Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-03-02

"Hush your nonsense, will youq re


torted Nellie, spitefully u
So, no! Nell is sharp; Mr.. Clayton
must have declined her hand!" laug ghed
Alice.
:" l don't imagine the existence of the
unimpressible monster who would de-
cline the hand of our queen Nellie" said
Lizzie, rising, and putting her arm
around her friend. ." Now tell me, pet,
what is it?" she continued, coaxingly.
have made fool of myself, that's
ALL" replied Nellie, fercely. al wish
that proud, hateful, conceited Archer
Clayton had been in Jericho before ever
l saw him! And l wish you were all
at the bottom of the Red Sea, instead of
being here to put me up to such crazy
trick!''
A burst of laughter from Maggie and
Alice greeted this TRADE; and even Liz
zie, who was trying to soothe the irri-
tated girl, could not repress smile.
"Did you propose to him, sure enough,
Nell r. inquired Alice, teasingly.
''Yes, / did THE more fool / !" snap
ped Nellie. - =
"What did he say, Nellie ?' pursued
Maggie. ~ d
"None of your business" !" was the
rejoinder, followed by another burst Of
laughter.
ALI the following week, Nellie avoided
Archer Clayton as much as possible,
spending the greater part of her time in
her own room. In due time, as all
Thursdays do, the appointed Thursday
arrived. All day Nellie had kept her
room, pleading headache; but in the
evening, while the family were at tea,
she stole down stairs, and out to little
arbor in secluded part of the garden.
Seating herself on the floor, and resting
her head on the bench. she suffered the
evening breeze to toss the brown curls
and fan her fevered temples. Our bright
Nellie had changed wonderfully in this
one short week; her merry ringing laugh
was no longer heard echoing through the
house, and, instead of her former quick
and dancing step, she now moved list
lessly and noiselessly about. The once
mischiefsp sparkling eyes were dim with
weeping; and the roses had fed from
the cheeks now brushed by the honey
suckle vines, leaving them white as the
polished brow.
A rustling of the vines caused her to
look up suddenly; and what she saw
brought back the truant crimson to her
cheeks. Standing in the small door
way, and regarding her mischievously,
was the person whom of all others she
had on this day dreaded to see-Archer
Clayton.
81 have come to givemy answer. Miss
Nellie; accept your offer!' he said,
his eyes, sparkling with merriment, fixed
on her face
She made spring to the door but
he was too quick for her, and placed
himself so as to completely bar her
egress.
"Oh, Mr.. Clayton! please let me go
l have been rude and unmsidenly, 1
know; but you have punished me suf-
fciently. Let me go now !"- she ex-
claimed, hiding her face in her hands.
Punished you, Nellie2' he said, ten
derly, drawing the little white hands
from her face in one of his own, while
with the other he gently raised the
dropping head. and gazed fondly in the
beautiful brown eyes. "Far be from me
the desire to infict punishment on you.
Nellie, darling. I love you deeply, fer
vently. I offer myself to you! Will
you be my wife; little Nellie a'
As Nellie's reply only reached the
ears for which it was intended, I re-
gret that l am unable to record it. But
one thing l do know; two weeks ago,
Nellie stood in bridal array, holding in
her hand magnifcently bound copy of
Byron; and happy smile frightened
her lovely face, as her eye fell on the
names Of her thrae bridesmaids, in
scribed in three different styles of deli
cate chirography, ON one of the richly
tinted fly leaves.