The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-03-04
WHOLE NO. 3ll37.


riou,ly, | did not tell who was upon the
track Of her husband Neither did
kneel down, as ON New Years Eve;
but as | sat still 1 never ceased praying
that he might escape for Nelly's sake:
and longed for the day to dawn,or
tor the sound of the limping hOofbeAts
along the road. They came both to-
gether, for in the very first gray Of the
morning heard it returning up the
road, and ran out eagerly to await ito
coming. Only DR.. Romaine was in
the gig and he told me that his son
bad got safely away by q quick train.
He bade me put on my bonnet and
cloak, and ride into Ludford with him;
but he said not word about Nelly, and
! felt uneasy at his silence as we drove
on into the town which was not yet
astir. r3ss
Doctor Romaine's house was situated
within the town. butt lay a good way
back from the street, with fine lawn
before it, and carriage-drive, under
arrow Of elm-trees, up to the portico
before the door A grand house it
was, and | never set foet in it without
feeling ten times more shy OF our Doe
tor than when he was in our quarried
kitchen at home. DR.. Romaine order.
ed breakfast to be set before me, which
| could not taste, aud then he rang for
his carriage, and told his servant to
drive to St. Margarets Church.
It was all true. There was the reg
lister Of Nelly's marriage, and the tears
came into the Doctors eyes when he
saw his sons signature to it. / won
dered what be was going to do next,
for he ordered the carriage to be driy-
en- round to the office OF the ''Ludford
New@," the paper which father always
read while he smoked his pipe in an
evening We went into room, and
a gentlemen handed pen and a sheet
OF paperto DR.. Romaine, who wrote
something upon it with very shaky
hand. ! am not quick at reading writ
ing, and | felt very nervous; but the
Doctor was as patient as could be, while
| made out the following words; aud
he had put the letters N. B. before
them 3. gqa
"On February 97, 1861, at St. Mar
garers, Lndtord, Alfred, only son Of
Victor Romaine, NJ. D., of tIiat town,
TO Ellen, second daughter Of Mr John
Burgess, ofLudfOrd road toll gateJ,iS
This was to be placed among the
marriages, and among the births was
to be printed, "OlrDecember 81, 1861,
the wife Of Mr. Alfred Romaine, Of
SON" ~'sY
Fatherread them both the next even
ing over bis pipe. don't know to
this day whether it was not relief 10
NgllYto know that she would never see
her wicked husband again for though
he got safely away, the news of his
death reached US not very long afteT.
wards, Nelly went home to Dr. R0-
maine's grand house; and then it proved
true that she was born like lady,
though she was never the same light
hearted rosy Nelly she had once been.
1t was a picture TO see her sweeping in
her long silk dresses through the beau-
tiful rooms, with little Victor in her
arms But was never quite at homs
amidst grandeur and / liked best for
DR.. Romaine TO come to our farm,
Matthews aud mine, and follow me
into my dairy, or across the fold 10 the
cowsheds, with his old gracious smilS
upon his face, as Victor tFoEted along
at his side. rsU fiW as''iag 5H
Nelly processes to be jealous of ne
as Dr. Romaine's fayorite: but how
can that be when She can play to him
on the piino he has bought for her,
and hold converse with him about his
difficult booksl while, if | talk to him
at all, it must seem only like the igRo~.
rant stammering Of a child, who can,
only look. mp to him from distance,
Only one thing we have IN common;
that we both know the secret question
which we are each whispering to ioar
own hearts; aud maybe that is the rea-
son | am a fayorite with DR.. Romaina.