The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-05-22

Nelly Glover was the prettiest lass in
the pit village. Her eyes were OF the
sweetest blue her cheeks were like rose :;
aud YOU might have thought her brown
hair was the finest silk. Then she had Il
figure like fairy, ii was 50 trim and with
a waist you could almost span. | loved
Nelly. but as for that, all the young chaps
of the village were Of the same mind, and
she might have had her pick Of us. Tie
worst of il was, she treated Us all alike,
and wouldn't look at one more than an
other. She had a smile for everybody,
and was always good-tempcred; but there
it ended, and somehow none Of lis could
screw up courage to try her further.
don't know how often | thought il over. 1t
came into my head the first thing in the
morning, and there it remained the last
thing at night, when it either kept me awake
or haunted my dreams. At last II quite took
possession Of me. No matter where j am,
digging. or blasting, or tunneliing, above
ground or down in pit, my thoughts turned
on Nelly, and from being the merrieSt TEL
low in the village, | just came 10 De the
dullest. One morning there was no WORK
in the pit for my gang, because the viewer
wanted that part of the seam Shored up,
and Il struck me, all at once, that | would
have il ont with Nelly; so | made myself
smart, and set off, walking as brisk as if it
was wager. You may think it conceit in
me. but | can say that | was then as clever
a chan to look at as you would often see
and | knew it For all that, | began TO
walk a bit slow when | caught sight of
Mrs. Glover's cottage, and | felt dread at
nv heart. But | went on; and | just got
up to the cottage, when who should come
out but Nelly herself. She never looked
prettier than at that minute; but appear
ing so suddenly, she dashed my spirit, and
| hadn't word to her.
"Why, Charley, what is the matter? "
she cried, in a frightened sort Of way.
"Well, it is just this | said. And there
| stopped.
ais anything wrong with Jack ?" she
cried quickly.
"Jack,"
eyes, he is down in they pit, and they
say it is foul, which makes mother and me
uneasy. You haven't heard anything p
And she looked in my eyes as if she
would search me through.
"No, non' | answered, steadying, now
! that / thought | could comfort her. /" He
is all right. You mustn't mind what the
old women of the village say, or you'll be
| looking for a blow-up every day in the
year, when there is nothing more than
common. | haven't come to you about
Jack, Nelly; it is about myself"
She gave me another look now; then
her cheek flushed up like flame, and her
eyes turned away.
"Do you know what l want tc soy
Nelly 9n went on. 81 wish you did, for
| can't tell it it is more than | have got
words for. How | love you, how you are
always before me, how | am crazcd, and
mad about you! But though | can't say
all want to, here | stand, and | wouldn't
change with aking, if you'll take me as
am"
"Ah, Charley, you don't know how you
pain me :" she answered.
"Don't say that, Nelly. | doubted about
speaking toyou, but now that | have done
it, now that can't go on deceiving myself,
if you have any pity in your heart, show it
to me, and will cherish you to the day Of
my death"
alt is no USE" she replied, 81 can
never marrya pltman. gave the promise
to mother and Jack, when he walked up to
the village at the funeral OF my poor father
and brothers, all three killed III the mine
our great sorrow, which can never think
Of without crying"
And the tears, it is true, were running
down her checks, though for the minute
she seemed TO me to be harder than stone.
And / seemed turned to stone myself. |
had no recollection, no feeling, and no
sense, and | couldn't have moved step to
save my life. Then it al. flashed upon me
like lightning. / took last look at Nelly,
dropped my head upon my breast, and
Without word more, walked out OF the
gate.
our village seldom looked bright, no
matter how the sun shone, and now ! felt
as If the sun would never shine again for
me; so, as my eye fell on the line of cot
tages, with the clouds hanging down from
above, and nothing round but waste. |
thought l might as well be in my grave as