Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-03-21

vast and so lmpalpable. SO poor little
Nettie faded and sparkled by turns !;
brilliant and animated whenever she
thought John was looking at her f; dull
and detected when she saw his attention
was elsewhere. Nothing could be pref
tier than the little, wistful sidelong
looks she cast at him, the pensive poise
of her head, and the droop Of her down
cast eyelsshes Sophy caught her in
one of these Clytie poses, whisked
her into a corner and rallied at her
heartily
Much to her surprise, the worm
turned. ats all very we'll for you to
call me silly and spiritless," said the
transformed Clytie, with flashing eyes ::
81 think with you that certain allow
ance of spirit is necessary for the pres
ervation Of every pair" (she did not
intend pun, and trampled over it with
lofty disdain.) II am glad that John
has shown enough to make it unueees-
sary for me to exert myself. In your
case it is different. Of course you have
to do it for two. l honor your motives,
but I deplore the necessity. And I am
afraid it is time to 60 home. Good
night, dear!''
And darting at her friend with a
singing little needle Of kiss, Net.ie
turned away, skilfully ezsricated John
from his attentive group of listeners
aud departed, leaving Sophy in a state
Of prossrate bewilderment, as the books
say, more easily imagined than desc7ib-
ed. That young lady was for once
quite thrown off her balance. What
more trying position for woman Of
spirit than not to know exactly how
much she had been insulted?
Meanwhile John and Nettie paced
quietly homeward. Very quietly, for
she was struggling with an absurd but
eminent'y feminine disposition to cry,
and in the effort to fight down her tears,
necessarily had to hold her tongue,
while John was partly tired by his un-
usual efforts at entertaining, and partly
curious to see what Nettie would do if
lie let her alone.
At last they reached the familiar
steps, the scene Of SO many meetings
and psrtings, greetings and farewells.
The sight Of the old stones Derved Net
tie to a desperate effort. With one final
and prodigious gulp she swallowed the
last tear, caught hold of one of Johns
buttons just as he was turning to 90,
and opened her lips to begin very
pretty moral lecture-said moral lecture
she had been celebrating to herself all
the way home, and in it she intended
fairly to divide the blame of their little
misunderstanding between them, and
to wind up with an assurance of better
things to como.
But as she looked up and saw the
old kind face looking down at her, with
q gleam Of ammusement lurking behind
the gravity Of the eyes, she forgot all
her formal explanations, and felt so
ashamed that she began to wish that she
had let John GO Then summoning up
all her courage, she looked wistfully at
the very middle Of Johns top button,
which she WAS lingering. and whisper
ed doubtingly, "John, if you we're to
try very hard do you think you could
forgive ne?'
History has not recorded what John
did. # my readers, that is, the sterneT
portion thereof, will take the trouble to
calculate the effect upon themselves of
"a pretty, upturned face, call kinder
smiiy round the lips, and teary round
the lashes,'' said face set in a frame of
moonlight solitude and romance gener-
ally, they will probably arrive at some
thing like the actual result. History
has recorded, however, what John did.
Like the speeches of all good men at
all great moments, it was short, simple,
and to the point. lie said-"Little
woman, don't try,it again J"
And [ don't think she did. At least
by the last accounts they were still liv-
ing in state Of much humdrum con-
tent and felicity.
As for Sorhy, the brngling wedding
of one of her friends suddenly stimulat-
ed her to an heroic exertion. She felt
that it sas her duty to show the world
how such things ought to be done, so
she graciously allowed the long suffer
ing Morton to marry her. In blaze
of glory, compounded of shite satin,
orange-fowers, tulle wells, bridemaids,
presents, carriages, and wedding-cards,
the moral entity called Morton Dewitt
passed out Of indie .endent existence.
In future he vegetated as "Mrs De-
Wits husband" Somewhere within
the brilliant aureale which surrounds
that gorgeous and fashionable comet, he
revolves,<. unseen, his "inefectual fires
paled" by the glory that envelops him,
little twinkling star hid forever be-
hind the sweeping brilliancy of bis ra-
diant partner.
The beauty of "a religious life is one
of Its greatest recommendations What
does it profess !? Peace to all mankind.
1t teaches US those arts which will con-
tribute to our present comfort as well
as our future happiness. Its greatest
ornament is charity; it inculcates moth
ing but love and sympathy of affection
it breathes nothing but the purest spirit
of delight; in short, it is system per-
fectly calculated to benefit the heart,
improve the mind, eLlighten the under
standing.
NEVER consider person unfeeling or
hard hearted because he refuses what
ha na nnoi grant