Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-12-05
A LOVERS QUARREL.
From "sIx Of One by Half u Dozen
of the other"

From Old and New.l III
Horace determined to open the matte
cheerfully, and ignore the fact that therl
had been any QUARREL and so begat
briskly: well, Miss Nettie, we are il
luck; the snow has come"
A" don't like snow said Nettie, con
tradictuously; but she smiled as she saiC
it, and lifting her great, beautiful eyes
fixed them on Horace not unkindly
But don't you see, Miss Nettie, oul
sleigh-ride is to come off nowY
Sleigh-ride y said Miss Nettie, in {
tone Of innocent inquiry. What sleigh
rider
Why, of course you know; the sleigh
ride that we fellows have been planning
for three or four weeks past. We've go
the room and the fiddler engaged.
Now, Nettie knew all these thingi
perfectly well. The fact was that She
and Jane Burgess and Rachel Holly
had discussed them over and over, tC
the pinutest details of possibilities, and
theyhad all settled what they were tc
wear. But was she to let the enemy
know this2 OF course not.
"Oh" she said, Il can't be expected
to know as nothing has been said tC
me-"
why, of course" said Horace.
Il don't think it is Of COURSE" said
Nettie. How should know anything
when nothing has been said to meY
Why, yes; it is all arranged. jeff
Fleming is to take Jane Burgess in his
new sleigh. He went to New Haven
last week and bought a new string Of
bells on purpose; and Mark Hinsdale is
going with Rachel Holly and may |
have the pleasure, Miss Nettie, of taking
your"
"0hl itappears | am Hobson's choice,
then. Thank you. don't know that |
shall care 10 go. It will be very cold,
and | think sleigh-rides are rather a
bore.
3 Nov, Miss Nettie, you really can't
be so cruel"
Cruel | don't know what you call
cruel. Ali see what you mean. |
suppose you have tried all the other girls
and found them engaged. ...t.
81 do think you are the most provoll-.
ing person, Miss Nettie, that ever | did
know"
Horace Vanzant was a very handsome
young fellow; and when he was angry
the blood flushed into his cheek and the
fire snapped from his eyes; and Nettie
felt perilous sort of pleasure in pro-
voking these natural phenomena.
Come now, Horace" she said sud
denly. Assuming an air of the most SIS
terly concern. why must we always
quarrel? not that | care particularly
about it, but it really grieves me to see
person that ! respect give way to his
temper so.
q By George Nettie, it's your fault,
said Horace. 81 never do get so angry
with anybody else, but you seem to de-
light to make me miserable. Now, !
came to invite you on Sunday night,
but you quarreled with me and got it all
out of my head.
"Well, Horace, if you have come just
to renew the Sunday night quarrel -
81 haven't. i came to make up"
" And give me Hobson's choicein the
sleigh-ride,' said Nettie.
Horace rose up hastily and flung out of
the ROOM. Nettie gave one quick mis-
chievous glance after him, seized little
packet from her work basket ran round
by another path to the gate, and was
there before Horace got there. You
silly boy" she said; "you will never
give me time to give You this. had it
all ready for you on Sunday night.
1t was a guard.chain of Nettie's own
workmanship, which had been promised
to Horace months before.
I've sat up many night working on
this, she said, reproachiully.
90 Nettie" Tlf
"Come, now, let's be friends" she
said laying her hand on his arm.
" Really, Horace, l feel absolutely con-
cerned about your violent temper. You
must overcome it" Horace looked at
her quizzically as she put the guard
cham round his neck, and then followed
her an unresisting captive into the house
again, where it pleased Nettie to keep
him at her feet reading Tennyson to her
till nearly dinner-time And this was
the way that matters commonly went on
between Horace and Nettie.