The weekly standard., 1869-09-22

somewhere and never speak to MIN again,
and then he comes, and the first word he
says puts all my strong resolutions to
s5Es But why not love him Nellyg He is a
Egood fellow enough, only a. little cynical
/ about women, and if you make yourself
| very meek and charming, he may come to
| love you at last.'i iiie 9dj - dzlE4lE
| 81 love him indeed !" she burst out, with
all her old wilfulness, "when he, treats me
| like child, and has never SO much as hint
| ed he liked me! You are Jobs comfort
er. and you don't understand my case at ALL
Urn go home and fight it out alone.n And
| she did 60 home, and | saw her no more for
q week. = Il .Gsir.f
| She would not see Fred when he called,
| and that pngrateful boy actually turned
against me in his trouble, and declared it
was all my fault for making him behave like
brute to her. His low spirits made him
such poor company that at last betrayed
Nellie's confidence, and raised him again to
his usual level of hope and impudence
Nellie was very constant at evening meet
| ings at this time, and Fred did not try to
see her, though be pretended to discover
certain paleness and dispondency about her,
which no one perceived but himself. .s9 I
I" shall try my fate tonight" he said, on
the last night of his stay. =" Is my craVat
straight? -ra2 s7r''a1.''--- -a
l. "Does man never forget his cravat2 :"
Mot when he is going under fire OF a
woman's eyes" 5f 5-,'-,Is .rf ..fs.s, /
"Only behave as well as you look; don't
be too humble, and remember what DR..
Holmes says, that the whole science OF
Ioye-nnaking may be found in any cyciope7
dia understhe head Of Fertilization ,"
l7NI saw Fred disappear in the house over
the way, and felt almost as nervous as If
somebody were about to offer me the refusal
of his hand and heart. Fred came back
yery late and went away in the early morn
ing train, but found little note tucked
under my door when got up in the morn
ing: @ ,.......,f
Il Dear old Cousin:-Yo You're not only trump
hut a. whole suit of them. / took your adj
vice and was not too humble, and that love
! ly little craft soon struck her flag. came
4 home too late to see you last night, because
! Mr.. Clifton put me through catechlsm as
II long as the moral law, in answer to my
II plain question whether he would give me
II his daughter. And then there were more
last words in the small hours. You must
I keep lookout for any piratical minister on
Neliie,s horizon, and warn me in time
T' Your happy cousin, FRED"
made up with Nellie that afternoon, and
confessed all my white lies. She was SC
radiantly happy, that she would have tor.
given the ''gunpowder plot' if had aimed
/ it against her peace.
II At the gate, in the very spot where she
had first seen Fred Olney, she met Mr.. Gray
face to face. -..,
81 am going to your house when | have
made my call here Can I see you alone fol
: few minutes ?" said the minister in low
4 distinctive voice.
Certainly" said Nellie, ready to DO any
} thing for anybody just then. And then, a!
J his meaning flashed upon her, she gave MT
; i beseeching look as sat at the open win
dow, and then went away across the street
'Haye you heard the news, Mr.. Gray 2
r said l, hardening my heart for the shock j
; | would be to him.
sNot any special news, madam" r-
) "Nellie Clifton has Just become engaged
| to my cousin Fred Olney, lieutenant in th
navy. The young people are so happy tina
| we all feel as if something good had hap
| pened to each of u.s."
, He took it harder than expected. H
l grew. even paler than his wont, and toos
i, | hold of chair so hard that1the veins in hi
+ hand stood out. p. .-,.., ......... ...-..- -
: "I-wish-them-all ll-the-happiness-
they deserve" he said, as slowly as if h
were trying to cure himself of stammerins
d And without word more, he made his box
g and departed.
He did not make his call on the Clifton
It on that day; but he got over it in tint
e and tied the knot for Fred and Nellie wit
d the best grace in the world.