The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-08

Mr.. Halght visited ms; but now, that there
was no rival in the way, his devotion lost its
fervor, and early the following winter he mar
ried lady of considerable wealth and beauty.
About this time Minnie received letter
from DIR. Nichols His prospects, he said, were
very good-better than he had hoped. He
had no doubt indeed of becoming rich man.
He must have time and patience and energy.
He looked forward to the time when he should
again see Minnie, and when he could not but
hope she would think hin more worthy of her
regard.
" 1t is very easy to talk, " said Minnie; +" he
thinks in the course of time, he may make
some money. 1t would be pity if he could
not and yet he had small capital to begin
with. suppose there are no toll men to make
demands upon him in the new country TO which
he has gone"
80 she laughed, and chatted gaily, and a
little heartlessly, thought as she packed her
best dresses and capes and rufIles for winter
season in the city. She was looking to de-
lghtful time, and DR.. Nichols and ali his hopes
and expectations were lost sight Of
The Christmas snow fell over the grave of
Dolly, and IN the midst of her pleasures Min
me was called home, to take all the charge
and care OF the lonesome old house
once or twice she spoke of replying to the
letter OF DIR. Nichols but the days and the
days and the weeks went by, and she failed to
do so, until at last she knew not what apology
to make for the delay, and so did not write at
all
The nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty first
birthdays of Minnie went by. Her hair, 50
thick and glossy at eighteen, was thin and
faded, her cheeks had lost their fresh glow, her
spirit was subdued, and in short, she was be.
come plain and staid woman. 1t was the
spring DR.. Nichols had proposed to return, and
Minnie mentioned it often, and wondered how
he had succeeded, and whether he would come,
and if he had forgotten her, or whether he
had found some one else to love. But the
spring went by, and the summer, and we heard
nothing Of him. The fourth year since bis
departure was come, and Minnie was still I'M
married-still the mistress of the old home
stead and likely to be- II was near noon, and
we had prepared a plain, homespuu sort of
dinner, and dressed as carelessly as persons in
the country are likely to be when they have
good deal of work and no expectation of visit
ers, we were looking at the south door, to see
the harvesters come from the hay field All
at once, the cattle feeding in the next pasture
broke down the fence, and dashed, one after
another, into the moving We put on our
bonnets, and fastened to inform the mowers,
who were out of sight over the ridge and
while we were trying to frighten them back
with the long weeds we had broken, Mr..
Mitchell called to us from the top of load of
hay that he was taking toward the barn that
we had better go home--that an old friend
was waiting to see u.s.
thunderclap would not have been greater
nor more unpleasant surprise and, looking
toward the house, all our fears were realized
A fine horse and carriage stood in the shadow
of the cherry-tree, and q fine gentleman was
standing by the open door, looking directly to-
ward US. We looked at each other, but there
was no help and without a word, returned
to the house, wondering who the strange gen,
tleman was
He came forward and met us at the gate
smiling and extending hand to each and
seeing our unrecognisng manners he said
' JEsssssrSs'sSat And % sses We hrs% N.
1T Was DR.. Nichols. Poor Minnie was terribly
mortified, and, indeed, it seemed to me tina
we had never had 30 poor a dinner-that ther,
had never been 10 many flies in the dining
room--and that the light had never been 81
gairish till then
Dr. Nichols was in all respects changed. He
had been not only mentally, but personally de-
veloped, and was larger and hands0mer as
well as more selfpossessed and intellectually
cultivated than when we saw him last.
Ii was not anything that can define, after
oil, perhaps, that had changed him 30 much,
as that which cannot defi0e 1t was not the
full beard, nor the white waistcoat, nor the kid
gloves, nor the plethoric person--the shy, low
ing student, artless and trusting, had become
the rich calculating man of the world and, as
Minnie said the diamond on his finger would
have bought all her brothers lands We re-
peated our visit to the woods, sat on the same
log and he sang again the old songs but the
passion and the pathos thought were want
ing
did not feel az had done before, that the
two would pass the time more agreeably with
out me. Minnie exerted all her powers to
please and though the Doctor seemed to en-.
joy the day, and to be really delighted, could
not think that she was the especial source Of
the pleasure. ! remember that she gave him
some very pretty flowers, which for the mo-
ment he pressed to his lips in token of thanks
and admiration, and the next bestowed upon
me-s41ing he must not monopolize such beau
ty--and so it was through all the day-per-
fectly civil to both, but manifesting no especial
fayoritism.
However when he returned to the city in
the evening he asked Minnie il she would
oblige him by accompanying him. helped
her TO accept the invitation, for ] saw that
more than the old liking was revived. The
second evening afterwards Minnie returned in
the stage coach. ] saw and ran out to meet
her, saying" All hail, Mrs. Nichols that is
to bel"
Mrs Ounce that is to BEL" she replied,
petulantly, and added as she seated herself on
the stone doorstep, and united her simple cot
tage bonnet, "the gentleman has thrown of
his old liking with his old coat and gloves"
"Tell me the manner Of it,n said ], sitting
down beside her.
SomethingiD this wise she answered:
"On our way to the city he talked Of mat
tors in general, and nothing in particular /;
casually telling me, among other things that
the world had prospered with him, that he
should return and resume his avocations short
ly, and at the expiration Of two years more
he should return to our country, and probably
marry and settle.n
And il that all 90
No." she said "he asked me to favor him
with sitting, the next day--said he would
like to take my picture with him."
"And did you?n
"YesD
"And what then
"Why," said Minnie, in a tone Of great vex-
alton, he said he wanted it as a specimen Of
art-that he only wished he could have yours,
as we'll as mne--that he always liked you,
and as slight token Of his regard begged
that would present you this--which do with
great pleasure
II was handsomely bound and illustrated
volume Of one Of the old English poets that
she gave me.
"And where 10 yours 2" asked
Shounwrapped a smaller and less expensive
volume, and, placing it in my lap said could
have that too, for all she cared.
And No was broken what think might have
been happy marriage, but for the perversity
OF human nature