"I carry milk to her now. She saw my book, and asked me of her own accord. Wasn't it nice?"
"She is a real good woman, I know. She taught little Harry Mercer a great deal. Poor little fellow! He didn't live long enough to have it do him much good."
"And he has been in heaven just about a year," said Nelly, musingly. "Yes, just a year. Don't you remember, it was the first Sunday in the month?"
"Yes; I remember it was Catechism-day, and Mr. Willson spoke about it."
"I stood at the gate and saw them carry out the coffin," continued Nelly. "I thought it was dreadful for him to be buried in the cold and dark ground and left all alone; and that night I was afraid to go to bed, lest I should die too. I didn't know any thing about heaven then. When I was tired of living as we did, I used to think about granny's stories and try to make them seem real to me. But they never did, hardly; and when I loft off thinking about them and came back, every thing looked so poor and mean to me, I couldn't bear it. I got to hate those stories; and yet they were about all the comfort I had."
"You are a great deal better off now than you were then," said Kitty.
"Yes, indeed, in all sorts of ways."
"I am sure you don't look like the same child," continued Kitty. "You are a great deal better dressed. But that isn't all: you look so much more cheerful and happy."
"Well, I am," said Nelly, with emphasis. "I have learned to earn money and help support myself, and that is a great deal; and every one has been very kind to me. I never could have learned to read and write, if you had not helped me; and Miss Powell taught me so many things, and Mr. Grayson has been so good about the house. And then," added Nelly, in the reverent voice with which she always spoke of such subjects, "I have learned so much about God and heaven, and about the Saviour dying for us: that is the very best of all. And then to think that he will let me go to heaven and see him and live with him forever,—just think, Kitty,—to be happy and good, and all for ever and ever,—for ever and ever!"
Nelly dwelt on the sound of the words as if she loved them.