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 chamber, aloft, "with the poor childer lost abroad, nobody knew where," as she said; and yet, she no sooner touched Nattie's little cot than she forgot her fright in slumber.

When, about midnight, the sleep of Mrs. Nesmith seemed deepest, the watchers drew back toward the grate, and spoke in soft whispers concerning the fugitive.

"What a driving storm!" said the young wife, with a shudder; "and how do we know but that poor, misguided child is abroad in it? So young, so ignorant of the world! what course will she take, and what will become of her?"

"I hardly think that she is out in this storm," returned the husband; "Nattie is willful, and rash enough, when her temper is up; but she is precious tender of her own little body, after all. Don't you know what an ado she made, to-day, over her slight scald? and how wrathful she was because there was not more done for her relief? She thought her case much worse than poor