Aunt Judith | Page 6

in the house; but oh!
the spotless purity of the snowy counterpane and pretty toilets. The
curtains, looped back with crimson ribbon, fell to the ground in
graceful folds. Light sketches and illuminated texts adorned the
delicately tinted walls, and on a small table stood an antique vase filled
with fairest autumn flowers.
"Are you pleased with your little bedroom, Nellie?" asked Aunt Debby,
noting the girl's look of genuine admiration; "there's not much to be
seen in the way of grandeur, but it's clean," and practical Miss Deborah
emphasized her words by nodding her head vigorously.
"Pleased, Aunt Debby! Why, everything is beautiful. I never had a
room all to myself before, and this one is simply lovely. How can I
thank you sufficiently for being so good to me?" and there were tears in
Nellie's eyes as she spoke.

"Nonsense, my dear," replied the kind woman in her brisk, cheery way;
"we are only too pleased to have you with us, and trust you will be
happy here;--now, if my tongue is not off again. There--not another
word; wash your face and hands, child, then come down to the
parlour," and Aunt Debby hurried from the room.
Nellie found the cold water very refreshing, and made her appearance
downstairs with a much brighter, cleaner countenance. She found Miss
Deborah already seated before the urn, sugaring the cups and adding
cream with a very liberal hand; while Aunt Judith lay back on a low
rocking-chair looking dreamily into the glowing embers. Both started
as the girl entered, and Miss Latimer, rising, placed a chair before the
table and bade Nellie be seated, patting her niece's head gently in her
slow, kindly fashion, ere she sat down herself and prepared to attend to
the young traveller's wants.
Nellie, though tired and home-sick, felt very hungry, and did ample
justice to the savoury meal, greatly to Aunt Debby's delight; for that
good lady had spared no pains, and had burnt her merry, plump face
over the fire, in order to make the supper a success.
Neither aunt troubled her niece with questions, but each talked quietly
to the other; and thus left alone, as it were, Nellie found sufficient time
to study both faces, and jot down mentally her opinion of each at first
sight. One glance at Miss Deborah's rounded contour and twinkling
eyes was quite enough; but Miss Latimer's peaceful countenance
fascinated the young girl, and seemed to hold her spell-bound. Yet,
from a critical point of view, Aunt Judith's was not a pretty face. It was
defective in colouring and outline, and there were lines on the quiet
brow and round the patient lips; but the look in the eyes--Nellie never
forgot that look all her life--it seemed as if Miss Latimer's very soul
shone through those dark blue orbs, and revealed the pure, spiritual
nature of the woman. A keen physiognomist might have traced the
words "I have lived and suffered" in the calm, hushed face with its
crown of silver-streaked hair; but Nellie, only a simple child, merely
gazed and wondered what it was that made her think Aunt Judith's the
most beautiful face she had ever seen.

"Now, dear," said the object of her thoughts, smiling kindly and turning
towards her when the dainty repast was over, "I think we shall send you
to bed, and after a good night's rest you will be refreshed and ready for
school-work to-morrow. Don't trouble removing the plates, Debby; we
shall have worship first, and that will free Nellie."
Aunt Debby rose from her chair, handed Miss Latimer the old family
Bible, and placing a smaller one in Nellie's lap, reseated herself and
waited for Aunt Judith to begin.
A chapter slowly and reverently read, a prayer perfect in its childlike
simplicity, then Miss Latimer laid a hand on her niece's shoulder and
bade her "Good-night;" whilst Miss Deborah, lighting a candle, led the
way as before, and after seeing she required no further service, treated
the girl to a hearty embrace, and prepared to depart.
"A good sleep, child. You'll see Aunt Meg tomorrow; this has been one
of her bad days, but I expect she will be much better in the morning."
These were Aunt Debby's last words, and she bustled away as if fearing
to what extent her tongue might lead her.
Nellie undressed, jumped into bed, and then, safely muffled under the
warm blankets, cried her homesickness out in the darkness. "O mother,
mother," she sobbed, "how I miss you! it is all so strange and lonely.
What shall I do?" But even as she wailed in her young heart's anguish,
the blankets were gently drawn aside, and a stream of light shining
down revealed the flushed tear-stained face on the pillow, and showed
Aunt Judith's