The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-03-20
RAVENNA, WEDNESDAY. MARCH 20, 1861.

liant advocate. As Nelly said in her secret
heart, it was Ruskin against Voltaire. And
the more Clarence engaged in these conver
sations, the more he felt that, for the first
time In his life, he had met one who under.
stood him.
One morning the footman came Up to the
little pane!led boudoir, where Nelly and her
friend were sitting, s,ying that Dr.. Now.
bray was in the parlor and solicited priv
ate interview with the former. N N,ly rose
OF once, for she forboded what was coming,
and was only too glad to hsve this early op.
portuniiy OF stopping attentions which had
become uncomfortable to her.
Dir. Mowbroy was evidently embarrassed,
an unusual thing for him. But he rallied
and came directly to the purpose Of his visit
which was, as Nelly had inspected, 10 tender
her bis heart and >hand. He wos proceed
Jog, in strain OF high flown compliment,
when Nelly said, with an impatient wave OF
the hand.
Spare me, sir. You did no; always talk
co.
He looked his astonishment.
Many years ago answered you the same
question which you now ask.'
He colored up to the temples. i surely
do not Deserve he said, 'to be made lest
off,
Neither do make jest OF ycu. Do you
not know meg
Il never saw you till this summer
you saw me eight years ogo. Yon and q
friend were on pedestrian tour. You met
little, bare. footed girl, whom your friend
made sketch Of, and whom you jsered and
then nicknamed' And rising she made q
mock courtesey, for she saw she was recog
nized.
Il am Cobwebs, at your service, SIR
The discounted sutor never forgot the
look oi dsdain with which Nelly courtesied
to him. His modification was not lessenet
when, on leaving the h,u'e, he met CIar.
ence on the doors steps. He tried, in vain
to assume an ind,ff'rent aspect, but he fail
ed, and thnt his rival sus pected his rejection.
Nelly could not avoid laughing at the
crestfulen look OF her old enemy. Her
whole mlnner changed, however, when
Clarence entered Instead OF the triun 3h.
ant saucY torlnentor, she bee lme the con-
scious, trembling woman. Clarence, who
longed Tor, yet dreaded, this interview, took
courage Ut once, aud in tew, manly words.
eloquent with emotion, laid his fortunes at
Nelly's feet. -
Poor Nelly felt more like crying with joy
than anything else. But little of the saucy
spirit was still left in her; she thought she
owed it to ter eek not to surrender too east
ly; and so she said, urchy glancing at Clar.
ence:
DO you know, M. II H,rvJrd, whom you
are proposing to! ! am no heress, no high
born city belle, but only-let me see-what
was iI?-only n common country rustic.'-
4 Aud she rose and courtesied to him.
For Heavens sake, don't bring that fool
ish speech up nsai st meg he CRIED, pps-
sionatelY. trying to take her hand. i have
repUnted it a thousand times daily, since
the unlucky moment | was betrayed into
saying it. never meant it to be person2l.' >
We'll, then, will say nothing OF thu,
matter. Blu, this is ooIy whim of yours.
How is it, that, having known me SO long,
you only now discover my merits!'
Known you SO ong''
'Yes, sir she said demurey.
known you!'
'For eight years.
Good Heavens" he cried, suddenly, hi:
whole face lighting. HOW blind have
been! Why did not see it belere! You
are-'
'Cobwebs,' said Nelly, taking the word:
out Of his mouth, her whole fuce sparkling
with glee, and she dew Of and gave ono,h
er sweeping courtesey.
Before she had recovered herself however
pair of strong arms were around her, fol
Clarence OWNED now that he was in love
Nelly, ali along, had had hllf.secret fear
that, when her suitor knew the past, he
might not be so willing to marry the bare
footed girl as the brilient belle: but all this
was now gone.
j Two months later there was gay we'd
ding at St. Marks. A month after that, the
bridal pair returning from the wedding tour
drove up to q handsome house in one of lhe
most fashionable streets in Philadelphia.
As Clarence led Nelly through the rooms
in which his perfect taste was seen every
where, she gave way to exclamation alte
exclamation of delight.
At last they reached tiny boudo;f Of ex-
quisi,ely carpeted and curtained A jet o
gas, burning in an olabaster vase, diffused
soft light through the room. A solitary pic
ture hung on the walls. 1t was the origi-
nal sketch of her taken eight years before
and now elegantly framed. The tears gush
ed to Nelly's eyes, and she threw hersel
4 into her husbands arms.
oh! how I love your she cried,
Nobody who sees the picture, suspects it
origin. It is too sacred a subject for eithe
Nelly or CIarance 10 alluds to. But it wa
only the other day that celebrated leade