The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-12-10

! tAnd where is there such an one
demanded Levi, with mingled incred
plity and curiosity twinkling in hi
black Jewish ewes.
| 'Herep / answered. 4 want bu
lsuch an object as this to become indus
trious. l have abilities, if I turn then
to account; of that am convinced
and, after all, if the worst should come
nothing under heaven can keep me
from inheriting a portion of my uncle's
estate. If Nellie Lee will take me fol
her husband, 1 win cherish and love
her until death
The little head shook no longer, and
felt slight pressure from the small
hand in mine. 1t may have been a
tremor, however.
Her father would never consent said
Levi, refeetively.
Never echoed Nellie, in low mur.
mur; 'he loves me So,
/ could have said What love is this
that puts its idol into a pawnbrokeTs
shopP but l dared not insult the pure
heart beside me, and / remained silent.
There was long pause. No one
seemed to know what to say, and Mel
les hand still remained in mine.
Then we all heard a sudden, violent
ring at the hall door bell Levi star
ted and left the room, and still Nellie
and remained silent. But inYolun-
tarily | drew her closer to my side; my
arm stole gently round her small waist.
| felt the throbbing of her little heart,
and then our lips met. The compact,
| knew, was sealed.
In few seconds Levi re-entered.
pale and agitated. He stopped on the
threshold when he saw us locked in
the embrace, and, leaning against the
edge of the door, he saids
4 am glad of it. She has no guar
dian now but YOU
my fatherP and with a shrek Mel
lie slipped from my clasp and fed to-
ward the Jew.
Poor child! he said, laying his
hand reverently on her head, as / { mis-
fortune had rendered her sacred; it
is so. He has left you alone
There was a wild burst Of grief
in that dingy pawnbroking parIor,
and poor little Nellie Lee sobbed
and fluttered like bird vainly beating
against the iron wires Of its cage. The
old artist was dead; the wretched man,
unable to resist temptation, had expen-
ded the money he had obtained from
Levi in drink and was found by the
police in Washington Park stretched
dead on one of the walks. He had
killed himself with rum.
For many hours my poor child was
distracted with her sorrow; and good
Mrs. Levi came down stairs adorned
with unredeemed jeweIry, and the
blackeyed, thick-ipped Miss Esther,
her daughter, was also there, smelling
of patchouli, aud Levi himself was CON
tinuslly coming in and out of the shop
with bottles of cologne for the child's
temples, aud viusigrettes to hold to her
nose. They were all so kind and so
gentle to my title Nellie in this her
great sorrow, that l made VOW on the
spot never to speak i'll of a paWnbroker
again as long as | lived.
But in time the tempest wore itself
away. Nellie came at last to listen to
the few words Of consolation l cared
to utter; for l am an unbeliver in verbal
anodynes; and late that evening might
have been seen sitting on the old hair
bottomsd sofa, affair, round face some
what flushed with weeping, nesting on
my bosom, while Mr.. Levi and Miss
Esther sat roune the fire, and occasion
ally turned round to admire us.
Need | go much furtherl Need /
describe the quiet wedding at St. Tho
mass, where 1 vowed to be a true
husband to Nellie Lse9 It would not
interest you very much. for there we're
no orangeblossoms or bridesmaids, and
no reception and German cotillon after
ward.
But ] may as well inform you that
all predicted has come to pass. l
am now industrious and independent
Nellie is the dearest wife that ever
worer a ring; and when visit Mr.. Levi
which l do often, for old friendships
sake, Iwalk boldly into his house, and
have no pecuniary object in so doing.
On an inlaid table in my drawing
room stands an ivory chess-board. It
belonged to the Rajah of Gundarool,
and was taken from the royal table by
a relative of mine in the Albicore Fen
cibles, after the siege of that place. In
short, it is the very identical chess
board which led to my finding Nellie
Lee in pawn.