropes of vessels. What was to pre- 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. 59 
 
 vent her sliding down on that strong rope, 
 and so getting safely home before her 
 mother was much worried. Keeping her 
 promise too, that would be the best of it. 
 
 Annie pushed and pushed at the coil 
 of rope, utitil at last it stood in the door 
 way. It was half over the edge. One 
 more push, and it went rattling and 
 whirling down like a great snake let 
 loose in the air, while Annie shrank 
 back into the darkness. Little by little 
 the rope ceased tossing and swaying, and 
 hung down still and straight in the quiet 
 evening air. Should she should she 
 dare ? Could she go down safely, if she 
 tried ? 
 
 Annie had heard of the sailor's motto, 
 "Look aloft. 77 She knew that the real 
 danger was in her growing dizzy and 
 frightened, not in the height from the 
 ground. She might look up, and so be 
 safe ; she would try. 
 
60 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Annie felt very solemnly as she took 
 off her little bonnet and laid it beside 
 her basket. Perhaps somebody would 
 find them there, if she did not get safely 
 to the ground, and take them home to 
 her mother. It might be Kelly. She 
 wished she could write him a little note, 
 and beg him to be a good boy. She 
 could pray for him, if she could not 
 write to him. In the dim loft Annie 
 knelt down and asked Grod to take care 
 of her while she was hanging in the air. 
 She asked him to forgive all her sins for 
 Jesus 7 sake. She begged him to bless 
 her dear parents and brother, and to 
 have mercy on poor Kelly, and teach 
 him to be a Christian boy. 
 
 When Annie rose from her knees she 
 felt quite calm. She gave herself no 
 more time to think. She reached out 
 her hand and laid hold of the rope; a 
 little jump, and she was clinging to the 
 
ANNIE INGALLS. 61 
 
 swaying cable, her feet clasped closely 
 round it. She looked up into the clear 
 sky. A star was shining right over 
 head. Fixing her eye on it, she began 
 to descend slowly. Star after star seem 
 ed to come out in the sky, as she moved 
 inch by inch down her strange pathway. 
 In that far off sky Annie could fancy the 
 angels looking at her, and bidding her 
 be of good courage. 
 
62 KELLY NASH. 
 
 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ANNIE'S SECRET. 
 
 ANNIE was right in thinking that Kel 
 ly had forgotten her. A ride behind Mr. 
 Hilger's white horse was the boy's espec 
 ial delight ; and as he was swiftly whirled 
 along through the pleasant air, he did 
 not give one thought to* the little girl 
 shut up in the lonely garret. Mr. Hil- 
 ger had a message to leave at farmer 
 Dodkins 7 great red house, two miles from 
 Kirkwood. He did not care to drive 
 his spirited horse through the farm lane, 
 where pigs and poultry held high jubilee ; 
 so on the main road he waited, while 
 Kelly made his way through mud ankle- 
 deep up to the door. All this took time 
 a long, weary time it had seemed to An 
 nie, but to Kelly it passed swiftly enough. 
 
ANNIE'S SECBET. 63 
 
 It was only as Kelly came in sight of 
 the mill, on the return from his ride, that 
 he remembered the poor little prisoner, 
 and began to be impatient to let her out. 
 Mr. Hilger set Kelly down, and then 
 drove off, while the boy walked quickly 
 up the slight slope that led to the mill. 
 What was his astonishment and horror 
 to see little Annie poised in the air, 
 looking steadily upward as she came 
 slowly down the rope. That was a feat 
 upon which even he in his boldest mood 
 would never have ventured. 
 
 Kelly held his breath, not daring to 
 speak, until Annie had almost reached 
 the ground. Then he seized her sudden 
 ly, and set her firmly on her feet. 
 
 11 Are you crazy, child ?" was his first 
 exclamation. "I expected you to fall 
 every moment, and stood here to catch 
 the pieces." Annie did not speak ; her 
 eyes were still looking upward, and a 
 
64 KELLY NASH. 
 
 long-drawn sigh of relief escaped her. 
 The sigh was all that Kelly heard ; but 
 there was true thanksgiving in her heart, 
 where only God could see. "Annie, are 
 you crazy ? 7; repeated Kelly. 
 
 "No, Kelly, but I am very glad to 
 get down safely. How very far up it 
 looks ;" and she shuddered as she saw 
 how high in air the pulley was hanging. 
 
 "You little goose, if you had waited 
 a minute longer I should have been here 
 to let you out. What put such a thing 
 into your head as coming down that 
 rope ?" 
 
 "I was afraid mother would be wor 
 ried, and then I promised her to be at home 
 before dark. You know I could n't break 
 my promise/ 7 said Annie simply. 
 
 Kelly looked at her for a moment in 
 silent astonishment. There was some 
 thing about her that he could not under 
 stand. 
 
ANNIE'S SECRET. 65 
 
 "I must go home now as soon as I 
 can/ 7 exclaimed Annie suddenly. " Oh 
 dear, I left my bonnet and berries up 
 stairs." 
 
 "I'll get them for you/ 7 said Kelly, 
 starting away up the stairs. 
 
 " She did not say one cross word to 
 me. I thought she'd be mad as hops/ 7 
 said Kelly to himself as he hurried along 
 the narrow stairway. 
 
 Annie had felt too solemnly the dan 
 ger she was risking to be angry with any 
 one. In her joy at reaching the ground 
 safely, she for the moment forgot that 
 Kelly was the cause of all her trouble. 
 
 " There now, run home as fast as you 
 can/ 7 said Kelly, perching her bonnet 
 " hindside before 77 on her head. 
 
 Annie righted her little bonnet, and 
 taking the basket that Kelly placed in 
 her hand, she set off towards home at as 
 rapid a pace as was safe for her berries. 
 
 Klly Nash. 
 
86 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Mrs. Ingalls was at the door watching 
 for Annie when she came in sight, and 
 soon gathered from her the explanation 
 of her strange delay. 
 
 "You came down that rope!' 7 ex 
 claimed the mother ^ith horror. 
 
 "I didn't want to break my promise. 
 I asked God to take care of me, and 
 then I was not afraid. Don't look so 
 frightened, mother; you see I am here 
 quite safe/ 7 said Annie, astonished at 
 the effect her story had produced. 
 
 "You have done very wrong, 77 said 
 the mother soberly. "Never run such 
 a risk again unless your life is in dan 
 ger. You should have asked God to 
 help you, and then waited quietly to see 
 what he would do for you. 77 
 
 "But I did not want to break my 
 promise, mother, and I knew you would 
 be so worried,' 7 pleaded Annie. 
 
 Mrs. Ingalls folded Annie to her bo- 
 
ANNIE'S SECEET. 6t 
 
 som ; she had not the heart to blame her 
 any further. 
 
 Truman had been a silent listener to 
 Annie's story. But one feeling filled 
 his soul, burning indignation against 
 Kelly. Straight for the mill he took his 
 path, determined to give Kelly such a 
 whipping as he would remember for 
 many a day. Truman did not stop to 
 think whether he was acting right or 
 wrong; or to consider that although 
 Kelly was the shorter of the two, he 
 was by far the more sturdily built. 
 
 The twilight had been fast fading 
 away, and it was dark when Truman 
 reached the mill. Kelly was standing 
 on the steps, swinging a great key on 
 his finger. Truman sprang at him ; but 
 Kelly jumped quickly aside, and Truman 
 fell with full force against the sharp 
 edge of the stone steps. 
 
 He was quite still for a moment ; then 
 
68 KELLY NASH. 
 
 putting his hand to his head, he took it 
 clown wet with blood. 
 
 "Are you hurt, old fellow? 7 ' said 
 Kelly, coming to his assistance. " Why, 
 I did n't know you. You sprang at me 
 like a wild-cat." 
 
 "I meant to whip you soundly/ 7 said 
 Truman faintly, u but I got the worst 
 of it myself. I 've got a bad cut here, I 
 am afraid." 
 
 "Til bind you up," said Kelly good- 
 humoredly. 
 
 Kelly lapped the wound together, as 
 best he could in the dark ; and having 
 bound it up with a handkerchief, the 
 two boys set off towards "home," as 
 they both now called Mrs. Ingalls' kind 
 ly roof. 
 
 On their way they chatted in the most 
 friendly manner about the whole affair. 
 Truman now realized that what he had 
 thought righteous indignation, was real 
 
ANNIE'S SECEET. 69 
 
 anger without any righteousness about 
 it. "I don't wonder you were mad," 
 said Kelly naively. "That seems all 
 natural, just as I might have felt myself. 
 But Annie's way beats me. She 's a 
 queer child. Why, she never so much 
 as looked sour at me; but walked off 
 just as pleasant as if nothing had hap 
 pened." 
 
 " Kelly," said Truman seriously, 
 " Annie is a real little Christian. She 
 is a heap better than I am, though I am 
 always standing up for what 's right. I 
 see when others go wrong, and like very 
 well to tell them of it ; but I can't do the 
 way she does, though I try." 
 
 "You try!" said Kelly, with a low, 
 expressive whistle. " Well, if Annie 's 
 a Christian, there's something in it, that 's 
 certain. But I should never have found 
 out much by you." 
 
 " I want to be better than I am," said 
 
rO KELLY NASH. 
 
 Truman earnestly. "I wish you would 
 try too, Kelly." 
 
 Kelly made no answer, and in a few 
 moments the boys were at home. 
 
 Kelly staid that evening to John In 
 galls' family prayers. Mrs. Ingalls said 
 not a harsh word to him not a single 
 word of reproof; that had been Annie's 
 earnest request to her mother. 
 
 "Stop a moment, Kelly/' said John, 
 as Kelly was getting ready to return to 
 the mill. The children had already gone 
 up stairs, and Mrs. Ingalls judiciously 
 disappeared, to leave John and Kelly to 
 gether. 
 
 " I am not going to scold you, my 
 boy," said John very deliberately. "My 
 heart is too full of gratitude to-night. 
 Grod has spared our darling to us. She 
 might have been killed coming down 
 that terrible rope. Would that we all 
 were as anxious as Annie is to hold to 
 
ANNIE'S SECBET. 71 
 
 the truth, and save giving pain to our 
 friends. Kelly, you could not know 
 that she would do any thing so desperate. 
 You didn't think, when you were away 
 with Mr. Hilger, what distress you were 
 giving the poor little girl. You don't 
 think, Kelly; you don't think. That is 
 your difficulty, Kelly. The time will 
 come when you will have to think. 
 When death comes to you and finds you 
 all unprepared, you will wish for but 
 one half-hour of the time you are now 
 wasting. My boy, I want you to think 
 that there is a God who commands you 
 to obey his laws. I want you to think 
 that there is a Saviour for whose sake 
 you may be forgiven, if you truly repent. 
 I want you to think that there is a heav 
 en, to which you may go, if you are one 
 of Christ's children ; and there is a hell, 
 to which you will certainly go, unless 
 you think more, and try to mend your 
 
72 KELLY NASH. 
 
 ways. You need not answer me, my 
 boy. Go now ; and before you sleep, I 
 hope you will kneel down and ask God 
 to forgive all your sins, and help you to 
 do better, for Christ's sake." 
 
 Kelly was solemnized. For the mo 
 ment, he really meant to do better. 
 Once out in the fresh air, these thoughts 
 passed quickly away. Yet, when he 
 went into his own little chamber at the 
 mill, he remembered John's words, and 
 fell on his knees. What should he say ? 
 While he asked himself the question, his 
 mind wandered, and he soon dropped 
 asleep, even as he was kneeling at his 
 bedside. An hour afterwards he awaked 
 enough to roll heavily into the bed, where 
 he slept soundly till morning. 
 
FARMER DODKINS. 73 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FARMER DODKINS. 
 
 FARMER DODKINS was the " grandee 77 
 of Kirkwood, the most influential man 
 in the village. In the village, we say; 
 but full two miles from the post-office 
 rose Mr. Dodkins 7 great red brick house, 
 while far, far into the country stretched 
 the rich meadows and rolling fields of his 
 extensive farm. Those same fields had 
 been wonderfully prospered this year. 
 No blight, nor fly, nor any hidden ene 
 my had marred the beautiful wheat in 
 its progress to perfection. The tender 
 blade, in its livery of green, had been 
 slowly exchanged for the golden harvest, 
 which was now safely gathered into the 
 garner. Now was the time for farmer 
 
74 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Dodkins and Mr. Hilger to have a long 
 talk, before the wheat should find its 
 way to the mill. 
 
 The great bay horse was tied in front 
 of the mill one morning. Then every 
 body knew that farmer Dodkins and the 
 miller were deep in one of their long 
 business-talks, and it would not be at 
 all worth while to think of interrupting 
 them. 
 
 Kelly was busy too, in his own way. 
 Paint-pot in one hand and brush in the 
 other, he was marking bags and barrels, 
 before they were scattered away, to give 
 their share of daily bread to hungry 
 people far and near. You must not 
 suppose that Kelly was sending out a 
 specimen of his handwriting. That was 
 none of the best, and his spelling was 
 still less to be relied on, though he had 
 had full four winters at the village school. 
 Kelly had a piece of tin, in which was 
 
FAEMER DODKINS. 75 
 
 cut in large letters, " T. P. Hilger, Kirk- 
 wood mill." Side by side stood the full 
 bags, like the sacks of malt in the "House 
 that Jack built." Bow after row, flour- 
 barrels were ranged in orderly file. On 
 each one Kelly put the proper brand, 
 > and still Mr. Hilger and farmer Dod- 
 kins were busily talking. Kelly looked 
 about for something to do. Farmer 
 Dodkins had thrown his capacious linen 
 coat across an empty barrel, saying as 
 he did so, "I suppose there is no harm 
 in our sitting in our shirt-sleeves in the 
 office. I go for comfort." 
 
 Mr. Hilger "went for comfort" too, 
 as everybody knew. So the two were 
 sitting together in the same costume, 
 while the broad-backed linen coat lay 
 temptingly before Kelly. He was sure 
 there was room between the great sleeves 
 for the whole of the brand. He laid it 
 on: " Yes, plenty of room." Without a 
 
76 KELLY NASH. 
 
 thought, dab, dab went the brush. The 
 tin plate was lifted, and there was the 
 mark, plain enough to be read forty yards 
 away. 
 
 Kelly's work had time to dry before 
 farmer Dodkins came out in a hurry, 
 saying he had staid quite too long, and 
 must be " off in a jifiy." "Here, boy, 
 help me on with my coat. I ; m not so 
 supple as I used to be." 
 
 Kelly, thus called upon, was right 
 glad to obey, taking care as he did so to 
 keep the lettering well out of sight. 
 
 Away rode farmer DodkinS, his good 
 bay falling at once into its usual rapid 
 even walk. 
 
 Kelly gave a loud cheer, then leaped 
 over barrels and bags at a bound. The 
 miller was too much accustomed to such 
 outbursts to be surprised or annoyed at 
 them. He was already deep in adding 
 up a column of figures, and did not 
 
FAKMEB DODKINS. ft 
 
 even raise his head to see what was the 
 matter. 
 
 Mr. Hilger was much in farmer Dod- 
 kins' mind as he jogged slowly along. 
 As he entered the main street of the 
 village, he was surprised to hear some 
 school-children who passed him tittering, 
 and shouting, "T. P. Hilger, Kirkwood 
 mill !" " T. P. Hilger, Kirkwood mill, 7 ' 
 seemed to be in everybody's mouth that 
 forenoon. It was whispered on every 
 side, and loudly hallooed by the rough 
 boj^s at the corners, who seemed to think 
 the name unspeakably funny. 
 
 Farmer Dodkins began to be con 
 cerned. He was afraid some harm was 
 brewing for his good friend the miller. 
 Could it be he was going to "fail," after 
 working on so many years prosperously 
 in his business? With this thought in 
 his mind the farmer went home to din 
 ner. He had but dropped a letter in 
 
78 KELLY NASH. 
 
 the post-office, without getting down to 
 speak to any one by the way, so Mrs. 
 Dodkins was the first to get the benefit 
 of his anxious questionings. 
 
 She too was full of astonishment and 
 curiosity, and there is no saying how 
 they might have concluded to solve the 
 mystery, if the big man had not got 
 up from the table to help himself to a 
 glass of cider. 
 
 Mrs. Dodkins needed no spectacles to 
 read the inscription so plainly lettered 
 on her husband's broad back. No won 
 der "T. P. Hilger, Kirkwood mill," had 
 been in everybody's mouth. 
 
 11 Take off your coat, will you?" she 
 said quickly. 
 
 Mr. Dodkins took off his coat, and put 
 it on again in a twinkling. There was 
 no more dinner for him that day. He 
 was in too great a rage for any thing but 
 vengeance. The bay horse had to go out 
 
FABMEE DODKINS. 79 
 
 of a walk that time, if never before in 
 his life. All in a foam he was tied at 
 the door of the mill. In rushed farmer 
 Dodkins, his face crimson with indigna 
 tion. If he had laid hands on Kelly 
 then, he would hardly have left a whole 
 bone in his body. As it was, Kelly was 
 at the cooper's enjoying one of Mrs. In- 
 galls' apple-dumplings, and giving him 
 self no concern as to his deeds of the 
 morning. 
 
 On little Mr. Hilger fell the full ben 
 efit of the wrath of the stout farmer. We 
 should be loath to put on paper all the 
 strong language Mr. Dodkins thought fit 
 to use on the occasion. Kelly certainly 
 would not have been flattered if he had 
 heard the angry man's opinion of his 
 character and his probable end. 
 
 Mr. Hilger was a kindly, good-na 
 tured little fellow, who was never ruf 
 fled while he had plenty to eat and to 
 
80 KELLY NASH. 
 
 wear, and good Mrs. Hilger to make all 
 pleasant to him at home. He stood like 
 a frightened sheep in a thunder-storm as 
 his neighbor blazed away, heaping wrath 
 upon wrath in his fiery indignation. The 
 boy deserved to be torn limb from limb, 
 according to his verdict ; but his utmost 
 mercy could only suggest that he should 
 be at once discharged from Mr. Hilger's 
 employ, and never again suffered to show 
 his face among the respectable people of 
 Kirkwood. He might go where his old 
 grandfather had gone, and nobody would 
 take the trouble to look after either of 
 them. 
 
 There was no help for it. Mr. Hilger 
 saw it must be so. He must give up 
 Kelly, or lose Mr. Bodkins' favor and 
 custom. Kelly, as the person to blame, 
 must of course be sacrificed. That night 
 he was to be discharged, that very night. 
 These were Mr. Bodkins' only terms of 
 
FAEMEE DODKINS. 81 
 
 peace, the only balm that could heal his 
 wounded dignity. 
 
 A little cooled off by the full expres 
 sion of his feelings, farmer Dodkins rode 
 away from the mill, leaving Mr. Hilger 
 in a most uncomfortable state of mind. 
 The little man was really attached to 
 Kelly. He had been kind to the boy, 
 and so had learned to love him. To turn 
 him out friendless on the world was a 
 hard task for him, yet he had promised 
 to do it. He must be severe and seem 
 very much displeased, and try to do the 
 thing properly. 
 
 Up and down the mill walked Mr. Hil 
 ger, striving to work himself up to the 
 proper pitch of indignation ; but just at 
 this point the thought of Kelly's pleasant 
 face greeting him in the morning would 
 quite break him down, and he would ex 
 claim, "I can't do it. ;7 
 
 Mr. Hilger knew that Kelly had been 
 
 Kelly Nash. 
 
82 KELLY NASH. 
 
 wrong, very wrong ; and yet the honest 
 miller was inclined to take a part of the 
 blame on himself. He had been amused 
 by Kelly, and had laughed many a time 
 at his pranks, when he should have 
 gravely rebuked them. He had not 
 thought he would attempt any thing so 
 outrageous as this. Two years Kelly 
 had been with Mr. Hilger, but how had 
 he been the better for his influence? So 
 the good man asked himself, as he walk 
 ed to and fro, What would Mrs. Hilger 
 say to the poor boy's being turned adrift 
 in such a sudden way ? 
 
 "It must be done,' 7 was Mr. Hilger ? s 
 final conclusion, as he saw Kelly coming 
 whistling towards the mill. 
 
KELLY FOKCED TO THINK. 83 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 KELLY FOKCED TO THINK. 
 
 KELLY was astounded at the storm 
 which suddenly burst over him. He 
 had felt as much at home at the mill as 
 Mr. Hilger himself; had almost as much 
 considered Kirkwood mill as belonging 
 to him, and he to it. "Old Nash 77 had 
 said Mr. Hilger could not do without 
 him, and Kelly had honestly believed it. 
 
 Mr. Hilger had tried to seem indig- 
 *nant, but it was plain he was sorry for 
 the boy, and was doing an unwelcome 
 duty. 
 
 " Never you mind, Mr. Hilger, 77 said 
 Kelly, when the first shock was over. 
 "It isn 7 t your fault, any way. You 
 must n't look down-hearted about it ; and 
 
84 KELLY NASH. 
 
 you tell Mrs. Hilger, I sha'n't forget her 
 doughnuts wherever I go.' 7 
 
 The boy, even in the midst of his mis 
 fortune, could not bear to see a shadow 
 on the face of his friend. 
 
 "Shall I start off to-night? 77 Kelly 
 pleasantly said. He spoke as cheerily 
 as if he knew whither he was going. 
 
 "Not to-night, not to-night, Kelly. 
 It 7 s going to rain again ; and besides, I 
 want to speak to you in the morning, 77 
 said Mr. Hilger decidedly. The miller 
 had a dim notion that his wife would 
 have some desirable suggestion to make 
 as to Kelly 7 s future. He would rather 
 talk over the matter with her before he 
 saw the poor fellow turning his back for 
 ever on the mill. 
 
 Kelly had brought his supper with 
 him from Mrs. Ingalls', not intending to 
 go there again that night, as Mr. Hilger 
 had told him in the morning that he had 
 
KELLY FORCED TO THINK. 85 
 
 work for him that would keep him busy 
 long after dark. 
 
 Strange as it may seem, Kelly ate his 
 supper with his usual appetite, drum 
 ming his feet at the same time on the 
 barrel on which he was sitting, and won 
 dering what was to become of him. 
 
 Much in the same mood he went to 
 sleep, without a thought of prayer to the 
 God whose word has said, u ln all thy 
 ways acknowledge him, and he shall di 
 rect thy paths. 77 
 
 Kelly was a sound sleeper. The thun 
 der and the autumn rain rolled and rat 
 tled in vain around him. He heard 
 nothing until he was roused by a strange 
 rocking and heaving, a shaking of the 
 room where he was as if by an earth 
 quake. Once aroused, he too plainly 
 heard the wrenching and cracking of 
 heavy timbers, and the roaring and dash 
 ing without of something more than tor- 
 
8G KELLY NASH. 
 
 rents of rain. He threw up the little 
 window and looked out on the night. 
 He could see nothing in the dense dark 
 ness. Even as his face was at the win 
 dow, a tree brushed against him as if he 
 were swiftly passing it. There was no 
 tree within several rods of the mill. The 
 truth burst upon him. The dam had 
 broken away, and the whole force of the 
 millpond was urging the great wooden 
 mill on, on, down the roaring stream. 
 
 It took but a second for these thoughts 
 to rush through Kelly's mind. There 
 was another brush of the branches across 
 his face. He laid hold of the bough, 
 and threw himself into the strong tree, 
 which as yet had resisted the force of 
 the roaring waters. The mill swept past 
 him, and clinging to the swaying bough, 
 he hung over the threatening flood be 
 low. 
 
 Now Kelly Nash was forced to think. 
 
KELLY FOECED TO THINK. 87 
 
 Death, sudden death was closely threat 
 ening him. He knew not how firmly 
 rooted was the tree in which he had 
 taken shelter. Another burst of the 
 leaping waters, and he and it might be 
 borne helplessly down the stream. His 
 whole life passed quickly before him, a 
 worthless, wasted life. In his thought 
 less folly he had not taken one step tow 
 ards preparation for the never-ending 
 eternity beyond the grave. The horrors 
 of everlasting punishment were heavy 
 upon him. He could almost fancy he 
 heard the demons rejoicing that he was 
 so soon coming to their abode of misery. 
 An offended God, a slighted Saviour, a 
 heaven lost : on these sad, fearfully sad 
 thoughts Kelly was forced to dwell. 
 Who but the dying sinner can picture 
 such agony as he endured? No hope 
 came to cheer him, no hope for this 
 world or the next. Youth and a merry 
 
88 KELLY NASH. 
 
 temper could not avail him then. He 
 could trifle no longer ; he was forced to 
 think, when thought was bitter anguish. 
 What would he not have given then for 
 little Annie's simple, trusting spirit! 
 "What would he not have given to have 
 been, like her, a child of G-od ! What 
 would not he have given to have been 
 even like Truman, in the midst of many 
 failures, at least trying to do right ! 
 
 To such an hour we must all come. 
 The writer and every reader of this 
 book must stand face to face with death. 
 We may laugh and trifle when we fancy 
 that it is long ere we shall lie down in 
 the grave, but we shall not laugh or trifle 
 then. That hour may come soon, sooner 
 than we think. It may come swiftly and 
 suddenly. It may be even now at hand. 
 God grant that it may find us owning 
 Christ as our refuge, and safe in his 
 everlasting arms. 
 
KIKKWOOD BUN. 89 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 KIRKWOOD EUN. 
 
 KIRKWOOD Run had long had a very 
 doubtful reputation among the villagers. 
 Smooth and peaceful as were its waters 
 in fair weather, even a summer shower 
 would set it to rolling and tossing like a 
 little sea. Down the sides of its narrow 
 valley a sudden storm would send a thou 
 sand little streams, leaping along what 
 had yesterday been but dry gullies on the 
 hill-side. The old folks of Kirkwood had 
 a story of a terrible flood in their young 
 days, when the few houses then in the 
 village were swept away, the inhabitants 
 escaping as by a miracle. These good 
 people had learned a lesson ; and when 
 they rebuilt their homes, they were care 
 ful to keep clear of the uncertain stream, 
 
90 KELLY NASH. 
 
 leaving it room to overflow as it would, 
 while their cottages were safely perched 
 far up the slope that gently rose from its 
 banks. 
 
 The mill of course must be by the wa 
 ter-side. There it had stood unharmed 
 for forty years, and yet many an anx 
 ious glance had been turned towards it 
 when Kirkwood Run had its spring flood, 
 or was swollen by some sudden deluge 
 of rain. 
 
 There were many eyes and ears in 
 Kirkwood that fatal night more wakeful 
 than those of Kelly Nash. The roar and 
 crash which roused him from his slum 
 bers, startled sleepers who were not like 
 him in the midst of the horrible tumult. 
 Lights began to twinkle at various win 
 dows, and before long neighbors were 
 meeting in the rain and darkness, all 
 eager to know what mischief had been 
 done. Anxious as they were, they were 
 
KIKKWOOD BUN. 91 
 
 forced to wait for the coming of day 
 light ; for in the wind and rain their glim 
 mering, flickering lanterns were little bet 
 ter for guides than fireflies in a forest. 
 
 Among the watchers for the dawn 
 none were more impatient than Mr. Hil- 
 ger. The mill, it is true, was farmer 
 Dodkins' property ; but Mr. Hilger had 
 more flour and grain stored in it than 
 he cared to lose. We must do the good 
 man justice, however. He would will 
 ingly have heard that every grain of 
 wheat and every pound of flour of his 
 best brand were afloat, if he could but 
 have been sure that the orphan-boy was 
 safe. Kelly's bright young face came 
 before him as it had looked up to him 
 so cheerfully in his misfortune ; and Mr. 
 Hilger was surprised to find what a deep 
 hold the boy had taken on his affection 
 ate heart. Mrs. Hilger was by no means 
 a comfort through the dreary hours of 
 
92 KELLY NASH. 
 
 that long stormy night. She scolded 
 her husband right heartily for having 
 talked of dismissing Kelly ; for allowing 
 him to sleep at the mill ; for not foresee 
 ing the storm ; for any thing and every 
 thing that could in any way bear upon 
 the accident. "The fuller the milk-pot, 
 the more sour milk after thunder/ 7 says 
 the proverb, and so it seemed to be with 
 Mrs. Hilger. The more kindliness and 
 thoughtfulness for others she had in com 
 mon times, the more fretting and scold 
 ing she had in store when any real trou 
 ble came up. Mrs. Hilger was a kindly 
 woman of this world. She had never 
 learned to take small trials and great 
 patiently, as from the hand of a merciful 
 heavenly Father. She had none of the 
 spirit which exclaims, "The Lord gave, 
 and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed 
 be the name of the Lord." 
 
 We gladly turn from the miller's home 
 
KIKKWOOD BUN. 93 
 
 to the little circle gathered in John In- 
 galls' family-room. John was a shrewd, 
 sensible man. He knew well the situa 
 tion of the mill. His keen ears had de 
 tected something more than the roar of 
 the swollen stream in the wrenching, 
 creaking sounds that had reached him. 
 He did not doubt that the mill-dam had 
 given way, and the mill itself had been 
 torn from its foundations by the rushing 
 waters. His eye fell sadly on the two 
 young faces that looked up to his with 
 silent questionings. Annie was the first 
 to speak. 
 
 " Oh, Father, do you think Kelly is 
 safe ?" she ventured to say. 
 
 u He may be, my child. We cannot 
 know until the morning. We can at 
 least pray for him/ 7 said John solemnly. 
 
 Very earnest was the prayer that went 
 up for the orphan-boy ; all felt the fear 
 ful peril of his situation. If he were 
 
94 KELLY NASH.. 
 
 taken away, they could not dare to hope 
 that he was gathered as a child to his 
 heavenly Father's bosom. 
 
 Poor Truman was haunted by bitter 
 self-reproach. Many a time had he re 
 proved Kelly in anger, but when had he 
 gently and tenderly pleaded with him to 
 seek the narrow way? What a miser 
 able lesson had he taught by his halting, 
 uncertain, too often injurious example. 
 Truman knew that he had been his 
 11 brother's keeper/ 7 and had failed in 
 the awful trust. Ah, how he longed to 
 know that Kelly was safe, and that he 
 might be to him henceforward a faithful 
 Christian friend. 
 
 Annie had no thought of self in this 
 time of trial. She had but one absorb 
 ing, deep-seated conviction that Christ 
 was strong to save. He had hushed the 
 waters of stormy Gennesaret. He had 
 put out his hand to the sinking Peter, 
 
KIKKWOOD BUN. 95 
 
 and brought the ship of the disciples at 
 once to the " haven whither they went." 
 She knew Him to be full of mercy as 
 well as full of power. In the silence of 
 her own little room she pleaded long and 
 importunately for poor Kelly, and she 
 believed that her prayer was heard. 
 
 Even John himself felt comforted and 
 sustained by her sweet look of trustful 
 faith as she said, "Father, I am sure 
 God will save him. 77 
 
 Mrs. Ingalls put her arm round her 
 little girl and drew her to he bosom in 
 the tenderness of a Christian mother's 
 deep affection. 
 
 Truman alone looked full of gloom. 
 
 With the first streaks of the dawn the 
 hill-side was covered with eager, anx 
 ious watchers. Dark objects could be 
 dimly seen tossing on the rolling tide, 
 but it was as yet vain to ask as to the 
 fate of the mill ; the road thither was all 
 
96 KELLY NASH. 
 
 overflowed, and not yet could the strain 
 ing eyes see one trace of its outline. 
 Now the few trees standing in the water 
 came slowly out of the darkness, but the 
 great square building all were longing to 
 see, had vanished from its well-known 
 place. Timbers and struggling cattle 
 were whirled together along the rolling 
 tide, but no human voice mingled with 
 the wild wails of the poor frightened 
 beasts. Where was Kelly? Where 
 was poor Kelly Nash ? 
 
 " I should n't think you ; d sleep well 
 again till your dying day/ 7 said Mrs. 
 Hilger to her disconsolate husband. 
 
 " 1 7 11 give my white horse to any one 
 who will bring me news of the boy, dead 
 or alive/ 7 said the miller. 
 
 "He 7 s gone, Annie, he 7 s gone, and I 
 shall never get over it, 77 said Truman, as 
 with an eager, searching glance he looked 
 out over the waters. 
 
KIKKWOOD KUN. 91 
 
 "I believe he is safe, Truman. God 
 will take care of him. We must find 
 him. Father will know what is best to 
 be done. Father !" 
 
 John Ingalls did not often turn a deaf 
 ear to Annie's voice; but now his eye 
 was fixed on a dark object crouched 
 among the boughs of an oak that had 
 once stood by the river-side below the 
 mill. The mill was gone; but firmly 
 rooted, the aged tree towered above the 
 tossing tide. 
 
 John Ingalls swept his hand quickly 
 across his moistened eyes. It was not 
 that they were weary with their strain 
 ing gaze. " Thank God," he murmured; 
 " I believe that ? s the boy." 
 
 " Where, father, where ?" was Annie's 
 eager question. 
 
 John's steady finger pointed out the 
 spot. There certainly was a human fig 
 ure crouching among the gnarled branches 
 
 Kelly Nash. 7 
 
98 KELLY NASH. 
 
 that stretched their helpless arms above 
 the misery and destruction below. 
 
 "No boat would be safe in that tor 
 rent/' said a bystander. "What's to 
 become of the boy ? He 7 11 get dizzy 
 and drop, now the daylight has come. 
 The night was better for him." 
 
 John Ingalls did not stay to listen to 
 any such prophecies. In another mo 
 ment he was beside his cooper's shop, 
 loading up a great wagon with his whole 
 stock of empty barrels, and putting in 
 the heads as carefully as if they were 
 filled with the finest flour. The villa 
 gers lent him their aid, sure that he had 
 some plan for good in his thoughtful 
 head. 
 
 " Can we save him ?" half gasped Tru 
 man. 
 
 "We will try, 77 said John in a low, 
 deep voice. 
 
 Annie gave a trustful smile as she 
 
KIKKWOOD KUN. 99 
 
 said, "I am sure you will succeed, father. 
 I wish Kelly would think to look aloft. 
 That helped me a great deal when I was 
 coming down the rope." 
 
 Kelly had not forgotten Annie's soul- 
 deep maxim. Truman had told him her 
 simple story of all she thought and felt 
 while passing along the perilous rope. 
 Sickened with the sight of the dashing 
 waters and the poor drowning beasts, 
 Kelly was trying to look up into the 
 clear morning sky. Loathing himself 
 and his sins, he was trying to look up to 
 the face of Grod and ask forgiveness for 
 Jesus 7 sake. 
 
 John Ingalls had driven his load of 
 barrels to the very borders of the swol 
 len stream. Now, with the assistance 
 of the eager villagers, he was making a 
 raft after his own fashion, Lashing the 
 barrels together with strong ropes, he 
 made them firm ; then a score or two of 
 
100 KELLY NASH. 
 
 long nails made fast the planks which 
 were laid across them. The raft was 
 ready to be pushed off, and John sprang 
 upon it alone. 
 
 "Fll go too/ 7 said Mr. Hilger in an 
 eager, flurried way. 
 
 "No, that you sha'n't. YouVe mis 
 chief enough on your head without mak 
 ing me a widow," said his wife, laying 
 violent hands on her good man, whom 
 she verily thought half distracted. 
 
 Truman was not courageous by na 
 ture. He -was not a boy to delight in 
 danger, and find fun in hairbreadth 
 escapes. Now he thought of death, of 
 parting with his mother and Annie, of 
 the gurgling waters closing round his 
 head, before he spoke ; yet when he did 
 speak, his voice was steady. G-od help 
 ing him, he would risk all. 
 
 " May I go, father ? I am willing. I 
 want to go/ 7 he said earnestly. 
 
KIRKWOOD RUN. , 101 
 
 John Ingalls sought the face of his wife 
 amid the crowd on the bank. Her eyes 
 were full of tears, but she bowed the 
 assent she could not speak. 
 
 " We can pray for them, 77 said Annie, 
 pressing close to her mother's side. 
 
 John Ingalls had launched his raft 
 above the spot where the old oak stood, 
 so that it would naturally float past it on 
 its way down stream. 
 
 Standing with his feet firmly planted, 
 he held a strong rope with a weight at 
 the end, which he meant to throw round 
 the trunk, that he might stay the raft 
 right under the branches. 
 
 There was breathless silence on the 
 shore as the strange craft swept rapidly 
 on its way. 
 
 Kelly saw it, and his heart welled over 
 with gratitude to the friends who were 
 so true .to him in his hour of danger. 
 The raft struck the tree with a force that 
 
102 KELLY NASH. 
 
 shook it to its topmost bough. Truman 
 fell for a moment, but John stood firm, 
 casting at the right moment his coil round 
 the oak. 
 
 "Now, my boy; lend a hand now," 
 shouted John. By their joint efforts 
 they made fast the raft; then for the 
 first time they spoke to Kelly. 
 
 "Come down, lad, along the trunk; 
 we 7 11 catch you if you fall," said John 
 cheerily. 
 
 Kelly tried in vain to speak or move. 
 His tongue clung to the roof of his mouth. 
 His cramped limbs were no longer under 
 his control. "I'll go up to him," said 
 Truman, who had now lost all thought 
 of self. 
 
 The tall trunk was half under the wa 
 ter, so that the distance to climb was not 
 great for an active lad used to such feats. 
 In a few moments Truman's warm hand 
 had seized Kelly's cold fingers, and his 
 
KIRKWOOD RUN. 103 
 
 familiar voice said, "Now, come on, 
 Kelly; we can go down together first- 
 rate." 
 
 Kelly made a great effort, and was 
 able to suffer himself to be more dragged 
 than guided to the place where the strong 
 branch met the parent tree. There, he 
 could do no more. 
 
 "Drop down ; 1 7 11 catch you," shouted 
 John from below. " Be quick ; we can't 
 stand this long. We shall be washed 
 down stream." 
 
 John's powerful arms were uplifted. 
 Kelly dropped into them, a heavy load 
 that made the stout cooper stagger and 
 sink to his knees. Truman was by his 
 side in a moment, and stooping down, he 
 sustained poor Kelly while his father 
 loosened the rope that had done them 
 such good service. 
 
 Now was the time for friends on shore 
 to ply will and muscle to bring the raft 
 
104 KELLY NASH. 
 
 safe to land. They had run along the 
 shore with one end of a rope which John 
 had left in their hands, while the other 
 end was fast to the raft. 
 
 " A long pull and a strong pull, and 
 a pull all together/ 7 they tried again and 
 again, yet the tossing raft would not near 
 the shore. 
 
 "You can't do it," shouted John. 
 " Hold fast to your end, and we ? 11 come 
 ashore along the rope. Now, Kelly, put 
 your arms right round my neck, and 
 hold on for dear life. Trust in Grod. 
 Hold on, and all will be well. God will 
 take care of you, Truman. When you 
 see us safe ashore, lay hold and follow 
 us. 77 
 
 John Ingalls was a powerful, athletic 
 man, a practised swimmer, fearless by 
 nature, and above all, fearless through 
 his firm trust in God. He knew he was 
 doing right, and he had no misgiving. 
 
KIRKWOOD BUN. 105 
 
 Heaven was for him the better country, 
 whether he entered it from a painful 
 sick-bed, or through the gate of the deep 
 waters. 
 
 Kelly had but one thought, to hold on 
 firmly; and he did cling right manfully, 
 even when the cold stream flowed over 
 him as the rope swayed and plunged 
 them both for an instant out of sight. 
 
 Who shall tell the deafening cheer 
 that followed the breathless silence of 
 the watchers on shore ? 
 
 "Give him to me. You shall have 
 my white horse, John," shouted Mr. Hil- 
 ger. Not of Kelly, nor of man or horse 
 thought John Ingalls at that moment. 
 His eye was fixed on his only son, just 
 starting on his perilous journey over the 
 waves. 
 
 Another strong arm instantly laid hold 
 of the rope, which now struggled and 
 jerked like a living thing. The whole 
 
106 KELLY NASH. 
 
 power of the current was forcing the raft 
 down the stream now in sight, now 
 for the moment vanishing, as Truman 
 came along the perilous path. More 
 than half of his terrible way was passed, 
 when the rope broke between him and 
 the raft, and he suddenly sank in the 
 deep flood. 
 
 Back fell the sturdy men who had 
 been pulling with might and main. No 
 smile followed their sudden overthrow. 
 They sprang to their feet. Truman rose, 
 then sank again. It was plain he had 
 lost his hold of the rope. 
 
 John Ingalls waited no longer, but 
 struck out for the spot where his son 
 was drowning before his eyes. Even in 
 that hour of peril his presence of mind 
 did not forsake him. He kept firm hold 
 of the rope, sure that if he once had Tru 
 man in his grasp, they could be safely 
 drawn to the shore. 
 
KIKKWOOD RUN. 101 
 
 Truman did not feel his father's arm 
 around him as they were pulled swiftly 
 through the cold current. John Ingalls 
 knew that he might be bearing but the 
 lifeless body of his boy, but his heart 
 fainted not. He had striven to do his 
 duty, and he was sure that God would 
 sustain him, though his hand might be 
 laid heavily upon him in a sore chastise 
 ment. 
 
108 KELLY NASH. 
 
 fc 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE HQSPITAL. 
 
 "I SHALL have to put out a sign, 'Hos 
 pital for boys/ 77 said Mrs. Ingalls play 
 fully. 
 
 " I am sure you would have plenty of 
 applications/ 7 said Kelly Nash from his 
 white bed; "you have such a way of 
 
 nursing. 77 
 
 There was no voice from Truman 7 s 
 cot; yet he turned upon his mother a 
 glance more loving than that of the sick 
 soldier who kissed the shadow of Flor 
 ence Nightingale as it fell on the wall at 
 his side. 
 
 "I'm about ready to get up, 77 said 
 Kelly with an inquiring look at his nurse. 
 
 "Not to-day, 77 said Mrs. Ingalls de 
 cidedly. ' ' The doctor said you were 
 
THE HOSPITAL. 109 
 
 both to be kept in bed at least twenty- 
 four hours. I am sure that is not hard 
 to bear/ 7 
 
 " Indeed it is not; but, Mrs. Ingalls, 
 may we talk now ? 77 said Kelly. 
 
 "Talk as much as you please," was 
 Mrs. Ingalls' answer as she left the room. 
 
 Notwithstanding this free permission, 
 the boys, after they were alone, were 
 silent for a few moments. 
 
 Truman was the first to speak. "Oh, 
 Kelly," he said, "you can't think what a 
 comfort it has been for me to lie here 
 and see you really alive. I do n't know 
 what would have become of me if you 
 had died. 71 
 
 "I know too well what would have 
 become of me/ 7 said Kelly with a shud 
 der. " I mean to be a different boy, and 
 you must help me, Truman. 77 
 
 " It was just that I had never given 
 you any help which hung so heavy on 
 
110 KELLY NASH.. 
 
 my mind," said his companion. "I felt 
 as though I might perhaps have saved 
 you, and I had never tried. I knew I 
 had n't done you a bit of good by my 
 example. Perhaps you do n't even think 
 now there 's the right thing in me." 
 
 " Oh, Truman, don't say that," ex 
 claimed Kelly. "I didn't understand 
 you before ; but I felt, when I was hang 
 ing there over the water, there was a 
 difference between us. You had thought 
 and tried, and I I Kelly covered 
 his face with his hands for a few mo 
 ments, and then he added, "The right 
 thing not in you, Truman, when you 
 risked your life to save me! I know 
 how you hate danger unless you are 
 angry. It is not natural to you to run 
 risks as some boys do ; and yet you went 
 right straight in the face of death for 
 me. You must have felt sure that if 
 you were drowned, God would take care 
 
 
THE HOSPITAL. Ill 
 
 of you ; and I believe he would. I sha'n't 
 make fun of you any more, Truman, when 
 you do wrong. I mean to try too. But 
 I am such a foolish fellow, I am afraid I 
 shall never be able to think to do what I 
 ought. 7 ' 
 
 John Ingalls came in just as Kelly 
 was speaking, and chanced to overhear 
 the last words. 
 
 " There 's no kind of person who can't 
 do right if he tries/ 7 said John. " You 
 must n't think, Kelly, that you can't be 
 a good boy because you will never be 
 like Truman, or our Annie, bless her. 
 There are not many like her out of heav 
 en. It is natural to you to be merry as 
 a cricket, and take all things easy. It is 
 well for us that there are some such 
 folks in this sorrowful world. A cheer 
 ful disposition is a good gift, and not to 
 be despised when it has God's grace to 
 keep it from going too far. The ques- 
 
112 KELLY NASH. 
 
 tlon for you, Kelly, is not, Can I be like 
 this person or that person ? Here 7 s the 
 root of the matter : Are you sorry from 
 your soul that you have wasted all the 
 years of your life, and have not striven 
 to keep one command of the God who 
 made you ?" 
 
 A sob from Kelly was the only reply. 
 
 "I know you are sorry, my boy. You 
 have been taught a bitter lesson/ 7 said 
 John, going up to the bedside. "But 
 that is not all, blessed be Glod. Are you 
 willing to be saved by Christ forgiven 
 all the past for his sake ? 77 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Ingalls/ 7 exclaimed Kelly, 
 "willing? so thankful! 77 
 
 "Now, my boy, 77 continued John, 
 "you 7 ve got a plain path before you. 
 You needn 7 t ever expect to be like 
 Truman ; you ? ve nothing to do with him 
 or anybody else. You 7 ve got, by God 7 s 
 help, to make yourself, Kelly Nash, the 
 
THE HOSPITAL. 113 
 
 best and most useful boy you can. 1 '11 
 tell you something for your encourage 
 ment. Do you like Mrs. Ingalls ? Don't 
 everybody like her ? Is n't it enough to 
 make one light-hearted all day to hear 
 her go singing about the house when the 
 day is breaking? Isn't her cheerful 
 spirit the very life of every one of us ? 
 Well, that's all nature. She was just 
 like a bird when I first knew her, merry 
 as a lark all the time. But if there was 
 any nonsense going on, any frolicking to 
 be done, she was first and foremost in it, 
 never giving a thought whether she pull 
 ed the house down over her head, so she 
 had her fun out. You 7 d hardly believe 
 it now. Grace has come in and sobered 
 her down, and made her just what she 
 is. Who 7 d want the dimples smoothed 
 out of her face and the twinkle taken out 
 of her eye ? There 7 s nothing wrong in 
 them. She 7 s that sort of a person, and 
 
114 v KELLY NASH. 
 
 a better Christian for a wife never a man 
 had. So take heart, Kelly. You be in 
 earnest, trying to do right, and your 
 lively temper will just cheer up those 
 that ought to be cheered, and give sun 
 shine just where it is wanted. There 
 now, 1 7 ve preached you a real sermon. 77 
 
 Kelly grasped John's hand, and held 
 it a moment between both his own ; but 
 he made no other answer to John's faith 
 ful words of advice. 
 
 To Truman the father gave no coun 
 sel. He was sure that the good seed had 
 taken root in the heart of his son. Grod 
 was sending such storm and sunshine as 
 would best bring it to perfection. He 
 had but to watch and wait, and in due 
 time he should see the precious fruit. 
 
LOVE AND DUTY. 115 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 LOVE AND DUTY. 
 
 FOR the first time in his life Kelly 
 Nash was learning what it was to love 
 truly and deeply. The risks Mr. In- 
 galls and Truman had run for his sake, 
 and the unwearied kindness of Mrs. In- 
 galls and Annie, had awakened in him 
 an affection stronger than he had ever 
 felt before. It is a strange part of our 
 nature, that the habit of loving one per 
 son makes us more kindly in our feel 
 ings to others. In the warmth and kind 
 liness of the Ingalls' home, Kelly was 
 beginning to yearn after his old grand 
 father, and to remember his years of 
 patient forbearance with the wild and 
 wayward boy, Kelly Nash. 
 
116 KELLY NASH. 
 
 Kelly was going to take his first long 
 walk after the lameness and stiffness 
 which followed his fearful exposure to 
 the chilling night air and the colder 
 waters. Past the old foundation of the 
 mill he slowly took his way, full of grat 
 itude to the kind Providence that had 
 spared his unworthy life. On, up the 
 valley he bent his steps, to see once more 
 the home of his boyhood. 
 
 The hut on the hill-side had escaped 
 the destruction that swept all before it 
 in the valley. As Kelly drew near it 
 in the early morning, he fancied he saw 
 a slender line of smoke issuing from the 
 low chimney. It might, it must be a 
 wreath of mist, he reasoned. Yet he 
 quickened his steps, and eagerly thrust 
 open the door. 
 
 In the dimness within, there \vas a fig 
 ure busying itself about the fire of brush 
 wood kindled on the hearth. Kelly 
 
LOVE AND DUTY. lit 
 
 sprang forward. ' ' Grandpa, dear grand 
 pa/ 7 burst from his lips. 
 
 "My lad, my little lad," said the old 
 man, dropping down on his low seat and 
 crying like a child. " They told me the 
 mill was gone and you were drowned, 
 but I did n't believe it. I come myself 
 to see. My lad, my little lad, and you 
 are glad to see your grandpa too. You 
 are glad to see your old grandpa/ 7 and 
 the tears came again into his eyes as he 
 drew Kelly to his side. 
 
 " That I am. I never did half enough 
 for you when you were here before/ 7 said 
 Kelly earnestly. "But when did you 
 come ?' ? 
 
 "I opened the old door just as the 
 day was breaking. I thought 1 7 d make 
 a fire and have things comfortable, and 
 then look you up. I was sure I should 
 find you ;' 7 and the simple old man gazed 
 lovingly at Kelly. 
 
118 KELLY NASH. 
 
 The poor hovel was any thing but com 
 fortable, after Mrs. Ingalls 7 neat, cheer 
 ful home ; but Kelly felt the thoughtful 
 kindness that was making ready for him, 
 and said, " You Ve got a fine fire, grand 
 pa. You know how to put the sticks to 
 gether right well." 
 
 " Old Nash" sat down, and resting his 
 hands on his knees, looked for a moment 
 in silence at Kelly ; then he said slowly, 
 " Drowning does folks good, I believe. 
 Tell me all about it, my lad." 
 
 Kelly did tell his story, and the old 
 man cried and laughed by turns as he 
 heard of his danger and his deliverance. 
 Of his penitence, his humble trust, and 
 his desire to lead a better life, Kelly did 
 not fail to speak. To this the old man 
 at first made no answer ; but after a few 
 moments he looked up suddenly and said, 
 " Those things a'n't so very plain to me, 
 Kelly. I never was brought up that 
 
LOVE AND DUTY. 119 
 
 way. But you are so quick, my lad, 
 you'll soon have them all right, and then 
 you must teach your grandpa. You see, 
 they laid 7 em side by side, them that 7 s 
 gone. I 7 ve been sittin 7 by them a good 
 deal along back, and thinkin 7 1 7 d be put- 
 tin 7 my old head under ground one of 
 these days too. There 7 s more that ought 
 to go with that. It comes out of the good 
 book. May-be you 11 read about it to 
 me some of these days. You are such a 
 scholar. 77 
 
 "I 7 m not the scholar I ought to be, 77 
 said Kelly, remembering his wasted time 
 at school, "but I mean to learn to read 
 better and better ; and we 7 11 have some 
 of the good book every day, wont we, 
 grandpa ? 77 
 
 " Just as you say, Kelly, 77 said the old 
 man in his usual dependent way. 
 
 " You do n 7 t mean to stay here, grand 
 pa, 77 said Kelly, looking about him. 
 
120 KELLY NASH. 
 
 " Why, you 7 d catch cold. See, the glass 
 is about gone from the windows." 
 
 " Where else should I stay? Here's 
 home, 77 said "Old Nash 77 wonderingly. 
 " Why, I couldn't sleep in any other 
 place in Kirkwood. You need n 7 t think 
 you must come back to me, Kelly. 1 7 m 
 used to being alone now. If those folks 
 will keep you, don't leave 7 em. They 
 know more about bringing up lads right 
 than I do. 77 
 
 The last sentences were uttered slowly 
 and with evident effort. 
 
 "I sha 7 n't do any such thing. I shall 
 stay with my grandpa, where I belong. 
 What's good enough for him is good 
 enough for me, 77 said Kelly warmly. 
 
 "My lad, my own lad, 77 said the old 
 man, the tears coursing down his cheeks. 
 "You'll stay with your grandpa, will 
 you ? We 7 11 have all nice here. I can 
 put the glass in, and make things good 
 
LOVE AND DUTY. 121 
 
 as new right off." He bustled round the 
 room as he spoke, as if a little activity 
 w;ere all that was needed to make the 
 hovel a palace. Stopping short before 
 Kelly, he looked into his pleasant face, 
 and said, "It does me good to see the 
 shine in your eyes once more, my lad. 
 It lightens me up to hear you talk. 
 Old folks need young folks to keep them 
 agoin 7 . You '11 stay with me, my lad, 
 eh ?" 
 
 " Yes, grandpa, and I '11 work for you 
 too. You sha'n't work for me any 
 more." 
 
 " Yes, but I will," interrupted the old 
 man; "and I've been savin' for you 
 ever since I went away. See here. 
 They would make me stay round at the 
 houses, and all I got I put in here. 
 See." 
 
 "Old Nash " opened a piece of a hand 
 kerchief, in which was tied up a quan- 
 
122 KELLY NASH. 
 
 tity of small silver coins, his earnings as 
 a basket-maker. 
 
 "They are for you, Kelly, 77 he said 
 eagerly; "and I'll earn more, my little 
 lad. I have n't been so chirk since they 
 laid 7 em side by side. 77 
 
 " Old Nash 77 felt the new affection in 
 Kelly 7 s manner, and something of the 
 sunshine of bygone days seemed return 
 ing to gladden his old age. 
 
 The Ingalls had been kind to Kelly ; 
 they had risked life for him ; yet to none 
 of them was he what he was to this lonely 
 old man. the light of life, the apple of 
 the eye. He knew it, he felt it in his 
 inmost heart. That heart warmed more 
 and more to the simple creature who had 
 watched over his childhood, and uttered 
 not one complaint for the lack of that 
 affection by a single ray of which he was 
 so gladdened and cheered. 
 
 "Yes, I will stay with my grandpa, 
 
LOVE AND DUTY. 123 
 
 and by Grod's help I will so walk in the 
 way of life that I may lead him to the 
 heavenly home. 77 This was Kelly's si 
 lent resolution, a resolution made deep 
 down in his soul. 
 
124 KELLY NASH. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 A TRYING INTERVIEW. 
 
 FARMER DODKINS was walking up and 
 down the wide piazza in front of his 
 house. His eye wandered over the broad 
 fields he could call his own. He had 
 enough and to spare, and yet it chafed 
 him that the mill was no more standing 
 by the water-side, bringing in its yearl 
 rent in "current coin of the realm. 77 EG 
 could not be reconciled to his loss. He 
 felt he had a right to be put out about it. 
 
 While the stout farmer was in this 
 mood, he spied a boy coming slowly 
 along the lane leading to his house. 
 
 " Kelly Nash, I declare! 77 he exclaim 
 ed; "coming, I dare say, with a pitiful 
 story. Lost all his clothes in the mill. 
 
A TRYING INTERVIEW. 125 
 
 Out of a place. Not a dollar, not a cent 
 shall he have. The young scamp !" 
 
 As the farmer thus soliloquized, he 
 put his hands tight over his pockets, as 
 if afraid they were to be taken by storm, 
 whether he would or no. 
 
 There was the very person Kelly 
 wished to see, alone as he wished to find 
 him ; yet he moved slowly, as if not im- 
 
 Jtient for the interview. 
 "What do you want?" harshly called 
 v t Mr. Dodkins, before Kelly had a 
 chance to begin the conversation. 
 
 This was not a very auspicious com 
 mencement ; but Kelly drew a few steps 
 nearer before he said, "I came here to 
 day, sir, to tell you how heartily sorry 
 ^3 am for the rude way in which I treat 
 ed you the last time you were at the 
 mill. 7 ' 
 
 " You may well be sorry, you young 
 scamp, 77 said the farmer, growing angry 
 
126 KELLY NASH. 
 
 at the remembrance of the trick played 
 upon him. "If the mill had burned 
 down, I should have known you had a 
 hand in it ; but I suppose you could n't 
 help the flood. They that are born to 
 be hanged will never be drowned. I 
 guess that was what saved you. No 
 great benefit to the world, I 'm think 
 ing." 
 
 " But I mean to be of some use in the 
 world," said Kelly, his pleasant temper 
 not at all ruffled by the way in which 
 his apology was received. "I do n't 
 mean to be the Kelly Nash I have been ; 
 so I thought I would come here and ask 
 you to forgive me. and try to start all 
 
 new." 
 
 " What do you want of me ? What 
 do you expect me to do for you ?" asked 
 the farmer, suspicious that this was some 
 new way of attacking his pockets. 
 
 "I want nothing, sir, but to know 
 
A TKYING- INTERVIEW. 127 
 
 that you forgive me for my rudeness to 
 you ; and if you can't forgive me, I must 
 tell you how sorry I am, and try to show 
 you some day that I am getting to be a 
 better boy." 
 
 "I don't forgive you, that's certain," 
 said farmer Dodkins. "I'm too much 
 put out about the mill to be pleased 
 with anybody this morning. Think of 
 it. Three stories high, good timber, 
 good machinery, and all gone in a single 
 night ! It is enough to put any one out 
 of temper." 
 
 The speakers had been so interested 
 in conversation, that they had not per 
 ceived the approach of John Ingalls, 
 who now joined the group. 
 
 John touched his hat to the farmer, 
 and then said, "It was hard, Mr. Dod 
 kins, and I do n't wonder you feel it so ; 
 so much property swept away in a sin 
 gle night, and nobody to lay the blame 
 
128 KELLY NASH. 
 
 on either. But there ? s another way of 
 looking at it, Mr. Dodkins, that, may-be, 
 you never thought of. I reckon all the 
 timber, and all the machinery, and all 
 the mills in the world are not worth 
 speaking of in comparison with one hu 
 man soul, that will go on living for ever, 
 either with God or with the devil and 
 his angels. Now this boy was well on 
 the way to ruin, as you know yourself. 
 He didrit think. He didn't care what 
 he did, or what end he came to. No 
 good end you thought he was likely to 
 come to, I reckon. Well, sir, God sent 
 that flood. It tore away your mill, but 
 I believe it saved that boy's soul. It set 
 him face to face with de&th, and made 
 him think, and think to a good purpose. 
 He 's going to lead a new life. God 
 helping him, I feel sure he '11 come out 
 right. Now, may -be, when we all stand 
 before that great white throne at the 
 
A TRYING INTERVIEW. 129 
 
 last day, it wont seem much to you that 
 you lost your mill, when that boy's soul 
 goes singing into glory." 
 
 John had spoken out the thoughts that 
 had been forced on his mind by the 
 words of the farmer. He had said what 
 he believed and deeply felt. 
 
 This was a new view of the case to 
 farmer Dodkins. He looked forth again 
 on his broad fields. He yet had more 
 than he could use or enjoy. John had 
 spoken truly. The loss of the mill had 
 indeed been great gain. 
 
 "I forgive you, Kelly. Gro and do 
 better, " said the farmer. Then turning 
 to John, he began to talk of some cider 
 barrels which the cooper was to make 
 for him, as freely as though the past coiir 
 versation had made no impression upon 
 him. Yet for long years the vision of 
 that "great white throne," and "the 
 dead, small and great," standing around 
 
130 KELLY NASH. 
 
 it, came up to the rich man in the silence 
 of night, in the midst of his cares, and in 
 the midst of his plenty, reminding him of 
 the worthlessness of all things earthly, 
 compared with the value of one human 
 soul. 
 
CONCLUSION. 131 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 JOHN iNGALLS-was in his cooper's shop, 
 working away as busily as if he had 
 never had a higher thought than the 
 skilful fashioning of staves and hoops. 
 He was truly as " diligent in business " 
 as " fervent in spirit;' 7 and diligent he 
 meant to make the two lads who were 
 working near him. 
 
 Kelly and Truman were learning 
 John's trade, and a capital trade they 
 had pronounced it to be. A pair of eyes 
 had been intently fixed on Kelly as he 
 handled his tools ; gentle eyes they were, 
 and full of love. 
 
 " Old Nash' 7 had been sitting silent for 
 a whole half hour, looking at Kelly as if 
 
132 KELLY NASH. 
 
 his every movement had for him a charm. 
 At length the old man rose, and going 
 up to Mr. Ingalls, he said, " A good lad, 
 eh ? Make a first-rate cooper, eh ?" 
 
 " First-rate/ 7 said John pleasantly, 
 stopping his work; "and a first-rate 
 Christian man too, I hope.", 
 
 A sound of a horse's hoofs outside the 
 shop interrupted the conversation. A 
 low neigh followed. 
 
 11 That's Mr. Hilger's white horse/ 7 
 exclaimed Kelly. "I thought the step 
 sounded like his* Now I am sure." 
 
 Kelly was right. The white horse was 
 tied at the post in front of the shop, and 
 the miller's short fat figure soon made 
 one of the group within. 
 
 "I've a bit of a job for you, John. 
 Though it is not quite in your line, I 
 think you will do it," said Mr. Hilger, 
 taking Ingalls cordially by the hand. 
 
 "What is it?" said John. "I'm a 
 
CONCLUSION. 133 
 
 sort of a free man, now I have the boys 
 to do the work of the shop." 
 
 "Dodkins," said the miller, "has had 
 alj the timber saved that he could make 
 sure belonged to the mill. I was half 
 put out with him, he seemed so eager to 
 pick up every stick. But it do n't do to 
 judge people too hard. He stopped in 
 at our house just now, to say that all that 
 timber he wanted to have go to 'Old 
 Nash/ to fix up his house and make it 
 comfortable for the .winter; and he 
 thought you were the right man to do it, 
 because you would feel an interest in it." 
 
 " That I will," said John heartily. 
 
 "Three cheers for farmer Dodkins," 
 shouted Kelly. "Why, grandpa, we'll 
 have a regular snuggery for you, as tight 
 as a barrel, and warm as an apple-dump- 
 ling." 
 
 "Is it really so, John?" said "Old 
 Nash," going up to the cooper's side. 
 
184 KELLY NASH. 
 
 
 
 " Keally so ; and I am glad of it from 
 my soul," said Mr. Hilger. 
 
 "How kindly God cares for us. old 
 neighbor," said John. "We have bet 
 ter than we deserve at his hands." 
 
 "Better than we deserve," repeated 
 "Old Nash" thoughtfully. "That's 
 true, better than we deserve. But we 
 are trying; a'n't we, Kelly? Mr. Hil 
 ger, you can't think what a good boy 
 Kelly is now. He cares for his old 
 grandpa. He 's a fine little lad. That 
 drowning did him good." 
 
 " By the way, John," said Mr. Hilger, 
 "it's about what ' Old Nash' calls the 
 'drowning' that I want to talk to you. 
 I meant what I said when I promised 
 you should have my white horse if you 
 saved the boy. Whitey is at the door, 
 yours by good right. I've only been 
 waiting to have a new saddle to go with 
 him, before I handed him over." 
 
CONCLUSION. 135 
 
 "I don't want any pay for what I 
 did/ 7 said John promptly. "I'd risk 
 twice the danger to see Kelly alive and 
 what he is. Bless the boy ; he and Tru 
 man are my two hands, and I don't 
 know which is right and which is left. 
 You've had your own losses, Mr. Hil- 
 ger. Keep your horse. " 
 
 "Not a hair of him," exclaimed Mr. 
 Hilger. " Didn't I, Kelly's own mas 
 ter, stand on the shore safe and sound, 
 while you and that boy of yours were 
 near dying for him ? I say I ought to 
 have my share in what you did for him, 
 somehow. I haven't lost any thing 
 worth minding, since the boy was saved. 
 It has not done me any harm not to be 
 run down with business all the time. 
 I 've had time to think. I tell you, 
 John, I was n't the master I should have 
 been to Kelly. It 's not teaching a boy 
 his work, that 's the whole thing we 've 
 
136 KELLY NASH. 
 
 got to account for. I felt that, when I 
 saw him hanging there just ready to 
 drop into that horrible water. I knew 
 I hadn't lifted a finger to lead him in 
 the right way. God have mercy on me. 
 He ? s in good hands now, John. You 7 11 
 see to more than his minding his tools. 
 You 7 11 try to make him an honest, Chris 
 tian man like yourself. Kelly, take that 
 horse and lead him round to the stable. 
 Moolly will have to make room for him. 
 When I see him going through Kirkwood, 
 I hope it will make me remember what 
 I thought that awful day of the flood. 77 
 
 "What a mercy it is, sir, that God 
 sends trouble to make us think before it 
 is too late/ 7 said John solemnly. 
 
 " Old Nash 77 took up his stick sudden 
 ly, and walked slowly away. As he 
 passed Mrs. Ingalls 7 door, Annie came 
 running out with a basket on her arm. 
 "Here, mother has put up some dough- 
 
CONCLUSION. 137 
 
 nuts for you. Kelly likes them/ 7 she 
 said, as she placed the basket in his 
 hand ; "and I want you to take my six 
 pence and my little red book with texts 
 in it. Kelly will read them to you. 
 You like texts, do n't you ? 77 
 
 "Such as what? 77 said "Old Nash/ 7 
 looking into her bright young face. 
 
 "Why, 'Come unto me, all ye that 
 labor and are heavy-laden, and I will 
 give you rest. 7 ' God so loved the world, 
 that he gave his only begotten Son, that 
 whosoever believeth in him should not 
 perish, but have eternal life. 7 I think I 
 like that the best. 77 
 
 "Annie/ 7 said the old man almost in 
 a whisper, "Kelly is a smart lad, and 
 knows more than his grandpa ; but do ii 7 t 
 you think I could be a Christian too? 
 God would n 7 t mind my being ' Old Nash/ 
 would he ? 77 
 
 "Dear 'Old Nash/ 77 said Annie fond- 
 
138 KELLY NASH. 
 
 ly, "I believe G-od loves you now; and 
 I can almost hear the angels singing new 
 songs, because they are so glad to hear 
 you talk so. You know ' there is joy in 
 the presence of the angels of Grod over 
 one sinner that repenteth.' 7: 
 
 Joy in heaven because " Old Nash' 7 
 was trying, in his poor simple way, to 
 tread the narrow path. Wonderful it 
 seemed to the tottering old man. Could 
 he have seen Annie Ingalls 7 beaming 
 face as her eye followed his retreating 
 figure, he would have read in her face 
 joy a sure evidence of that greater 
 gladness which one penitent " prayer 
 awakes in the angels around the throne 
 of God. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG MEN. 
 
 MAGIE'S SPRING-TIME OF LIFE. 
 
 With portrait. 348 pp. 18mo ; 30 cts., or 40 gilt. 
 
 YOUNG MAN FROM HOME. 
 By Rev. John Angell James. Especially adapted to young 
 men in cities. 231 pp. 18mo ; 25 cts., or 35 gilt. 
 
 Sabbath Manual. 
 
 By Rev. Justin Edwards, D. D. Invaluable for its array 
 of principles and facts. 318 pp. 18mo ; 25 cts. , or 35 gilt. 
 
 COUNSELS TO YOUNG MEN ON MODERN INFIDELITY, 
 By Rev. John Morison. The style is glowing and attract 
 ive. 201 pp. 18mo ; 25 cts. , or 35 gilt. 
 
 MEMOIR OF HARLAN PAGE, 
 
 An impressive exhibition of God's blessing upon prayer 
 and personal effort for the conversion of individuals. Steel 
 portrait. 243 pp. 18mo ; 25 cts., or 35 gilt. 
 
 THE ROCKET, 
 
 Or Story of the celebrated George Stephenson, the great 
 rail-road man of England. Illustrated. 118 pp. 18mo ; 25 
 cts., or 35 gilt. 
 
 EARNEST THOUGHTS. 
 By Rev. James Hamilton. * ' Thoughts that breathe, and 
 words that burn." 190 pp. 18mo ; 20 cts., or 30 gilt. 
 
 WHY DO I LIVE? 
 
 Christian activity and fidelity urged and illustrated in 
 poetry and prose. 208 pp. 18mo ; 20 cts., or 30 gilt. 
 
 Considerations for Young Men, 
 
 And WHO ARE THE HAPPY ? Two choice volumes by 
 Rev. J. B. Waterbury. 18mo; each 15 cts., or 25 gilt. 
 
 LIFE OF WILLIAM TUTTLE, 
 
 Or, the Christian serving God in his business. Steel por 
 trait. 192 pp. 18mo ; 20 cts., or 30 gilt. 
 
 Gi^Hes Aftoeii, oi- % ^bNfH^I 
 
 Illustrated. 116 pp. 18 mo ; 15 cts., or 25 gilt. 
 
far 
 
 SPRAGUE'S LETTERS TO A DAUGHTER. 
 
 An attractive and valuable book for young ladies. Fron 
 tispiece. 268 pp. 18mo ; 25 cts., or 35 gilt. 
 
 Full of striking incident, fascinating in style, of special 
 interest to the young. 248 pp. 18mo ; 25 cts., or 35 gilt. 
 
 MEMOIR OF ANZONETTA R, PETERS, 
 An intelligent youth, honoring Christ in usefulness, in 
 suffering, and in a triumphant death. 230 pp. 18mo ; 25 
 cts. , or 35 gilt. 
 
 THE MISSIONARY'S DAUGHTER. 
 A lovely Christian youth. 219 pp. 18mo ; 25 cts. , 35 gilt. 
 
 Jtoflj $Ut|jm0nyg Jfetters mrfc <&ammk ta |m fijjiltom 
 
 With frontispiece. In the glowing style of the author. 
 201 pp. 18mo; 20 cts., or 30 gilt. 
 
 DAIRYMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 New e'dition, with cuts. 180 pp. ; 20 cts., or 30 gilt. 
 
 t}0mijj Cottager. 
 
 New illustrated edition. 143 pp. ; 20 cts., or 30 gilt. 
 MARTHA T. SHARP. 
 
 A beautiful Biography. 160 pp. 18mo ; 15 cts., or 25 gilt. 
 
 CAROLINE E. SMELT, 
 
 The wonderful displays of divine grace in an accomplish 
 ed young lady. 140 pp. 18mo ; 15 cts., or 25 gilt. 
 
 MRS. JESSIE LITTLE. 
 
 A young Scotch lady. 134 pp. 18mo ; 15 cts. , or 25 gilt 
 
 Amelia, the Pastor's Daughter. 
 
 100 pp. 18mo ; 15 cts., or 20 gilt. 
 
 Daughter of Baron Cuvier. 96 pp ; 10 cts. , or 15 gilt. 
 
 MRS. LIZZIE G. CALDERWOOD. 
 Missionary in India. 74 pp. ; 10 cts., or 15 gilt. 
 
 ([Caroline ^gbe. 
 
 An earnest, useful Christian. 72 pp. ; 10 cts., or 15 gilt. 
 
ILLUSTRATED VOLUMES 
 
 FOR 
 
 CHILDREN AND YOUTH. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY. 
 
 FLOWERS OF SPRING-TIME. 
 
 A beautiful quarto, with colored frontispiece, and one 
 hundred and fifty engravings. $1 50, or $2 gilt. 
 
 for % Ctttle nes at mm. 
 
 A favorite companion of the nursery. Sixty-two engrav 
 ings. 40 cts. cloth, 50 gilt. 
 
 Dr. Scudder's Tales about the Heathen. 
 
 For little readers ; finely illustrated. 25 cts. , 35 gilt. 
 
 THE ILLUSTRATED TRACT PRIMER. 
 
 Containing alphabets, spelling lessons, etc., with multi 
 plied engravings. 20 cts. , or 25 gilt, 10 cts. paper. 
 
 LETTERS TO LITTLE CHILDREN. 15 cts., or 20 gilt. 
 
 GREAT TRUTHS IN SIMPLE WORDS FOR LITTLE 
 CHILDREN. 15 cts., or 20 gilt. 
 
 FEET'S SCRIPTURE LESSONS. Twenty-seven cuts. 
 15 cts., or 20 gilt. 
 
 THE INFANT'S PRIMER. 5 cts. 
 
 THE CHILD'S RRIMER. 3 cts. 
 
 PICTURE ALPHABET, in colors. 5 cts. 
 
 FOR SALE AT 150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK; 40 
 Cornhill, Boston ; 929 Chestnut-street, Philadelphia ; 75 
 State-street, Rochester; 163 Walnut-street, Cincinnati; 
 170 South-Clark-street, Chicago ; 9 South-Fifth-street, St. 
 Louis ; 73 West-Fayette-strect, Baltimore. 
 
Jjttritan f mi 
 
 ISSUE THE FOLLOWING 
 
 LIBRARIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH. 
 
 The Youth's Library, 
 
 Of 70 volumes, 18mo, containing 10,032 pages, in fine pa 
 per, printing, and binding, with 255 highly finished frontis 
 pieces, and other engravings. $10. 
 
 GALLAUDET'S YOUTH'S SCRIPTTTKE BIOGRAPHY. 
 
 Complete in eleven volumes, with forty-nine engravings. 
 In a case, $3 00. 
 
 YOUTH'S BIBLE STUDIES. 
 
 Complete in six parts. 175 fine engravings. In a set, 
 with case. $1 50 cloth, $2 gilt. 
 
 HANNAH KOBE'S STORIES FOR THE YOUNG, 
 
 Eight volumes, with 52 cuts. In a case. $2 00 cloth, 
 $2 75 gilt. 
 
 Youth's Cabinet. 
 
 Seventy-six volumes, neatly bound with red and blue 
 backs ; largely illustrated. In a case. $6. 
 
 CHILDREN'S LIBRARY. 
 
 One hundred stories, bound in fifty volumes, with many 
 engravings. In a case. $3 00. 
 
 LITTLE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY. 
 
 Containing short stories, in twenty-four volumes, with 
 very numerous cuts. In a case. $1 50. 
 
 FOB SALE AT 
 
 150 Nassau-street, New Tork; 40 Comliill, Boston; 
 75 State-st., Rochester; 929 Chestnnt-st., Philadel 
 phia ; toy the Society's Agents, and toy Booksellers 
 in the principal Cities and Towns. 
 
....