Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-05-01
@BSOGllANW.
Nellie.---My Sister.

We were poor people, reader, but our pa-
rents always said they were rich in Nellie
and me. We lived in little gable rooted
cottage, with II grey chimney crowning it.
Morning glorics and swcctbrier looked in at
all the front windows, while a great grape
vine, with its purple clusters Just out of reach
of my hand, hugged the back wall of the
house.
do not remember ever wishing was rich
but once, and that was when overheard
mamma and papa saying how much it cost to
send sister Nellie to school, for she was a
great scholar.
She was very beautiful, that sister of mine
She stands before me now, so fair andlifelike
though 1t is seven long years since the grass
first grew gree over the white hands thew
folded onh her bosom when she lay down under
the willow to sleep. have never seen any
thing like the color of her eyes, unless it be
the brown burrows which sometimes lie heap
cd up in belt of far off sky just at twilight
and sometimes sunbeam strays over the
half ripened side of peach, and then whis-
per to myself, This is like Ncllic's check"
Have you ever seen water lilies lean over
tho waves reader, to catch q glimpse of the
beauty mirrored there? Well, Just so fair
and fragile in the sculpture like delicacy of
it's proportions was the form of my sister Mel
lie.
Let me sec, it mast be eight years this very
month since the occurrence of that event
which braided such bright flowers of hope
and love in the life warp of my Nellie. Oh
such dark clouds-such black, surginn bill
lows She had gone out to walk, for she was
very fond ofsolitary pedestrian excursions.
The doY was declining, and mamma had
grown somewhat uneasy at her protracted alb
scnce, when we heard the wicket open sud
denly, and quick footballs along the gravel
walk. The next moment there was a loud
imperative knock at the front door. Mamma
opened it, then staggered back with very
pale checks at the sight it revealed.
Nellie was lying, white and deathlikc, in
the arms of young gentleman, her long nut
brown curls floating away from the pallor of
her checks, land well lnigh sweeping the ground
NO, madam, your daughtcris not dead
not even iniurcd-she has only tainted" said
the young man, answering the question nc
read IN mammals eyes, but which her lips
could not tconsummate. "a little care viii
soon restore her"
lie carried my sister in, mamma leading
the way, and laid her down on the lounge in
the bedroom. Iboycrcd anxiously about her.
while mamma bathed her temples with cam.
phor, and tho gentleman chnfed her cold
hands, meanwhile explaining the circumstan-
ces which had occasioned her fainting. lie
was riding hastily home to his fathers when
his horse, high spirited animal, took fright
at something in theroad, and dashed oifhead-
long with his driver. On turning n sharp
angle in the road he came SO suddenly upon
my sister as to knock her down, and then he
sprang from his horse, and, raising her, dis
covered that she had tainted; and the dark,
hne eyes OF the gentleman expressed moro of
regret at the circumstance than eventhe grace
ful apology which he offered mamma,
Well, the life tinge rippled slowly back to
and stared wonderingly around her. In
few moments she sat up, with mammals arm
about her waist, and replied to the eager In
quiMies OF the gentleman that she felt quite
well.
remembered he remained with her until
che had walked twice across tho room, to as
sure him she was entirely recovered, and then
with another long admiring glance on her
face. he bade us farewell.
Tho next day the stranger stopped at the
aS9F s"onieuG 10 inquire IL my sigter was
quite VOL after her recent fright, and, on the
snbsequent one, q magnificent bouquet was
loft fox Miss Graham, with the compliments
OF Edward Preston attached to the card which
accompanied the rich exotics. We knew,
thon, that the gentleman was the son of old
squire Preston, who lived in the tall mansion
on the hill, With the great pillars cleaning
out, white and ghostly, from the icsamine
ana roses which coiled lovingly around them.
"A proud. exclusive family were the Prestons,
mlngling very little with the society in the
village Edward was never bit like thon,p
Nellie said, with blush, They had been
playfellows IN childhood.
a few days after, Nellie and went out TO
take a walk at sunset, aud Mr. Preston came
very saaacnly upon as. could not help adj
miring the courtly grace with which he Iif
ted his hat and asked permission TO accom-