Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-10-29
NANNIE GRAY.
BY MARGARET VERNE.

"I'll never speak to you again, Howard
Ross, so long as live-never."
She said it with bewitching air of
anger, and such fash of her brilliant
eyes as might kave sent less susceptible
man than myself down on his knees be-
fore her.
"Why-e-e-e, Mamie Gray, you don't
mean it. That little, chattering tongue of
yours couldn't keep still half an hour if
it tried" IN 81 &h
Another fash of the bewildering blue
eyes, so quick and bright it almost dazzled
me- That was all the response she deign-
ed A few minutes persevering silence
followed.
Mamie ..
No answer.
Mamie Gray" sa0
A naughty toss of the cloud of golden
curls, and firm shutting together of the
crimson lips. That was all. ..t, "a.
II say, Mamie" % y
had my labor for my pains. A stag
nant frogpond, with all the frogs tainted
away, couldn't have been stiller than she.
The facts of the case were simply these !:
l was in love with the little, saucy, bright
eyed, delicious!y charming, inexpressibly
bewitching, tormenting, coquettish Nan
ME Gray. In love, bewilderingly, ire
vocably, madly, no-help for it-at-all ably,
in love, heart, mind, soul and sense, head
and ears. Being a passably good looking,
well-informcd young gentleman, of agree
able manners, easy nature, generous dis
position, good character, fair name, un-
questionable habits, WE'LL do father, bril-
liant prospects, and all the other little
otceteras which modest man like myself
would dislike to mention having arrived
at that stage of single blessedness when a
man begins to feel like half pair of
shears, and commence to look about for
some one to love, cherish, and obey him,
and darn his stockings; moreover, being
entirely satisfied that the aforesaid Mamie
Gray was abundantly qualified to make
me the happiest of men, and a little extra
bliss to boot; and thinking withal, that
she, Mamie, being an orphan and alone
in the world, needed such nice husband
as l should make, indulgent, even temper
cd, handsome, etc, etc, to protect her, |
had arrived at the unavoidable determina-
tion to offer her my heart, hand, fortune
and the name of Ross.
had the audacity to believe that she
was not altogether insensible to my at
fractions; that the mercury of her affec-
tions stood about the same number of de-
grees above zero that mine did. There
was this difference, however. Whereas, /
made no secret of my affection for her, but
told her of it every chance could get, the
Nrrant little coquette had way, peculiarly
her own, Of making me uncomfortable
In the midst of my most eloquent love
declarations, she would ask me if ever
wore scarlet jacket and travelled as an &C.
compartment to a hand organ. If
pressed her hand she would laugh. If
Kissed her she would beg to be excused
long enough to wash her face. ...
One day l caught her looking very in
tently at the inside of gold locket, SAID
locket being dependent from slender
chain that trembled about her white throa
like little pulsation of sunshine, Sh,
gave a little pretty, theatrical start o
surprise upon being discovered looking a
it, clasped it quickly, and hid it in he
bosom, l. whistled. q always whistle
when don't know what else to do) Fo
the first time in my life was jcllous,-
Very unconcernodly Mamie took up he
sewing Knowing it wouldn't do to le
her notice my discontinue, l graspea tn
morning paper, and held it before m.
face, Couldn't see anything but little gol
lockets all over it. Heard q suppresse'
laugh, and knew Mamie saw through m
uneasiness at once. Whistled again, an
glanced over the top of the paper at Nan
ME, She caught me at it, and laughe
outright.
Wouldn't you read with less difficulty
if you held the paper differently, MI
Ross?'
Mr.. Ross / looked down. Zound
reader, | had the paper wrong end uI
ward. Isprang from my chair as thong
u dozen grown.up thunderbolts had eS