Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-09-05

spoke of one and another of the young fell
lows near We shall have Nellie stolen
from us, | suppose" | said There is
nothing so easily lost from family as a
pretty daughter. But who is to have you
Nellie?"
She looked at me as children look before
they burst into tears--her chin quivering,
her throat swelling--then she dropped her
work and stole from the room without an
swering me.
"What ais the child, Betty" asked
Have l offended herr
Old Betty stood before me. sturdy aud
stern--a look in her fic. | had never sc IN
there before
Master Albert, she said, whatever she
was when she came here, Nellie IS no child
now. Oh, Master Albert, can't believe
you've done il on purpose? You couldn't
such sweet innorent thing,--but it's
done. All | can say is, go away, or let
her go, and may be the wound will
heal. ought to have spoken in time. l
was an old fool. Oh, how could you,
NJ, ster Albert?-hOw could you:'
What have | done?' | cried. II would
rather die than harm her"
And yet you've made her love YOU"
said Betty sternly. You who knew you
never would love her. You've been very
selfish, Master Albert
A new light dawned upon me, aradisnce
brilliant beyond my hopes.
Betty said /, ''you are dreaming
She must think me old enough to be
grandfather, with my long face and bald
crown, and this crutch. Eve had one
dream broken, don't set me 10 dreaming
again, for heavens sake
Old Betty looked at me; then caught my
face in both hands and kissed ne.
MASTER Albert" she said. Il shan't tell
you word more. The child is under the
grape vine out yonder; 90 and find out for
yourself You silly. handsome, cood-for-
nothing fellow
/ found my child under the grape vine,
her face wet with tears. | sat down beside
her and put my arm about her waist.
Nellie, said don't shrink from me:
| am your true friend, whatever answer
you may give me now. I'm older than
YOU: | am not vain enough to think myself
a young girls beau ideal; but love you
dearly, Nellie, can YOU love me enough to
he my wife? If you cannot, ii another
claims your heart, do not say yes from
gratitude. Tell me truly. and still retain u
i'btuSI ;, DiOtncI ;, lIlcllu aAeCilOu, Nel-
lie"
bent over her, and my life seemed in
her keeping. Until that moment | had
not known myself; ] loved her madly. /
felt it noT better, far better. than in my
youth hsd loved Aletta Stanton.
She spake no word.
Nellie said. Nellie. and brown
hand was laid of its own accord in Nine
and beneath my gaze the dark eyes dared
not lift themselves but hid their sweetness
on my breast. Nellie was mine.
sat with her beating heart SD near my
own. and thought it all over. | remem
bered the child in the cotton gown stand
ing in the gallery of the church on that
wedding morn. / remembered the child
whom | had taught; the girl with whom |
had passed such happy hours; and felt
that this living love, sprung, Ph9nixlike.
from the ashes OF the dead
one, Was the strangest feeling of my life.
So NY old fancy of keeping house with
my child came true at last; only when she
crossed the threshold of my home with me
called her wife. Aud still the touch of
her brown hand brings comfor. with il:
still her sweet voice is better to me than
all the music in the world And as in my
youth fanced myself old, surely in my
age | shall believe myselfyoung, for while
we live and are beloved. youth can never
die; and while we live Nellie and | must
love each other.