Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-05-02

nT' IaNdTu, ue ioIuSI CIdluls w udFC
met you, and raves everywhere about your
beauty The latter, who is a great artist,
and very critical, laughs at his friends
cnthusias, and says he would bet you are
only a common rustic, with cheeks like
pcoines. SO l wish youto convert the her
etic."
"Only common rustic" sal Nellie TO
herself, heartily, and she resolved to be
as beautiful as possible. Perhaps, TOO,
there was a half formed resolved to bring
the offender to her feet in revenge,
A great surprise awaited her. When
she entered the prawins room that even
ing, the first stranger she saw was the
identical Clarence, who had painted
her as a baref,oted little girl, and then,
for the first time, it flashed upon her that
this was the great artist who had spoken
contemptuously other charms. Her no.
ton proved correct; for Miss Stanley,
Immediately advancing, presented the
stranger to her as Mr.. Harvard A
glance into his face reassured Nellie of his
identity, aud satisfied her that no had not
recognized her and then she turned away
after naughty courtesy, to receive the
eager fluctuations of Mr.. Mowbray.
There were conflicting emotions at war
in her bosom that evening. All her old
romance about Clarence was warned upon
by her indignation, as belief at his Sigh
ting remarks and at his present indilf, rem
ce; for he had made no attempt to i'm
prove his introduction, but left her entirely
to the crowd of other beaus, prominent
among whom was Mr. Mowbray. Plqued
and excited, Nellie was even more beauti-
full aud witty than usual. Late in the
evening she consented, at Miss Slancly' 6
request, to play aud sing. She first dash
ed off brilliant waltzes, then played bits
of few operas, and at last, at Mr. Now
bray's solicitation sang several ballads
Few persons had such sympathetic voice
and Clarence, who was passionatcly fond
of music, drew near, fascinated After
singing, "Are you sure the news is true
"Bonnie Dundee and others which had
been asked for, Clarence said.
And mayI, too, ask for my favorits !?
"Certainly, Sir" she answered, with
the least bit of hautcur. "What is it ;!
. '.Ob. too sad, perhaps, for so gay a
companv. 'Tho Land Of the Real
hardly dare hope you will consent"
1t was her favorite also, and her voice
slightly trembled as she began. From
this or some other cause, she sang it a:
even she had never sung it before, and
when she finished her eyes were full Of
tears, She would have given much to have
seen Clarence's face, but she could not
trust herself to look up; and partly to
conceal her emotion, partly by sudder
/, impulse, she struck into the Miserere O
al Trovatore." Nobody there had ever
before realized the full tragedy of tina
, saddest, yet most beautiful dirge. Ever
the selfish heart Of Mr.. Mowbray was al
fected. When the last chord had dlet
, away, he was the first one to speak, AM
, he was profuse in admiration and thanks
:. But Clarence said nothing. Nellie, a
last, looking towards him, saw that hi
eyes had been dim as we'll as her own -
She felt that his silence was the mos
eloquent of compliments, and from tina
, hour forgave him for having called her
"common rustic
. Clarence soon became constant visito
, at Mr.. Stanley's, But he always foun
Q Mr. Mowbray there before him, who end
Favored in every way to monopolize Mel
! lies attention. Reserved, if not absolu
= tely, clarence left the field generally 4,
9 his rival; and Nellie, half indignant, wa
n sometimes tempted to affect a gayety i
Mowbray's ompany which she was ia
= from feeling. Occasionally, however
Clarence would assert his equal right I
!, share the company of Miss Stanley's guc'
and at such times his eloquent talk 500
d eclpsed even that of the brilliant advC
= cate. As Nellie said in her secret hear
h it was Ruskin against Voltaire. And til
n more Clarence engaged in these CONVEX
a. II
$ time in his life, he had met one who III
> derstood him. =
e One morning the iootman came up
d the little paneled boudoir where Nell
II and her friend we're sitting, saying tn
1t Mr.. Mowbray was in the parlor, and SO
icitcd private interview with the forme
i Nellie rose at once, for she foreboded VIII
- was coming, and was only too glad