THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1872.

Stella Amherst Island Feby. 13th 1879

I have chosen this day, being the birth day of our "Dear departed Pet Nellie" who was born this day twelve years ago, and who in her short life though she suffered much was ever patient and cheerful, full of mirth and glee, until she became the centre of the household, when attending school six years ago a severe pain struck into her thigh which the doctors declared Neuralgia but which turned out to be hip disease and she suffered at times the greatest agony, at last Dr Evans of Kingston injected chloroform into the hip joint which gave her instant relief, but the limb remained senseless and she had to walk on crutches, later in the season a tumour appeared and the leg had to be opened near the knee which continued to run during the fall and winter Nelly still hopping around, this at last closed but it had done its work, the thigh bone was in part dislocated, and the sinews had shrunk or wasted away, and this leg ceased to grow in proportion, but Nelly being free from pain threw away the crutches and preferred a single cane — her greatest distress was now that she could not attend school a high heeled boot was got for her and with this she managed better, kept reading and studying at home and made good progress, about three years ago she contracted intermitting fever which brought her to the verge of the grave, for weeks she hovered on the borders of the "Debatable Land" but at last threw it off and slowly gained strength, after this she became more cheerful than ever