The Republican journal., 1869-11-04

a missionary work | impressed it upon his
mind that he had formidable rival in Mr..
GRAY, and he fell in with my plan with won
derful docility.
For two or three days drove Fred away
whenever Nellie appeared, and let her see
that did not wish her to know him. | prais-
ed Mr.. Gray till she was fain to find some
fault with him, aud deprecated Fred's wild
ness in proportion They caught only dis
solving views of each other, till Fred declar-
ed that he had ''veered and hauled on that
tack" long enough, and ne must at least be
introduced to her.
dress Of pale pink muslin that lust suited her
complexion; her little slippered feet rested
half seen on a hassock (and | knew Fred al
ways went into raptures over pretty feet, J
when | called him in from the garden. Her
bewitched attitude did not make him forget
the part he had to play, He scarcely looked
at her as she made him bow, slightly touch
ed with consciousness.
"What will you have9 Say quickly, tor |
was very busy in the garden making bar
gain over the fence with Ellis for that black
horse you like so we'll"
II know that horse !" cried Nellie "He's
splendid | rode with Mr. Ellis once, and
he nearly ran away with me ~
do you mean Mr.. Ellis OF the horse p'
She only flashed look athim. and he turn
ed to me with Il self-denal look that could
not help but admire.
81 must have some kind of a carriage, for
sailor on horseback is fish out of water
and you must try Abdallah's mettle with me
Tomorrow"
Tomorrow is Sunday"
"Never mind, we will drive to church and
haar thot yub boc t,,rpal oil
your heads. He certainly breaches as if he
meant it, and he is not ill-looking for one
who has to be cooped up between four walls
all his days. You admire him of course, Miss
Clifton ?"
81 do not see the 'of course, Mr.. Olney
Every one who sees him must think him not
ynotill-looking, but decidedly handsome" +"
said Nellie, with a little flush Of wrath in her
cheeks, which added another touch to her
beauty.
"There, knew it! Every young woman
in the parish is his devoted admirer, and alas
for them, only one of them can have him for
her owni'
Il suppose girl may admire a man with
out wishing to marry him."
"May she? | live and learn; but for my
part l think minister has no right to be
handsome; it is clear robbery Of common
mems capital. Women have such a taste for
martyrdom that ministers have charms sutfi-
Gent in their spiritual calling, no matter how
ungainly they may be in the body. You have
no idea, Miss Clifton, when we poor sailors
put to sea in the full faith that our own Mary
Ann viii wait a lifetime for us, if need be,
how often the ministers take the wind out of
our sails"
IL have heard" said Nellie, roguishly,
1fth9t sailors n r bIn fpr n
.cy."
"Then you have heard an unmitigated SLAM
der. Constant as a sailor ought to be a pro-
verbs
But it isn't"
There was Randolph the best hearted fell
lows and the handsomest in our mess, who
lost his heart on shore to the sweetest girl in
the world as he assured me SO often that
almost got to love her myself. 1t wasn't an
engagement exactly, because she was SO
young, and, will you believe it there came a
letter to Randolph before the year was out,
saying that she had discovered that he was
not her affinity, and that she was actually
married to the new minister; one Of the in
teresting kind, like Mr.. Gray. | imagine. She
managed to get on the injured side, as woman
alwas will, and reasoned away Randolphs
claim on her SO logically that am morally
Women think nothing of breaking the eighth
commandment in that way, and since then
have set my face against them as IL flint"
"Is that all ?" said Nellie, interested against
her will, "What became of Randolph"
(Which would you prefer, a comic or tragic
end to the story?"
1.-The true one if you please"
well, the true end partook of both, to my
mind. Ned was all in the downs as the
song has it, so long as he stayed in port; he
wasted to skeleton, ate little and slept less,
which was tragic enough; buthe got exchang
ed into another ship, salt water cured him
and the last time saw him he showed me
the picture Of little black-eyed beauty, whom
he married otf-hand this time to make sure Of
her"
"a sailors heart is tough enough, accord
ing to your own showing, to bear n good
many hard knocks"
''That is a merciful provision in our case
Miss Clifton; otherwise thaG necessary organ
in most of us would be in a very bad way
indeed. But l must really tear myself away.
Good morning and pleasant day dreams"
And Fred departed with colors flying.
II don't like him bit" said Nellie, "anC
believe he made the story out of whole
cloth"
go no." said I; s'he hides q very earnest
character under light way of talking. He
thinks women are all hrts; but if he coulC
find somebody who could win his respect,
should have great hope Of him. But, Nellie,
to change the subject, have set my heart on
you being our minister's wife. How DO you
like him on better acquaintance?
81 don't want to be anybody's wife, if yor
please" said Nellie, with dignity.
And with that she left me.
"It's safe to clap my performance now,
saidFred putting his head at the door: "Isn'
she bewitching and such a foot | coult
think of nothing but old Herrick's notion:
"Her little feet stole in and out,
Like mice beneath her petticoat."
"Save your compliments. You may nee(
them when you come to close quarters"
Fred went to church with me next day, bu
Mr., Gray's fine discourse was wasted on him
he was wholly occupied with counting the
little flowers on dainty lace bonnet, which
could adorn no head but Nelie's. We joine(
her on the way home.
ut seems to me-" said Fred innocently
'sthat Mr.. Gray breaches mostly to our corner
of the church Is it that we most need hi
ghostlv counsel, or is the moving spring 0
his eloauence situated in our region?"
He stole a look at Nellie, and again an un-
deniable flush re ddened her cheek. For the
first time some one had taken her own rol.
out Other hands, aud was playing it skillfully
for har 1;Snnmfitura