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.