"The first day I went on deck, I saw the mother and child. The baby put out its hands to come to me, and the mother too gave me a welcome. 'Judy,' she said, and I shall never forget her swate pale face as she talked, 'I have a treasure to commit to your hands. I fale sure that I shall not rache New York, and I want you to care for my child until you can put her in my sister's hands. I have left all the directions in my dressing-case.'
"I promised, and took the child to kape that night, for I saw she was not well at all. And thin they waked me in the night to go to the lady. Sure enough it was the cholera, and by noon next day she was dead. I niver could find the dressing-case, and the only thing belonging to her was a book, and that was in her hand, they told me, when she was taken sick."
Here Judy handed Mrs. Ellison a small pocket Bible, handsomely bound. The lady gave but one glance. The words written inside, "Ella Campbell, from her husband," told the whole story, and she clasped closely to her breast her sister's orphan child.
"Who can doubt there is a Providence that directs our steps?" said Mr. Ellison to Aunt Hannah, as they sat the same evening talking over the wonderful discovery. "She will take her mother's name. Judy gave her the name of her own child when she took her; she did not know or remember the child's real name."
"And what will thee do with Judith?"
"We have secured her as nurse, and in this we have great cause for thankfulness, for one who has acted so faithfully and tenderly by our niece, will not fail to do her duty.
"We intend to provide for her the rest of her life. For Ella, we will at present procure a governess. She is not backward naturally, and I have no doubt she will do justice to her teachers."
It is needless to say that Mr. Ellison's predictions were verified. Ella became, in all things, a dear child and companion for her aunt, while mother Judy, as she continued to call her foster mother, found a comfortable home at Mr. Ellison's as long as she lived.
THE END.