Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-19

any gentleman will lend me hat wi
J go ruund and take up collection"
II In an instant the gallant Richard pulle
his travelling cap from his blonde cur
| and Offered it to the Angel of Mercy, VIII
! accepted it with smile, this time all hi
own, and commenced gathering III
readily forthcoming dollars her generous
graceful appeal brought from the purse
of all in tue car.
| Richard watched the slender figure il
gray gathering the money; and, looking
at the plaid cap in the white, jewele'
fingers, he bethought him of his own do
nation, and stepping to the seat tn
beauty had just occupied, he laid hi
satchel and shawl upon family of il
kind, belonging to the angel in gray, am
took from his pocket ten dollar bill
which he placed in the little hand tina
returned him his cap. Further damagC
the poor fellow received when a seconc
smile and warmly-worded thanks for his
liberal contribution were dealt him from
the beautiful mouth.
| Dick was in the midst of an elaborate
reply, when the cars stopped. He lin,
gered yet another moment, seized his
satchel and shawl, with his eyes still on
the face Of his charmer, and then, ever
as the cars were in motion, he bethought
himself of the doctor, and hurriedly left
the car and joined his friend on the plat.
| form.
'Well," ejaculated that worthy, "a
began to believe you'd concluded 10 60
and bury the dead baby, and make the
protecting beauty Mrs. Angelica Marcy.
Isn't she sumner 2"
Townsend" returned his friend,
''don't use slang in speaking of the noble
creature" He looked after the train just
disappearing in the distance. 81 wish to
heaven" he continued, s1'd remained
aboard. How stupid / was to leave it.
might have learned her name and resi-
Snow, in all probability" broke in the
doctor, '.you'll never meet herin this vale
of tears. But you'll know her in heaven,
if you behave yourself well enough to get
there, by her wings; she'll have the big
gest of any of them, seeing they've COM
menced to sprout on earth"
And thus rallying his thoroughly capti-
waited friend, the two made their way to
the house of an acquaintance, with whom
they were to remain that night, and go
on the next day to their destination
Louis,
After the first salutation, our hero went
to his room to remove some of the evi-
dences of his long ride from New York.
He had removed his coat, vest and collar;
he had splashed and sosped and washed
till his damp curls chung close to his
shapely head, when he made startling
discovery.
Flushed and breathless, he burst into
the next room, upon his friend.
Townsend" cried he, "what on earth
do you supposed I've got the wrong bag.
I've changed baggage with the Angel of
Mercy. Look at that slipper. See that
thimble. Contemplate that glove"
sits evident you've got the lady's
satchel. And what was there in yours2"
''Don't bring up that dreadful idea,"
said Dick" 'fCigars and a hair-brush, a
pack of cards and comb, pocket flask
and -brush-everything disrepu-
table. If am judged by that bag, I'm a
lost man"
'tAnd this l took for clean shirt, " and
Dick held up a frilled and fluted sack,
such as do duty for more extensive night
dresses with ladies when travelling. Cpd
like to see Angelica when she opens my
satchel."
And Dick fell to musing, with the slipper
perched on two fingers, and the frilled
white sack spread out tenderly on his
knee.
In the upper apartment of handsome
mansion in st. Louis, on the evening of
the day our heroine first made the read
er's acquaintance, beautiful Belle Alden,
the petted and only daughter of the
house, sat contemplating the various ar
ticles her confidential maid was disposing
upon the table-articles taken from no
less receptacle than Dick Marcy's trav-
cling bag.
The cards and cigar case lay side by
side, and highly scented party they
were.
"What's in the little silver flask,
Rosa9" said the fair mistress.
Brandy, ms'am," replied the maid.
''He can't be very dissipsted, to travel
with such little bottle. That's in
case of sickness, / suppose" returned
Belle.
at is my belief" said Rosa, who was
a shrewd girl, Shat the gentleman was a
mighty nice one, else you'd not so readily
excuse the cards and the bottle"
'For shame, Rosa. All gentlemen
play euchre travelling, and even clergy
meG take little brandy in case of SICK |
ness" answered Belle "And this man |
was gentleman, and liberal one, too,
for he gave the poor emigrant woman |
ZEN dollars. What's that, Rossl"
For, at that moment, Rosa held be-
tween her fingers letter.
Whether it was wrong to read
letter vexed Belle for moment, |
IS her eyes glanced at the superscription |
md handwriting.
"Why, of all thingsi" exclaimed the
girl, Selling the letter. ''Why,
Rosa, this is Jenny Marcy's writing, and
addressed to Richard Marcy-her only
iarling brother-who was in Europe
when we two graduated at Madam Rit-
er's, in Brooklyn.
Belle read rapidly till she had reached
he middle of the letter, when she burst
nto a merry laugh.
''Hesr this, Rose" she said, and she
.ead from the letter:
'tAbove all things, Dick, dear, don't
all, while in st. Louis, to see my best
friend and schoolmate, Belle Alden. /
Know you will fall in love with her,
or, besides being the best gill in the
world, she's a beauty and an heiress, and
;ather's choice above all others for his
on's wife. He used to talk it over at
lome, and hope Bell would not marry be-
ore you came home from Europe. She
5 full as anxious to know you, and wears
our hair and mine in locket father
rave her last year. Give her lots of love,
md beg of her to overlook your many
for the sake of her old
Jenny"
"Then this gentleman is of course Miss
.enny's brother" said Rose, Sand what
will she say when she hears of your hav-
ng met in this romantic wsy?"
81 don't intend to tell her of it till /
% to New York this fall, said Belle.
Perhaps her brother will call"
But in this supposItion Belle was
wrong. The month passed, and she saw
10 more of the golden-hesded Richard.
And she carefully separated the yellow