Tempest and Sunshine

It was a great mystery to Nellie who it could be that had befriended her;

but if Mr. Barnard knew, he kept the knowledge to himself, and Nellie was

obliged to remain in ignorance. She was, however, satisfied that the

gentleman, whoever he was, was both able and willing to carry out his

plan, for money for the payment of her school bills was regularly remitted

to Mr. Barnard. At the time when she wished to leave New Haven, she had

written to Mr. Barnard on the subject, and in due time had received from

him a letter saying that the gentleman who was educating her was not only

willing but anxious to have her sent to Geneva.

Soon after her arrival there she chanced to meet Judge Fulton and his

wife. Something in their looks seemed familiar, and also awoke a painful

reminiscence of the dark kitchen and the lone garret far off in the great

city. She could not remember ever having seen them, and so dismissed the

subject from her mind, merely wondering if they knew that she who was to

be their brother's wife once lighted fires and cleaned potatoes as a

common servant girl.

The reader will perhaps have imagined that the gentleman who befriended

Nellie was none other than Judge Fulton. He was incited to this act of

kindness by the same benevolent feeling which prompted all his deeds of

charity. He had no daughters, and his intention was, first to see what

improvement she would make of her advantages, and if he were satisfied, he

would take her home as his adopted daughter. He was somewhat surprised

when, two years before the time of which we are speaking, he received

through Mr. Barnard a letter from Nellie addressed to, "My unknown

benefactor," and desiring his consent to an engagement between herself and

Robert Stanton. The same mail brought a letter from Robert, saying that he

had just made an offer of his hand to a Miss Helen Ashton, who was only

waiting for her guardian to sanction her choice. Judge Fulton's consent

was given, and he wrote to Nellie that before she was married he would

make himself known to her, and give her a wedding at his own house.

A few days before Robert left for Kentucky Judge Fulton received another

letter from Nellie, saying that it was Mr. Stanton's wish to be married

the ensuing autumn. To this the judge gave his approval and determined as

soon as Robert was gone to enlighten Nellie as to who her guardian was.

This, then, was the history of Nellie Ashton, whom we will leave for a

time, and as our readers are probably anxious to return to the bland

climate of Kentucky, we will follow young Stanton and Raymond on their

journey. Having arrived at Buffalo, they took passage in the steamboat

Saratoga, which landed them safely in Sandusky after a trip of about

twenty-four hours. At Sandusky they took the cars for Cincinnati.