The Georgetown news., 1856-01-17
NO. II.
Our Nelly.

"Who is she?" "Why that is our Nelly,
to be sure" Nobody ever passed Nelly
without asking. "Who is she?" One can't
forget the glance of that blue eye. in hur-
~; nor the waving of those golden locks;
nor those scarlet lips, nor the bright glad
sparkle of the whole face; and then she Is
not a bit proud; although she steps so like
a queen she would shake hands just as
quick with horny palm as with KID
glove. The world can't spoil ''our Nelly"
for her heart is in the right place.
~ ou should have seen her thank an old
farmer the other day, for clearing the road
that she might pass. He shaded his eyes
with his hand when she swept by, as he had
been dazzled by a sudden fash Of sunlight,
and muttered to himself, as he looked after
her-'won't she make somebody's head
ache?" Well, she has, but it is because
from among all her lovers she could marry
but one; and God save US. that her choice
should have fallen upon Walter Lee! If he
don't quench out the love-ight in those
blue eyes, my name is not John Morrison.
I've seen his eyes flash when things didn't
suit him; I've seen him nurse his wrath TO
keep it warm till the smouldering embers
were ready for confagration. He's as vim
dictive as an Indian. I'd as soon mate a
dove with tiger, as give him our Nelly
There's dozen noble fellows, this hour,
ready to lay down their lives for her, and
vet out of the whole crowd she must choose
Walter Lee. O, have no patience to
think of it. Well-a-day! mark my words,
he will break her heart before a twelve
month Hes pocket edition of Napoleon.
A year had passed by, and amid the hurry
Of business and the din Of the great city,
had quite forgotten Glenburn and its fairy
| queen. 1t was time to recall her to mind,
that lovely June mOrning-With its soft
feecy clouds, its glad sunlight. its song of
BIRDS and its breath Of roses; and so threw
the reins on Romeo's neck, that he might
choose his own pace down the sweet-briar
path, to John MorrisOn's cottage. And
there sat John, in the doorway, smoking
his pipe, with Tower crouched at his feet,
in the same old spot, Just as if the sun had
never gone down behind the hill since l
parted with him.
"And 'our Nelly, said taking up the
thread of his year old narrative as though it
had never been hroken-'and our Nelly?
Under the sod," said the old man with
dark frown "under the sod. He broke
her heart, just as told you he would
Such bridal as it was. I'd as lief have
gone to funeral. And then Walter car
ried her off to the city, where she was as
much out of her element as humming- bird
! in meeting house; and tried to make fine
lady Of her, with stiff, city airs, and stiff
city manners. 1t was like trying to fetter
the soft west wind, which comes and goes
at its own sweet will; and n Nelly-who was
only another name for Ndture-pined and
dropped like bird in darkened cage.
One by one her old friends dropped off,
wearied with repeated and rude repulses
from her moody husband, till he was left, as
he desired, master of the field. It was as
toniShiDg the ascendancy he gained over his
sweet wife, contemplate as he was. She
made no objection to his most absurd re-
quirements; but her step lost its spring, her
eye its sparkling, and one might listen long
for her merry-ringing laugh. Slowly, sadly
to Nelly came that terrible conviction from
which wife has no appeal. All. there is
no law to protect woman from negative
abuse! no mention made in the statute book
(which men frame for themselres) of the
constant dropping Of daily discomforts
which wear the loving heart away. No al
lusion to looks or words that are like poi
soned arrows to the sinking spirit. No! if
she can show no marks OF brutal fingers on
her delicate fesh-he has fulfilled his legal
promise to the letter-to love, honor, and
cherish her. Out on such mockery of
justice!
"Well, sir, Nelly futtered back to Glen
burn, with broken wing of hope to die! so
; wasted so lovely The lips that blessed
her. could not choose but to curse him. She
leaned on a broken reed,' said her old gray
haired father, as he closed her blue eyes for
ever. May God forgive him, for l never
: can,' said an old lover, whose heart was bu-
ried in her grave.
"NELLY LEE, aged l8."
You'll read it in the village churchyard
sir; eighteen! Brief years, sir, to drain all
of happiness Life's cup could offer!"