The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-02-02

Singing, ana are ye sure tnc news is
true?" "Bonnie Dundee" and others
which had been asked for, Clarence then
said
"And may I, too, ask for my favorltc?"
Certainly" she answered, with the
least semblancc Of hautcur. "What is
itY"
"Oh, too sad. perhaps, for so gay n com
pany; The Land of the Lcai.' hardly
dare hope you will consent"
1t was her favoritr, also, nnd her voice
slightly trcmblcd as she began. From
this OF some other cause, she sang the
words as even she had never sung them
before, and when she finished her eyes
were full Of tears. She would have given
much to sec CInrcnce's face, but she could
not trust herself to look up; and partly to
conceal her emotion, partly by sudden
impulse, she struck into the mi~erere of
al TrovatOre Nobody there had ever
before realized the full tragedy of that
Saddcst, yet most beautiful dirgc. Even
the selfish heart of Mr.. MOwbray was af.
lectcd. When the last chord Ind died
away, he was the first TO speak, and was
profuSe in admiration and thanks. But
Clarence said nothing. Nellie, at last
looking toward him, saw that his eyes
were dim as well as her own. She felt
that his silence was the most eloquent of
compliments and from that hour forgavc
his having called her u common rustic
Clarence soon became n constant visitor
at Mr. Stanlcy's. But he always found
Mr.. Mowbray there before him, who en-
dcavorcd in every way to monopolize
Nelly's attention. Reserved, If not abso.
lutcly naughty, Clarence left the field gen.
orally to his rival, and Nelly, halr.indig
nant, was sometimes tempted to affect n
gayety in Mr.. Wowbray's company, which
she was far from feeling. Occasionally,
however, Clarence would assert his equal
right to share tho society Of Miss Stanley's
guest, and at such times his eloquent talk
soon eclipsed that Of even the brilliant
advocate. AS Nelly said in her secret
heart, it was Ruskin against Voltaire.
And the more Clarence engaged in these
conversations, the more he felt that for
the first time III his life he had met one
who understood him.
One morning the footmnn came up to
the panncl boudoir where Nelly and her
friend were sitting, saying that Mr.. Now
bray was in the parlOr, and solicited a
private interview with the former. Nelly
rose at once, for she forcbOded what was
coming, and was only too glad to have
this opportunity Of stopping attentions
which had become uncomfortable to her.
Mr.. Mowbray was evidently embar.
rasscd, an unusual thing for him. But
he rallied, and came directly to the pur-
pose of his visit, which was, as Nelly had
suspected, to tender her his heart and
hand. lie was proceeding in strain of
high-ilown compliment, when Nelly said,
with an impatient wave of her hand
"Spare me, sir. You did not always
! talk sol"
lie looked his astonishmcnt.
"Many years ago answered you the
same question which You now ask"
lie colorcd up to the temples. 81
surely do. not dSSerVs, "-4se saitl, "to be
made n jest Oi."
Neither do make a jest Of you. Do
you not know mcr"
"I never saw you till this summer"
"You saw me eight years ago. You
and friend were on a pedestrian tour.
You met n little barc.i0otcd girl, whom
your friend made sketch of, and whom
you jcered ut and then nicknamed." And
rising, she made MUCK courtesy, for she
saw she was now recognized. II am
Cobwcbs, at your service, SIR"
The discomiited suitor never forgot the
look of disdain with which Nelly courtc.
sled to him. Ills modification was not
lcsSencd when, on leaving the house, he
uct Clarence on the doorstep. lie tried
in vain to assume an Indifferent as.
pcct, but he felt that he had failed, and
that his rival suspected his rejection.
Nelly could not avoid laughing ut the
crest. fallen look of her old enemy. Her
whole manner changed, however, when
Clarence entered. Instead of the triumph
ant, saucy torIncntor, she became the con-
sciouS. trembling woman. Clarence, who
had longcd for, yet dreaded this interview,
took courage at once, aud in few manly
words, laid his fortune at Nelly's feet.
She felt more like crying for joy than
anything else. But little Of the old
saucy spirit was still left in her; she
thought that she owed it to her sex not to
surrender too easily, and 50 she said, arch.
ly glancing up at Clarence
"Do You know, Mr.. Harvard, who you
are proposing to? am no hcireSs, no
high born city belle, but only-let me see
what was ii? All! have 1t now
only common country rustic" And she
arose and cOultesicd to him.
"For heavens sake, don't bring that
foolish speech up against me !" he cried,
paSsiOnatcly, trying TO take her hand
81 have rcpcntcd thousand times daily,
since the unlucky moment was betrayed
into saying it DO me the justice to be-
lievc never meant to be personal"
"Wcll, then, | will say nothing more
of that matter. But this is only whim
Of yours. How is it, that having known
me so long, you only now discover my
mcrits!"
".Known you so long 2"
eyes, sir!" demurely.
"knOwn your"
For eight years !"
GOOD hcavens!" he cried, suddenly,
his whole face lighting up: "llow blind
have been Why did | not sec it BE-.
fore? You arc"
Cobwebs," said Nelly, taking the
words out of his mouth, her whole face
sparkling with glce; and she drew off and
gave another sweeping courtesy.
Before she had recovered herself, how
ever, pair Of strong arms were around
her, for Clarence OWNED now that he was
loved. Nelly, all along had had half Sc.
crct fear that when her suitor knew the
past he might not be so willing to marry
the bare-footed girl as the brilliant belle
but oil this wds gone.
Two months later there was a gay wed.
ding at st. Marks. A month after that,
the bridal pair, returning from their wed.
ding tour, drove up to handsome house
in one Of the most fashionable streets in
Philadelphia. AS Clarence took Nelly
through the rooms, in which his perfect
taste was seen every where, she gave way
to exclamation after exclamation of dc.
light. At last they reached the boudOir,