The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-03-17

BIZ i. s. CRANDELI.
DEAR LITTLE ELSIE: We long to Sc
thy CHEEKY face In thy quiet circle, an
now that summer is come, we send the
our most urgent pleadings to redeer
that oft repeated promise to visit us
Thy uncle bids me say, our nephew
Herbert Grave, viii be here also to as
sist IN rendering thee contented. Civ
.sour love to thy parents, and do not re
fuse to accept our invitation. Yer
lovingly, thy aunt,
E MARTHA HAYES.
This is the note that was handed M
as returned from a drive with, th,
!, elegant and accomplished Conrad Nc
Lean. sss E% a
How proyokingi I viii not go on,
stepln cried, throwing the note from
me in vexation-
My mother picked it up, and, aftel
perusing the contents, remarked, calm
"of course you viii GO, my daugh.
terri"
"Of course viii not. Mr.. Mclean
:. Just told me he should spend the sea-
son at the White Mountains, and you
: know very well I could not exist with
out without lively company
But, no doubt, Elsie you viii find
Mr.. Grave to be ve-y pleasant. -,
"Pleasant, indeedl A great, awk-
ward country clowni 49, - "a
fairly shed tears at the prospect of
being Obliged to spend the summer in
such company. But when father unit
ed his argument against me, was OBJ
iged to yield reluctant consent Ac-
cordingly, one bright morning, I found
myself on the platform of L- station
with only my great Saratoga and little
satchei for company. I looked about
for some one to claim me, expecting to
behold an overgrown youth, still wear
ing the cloths of his boyhood, with a
broad brimmed quaker hat, and aspir-
ing red side whiskers, who
aTudged along, unknowing what he sought:
And whistied IS he went for want of thought"
had not long to wait. Down the
road came uncle's span, driven BY a
masculine representative, who must, of
course, be Mr.. Grave. And there, in
deed, were the vertiable side whiskers,
under broad brim, modified, however,
in color, being black. s
" This is Miss Hayes, I presumed ..
The bow which accompanied these
words, though eyincing embarrassment
was not ungraceful
"It is,n Ireplied, eand this is my
trunk. suppose gost are Mr.. Grave .
He assented. In few moments we
were off toward " Fern Dell leaned
back to contemplate my escort by no
means satisfied to be deprived of Con
RAIDS refined society, and obliged to
endure his.
True, Herbert Graves manly face, in
its frame of black curls, did not lack
symmetry, and could imagine, With
those curious, ill-fitting clothes, ex-
changed for a more fashionable attire,
he would be comely. Yet his whole |
person bespoke the country-bred man,
and to me nothing could be more dis
tasteful
"I'll firt with the clown, if it's pos
sible, " was my mental ejaculation.
We had preserved solemn silence
since we left the depot, and began to
think the man as grave by nature as by
name when he turned his black eyes
on me and asked -
Have you visited this section be-
fore?n
1 saw by the half hidden merriment
that lurked in those jetty depths, he
did possess irritable qualities. This
gave piquance to my efforts TO please.
We chattered costly as we rode along,
until his excellent language and innate
showed me I had misjudged
him.
At Fern Dell I was received with
open armes, deluged with kisses, and
soon made at home. For few days /
missed Conrad and contemptueusly
avoided Mr.. Grave but, finding this
would never do, 4 reused myself by
Sunday, resolved to make q stir Ny
uncle's family were good "Hicksite"
friends, and started early to meeting. 4
After they had called me several times,
[ appeared upon the portico, robed in
B dashy suit Of blue satin, with other
things to accord, while outside my
glove flashed the diamond cluster,
which sealed my engagement with Mr.,
Mclean. No wonder my aunt and
uncle opened their eyes. saw disap-
probation In their faces before aunt
said, My dear child, thee would have
been more appropriately dressed In
thy travelling suit. y +,
s'Oh, no, indeedl Icould not think
of wearing that to church, I replied
quickly.
Our meetings, Elsie, are for the
Oorship of the Almighty, and not for
'ylOfDn !
I fslt the rebuke, and answered, i'm
-
stThen will not go at at ALI If my
wardrobe is not suitable for this place, i
had better go home" Il
SECT into the carriage, child lam ,
sorry wounded thee. /.
Aunt Martha's tones showed how
panied and surprised she was. Glanc- ]
ng at Mr.. Grave, I read in his eyes ]
'tern reproof, and was heartily asham- ]
ID. &
so aunt p I cried, blushing, 'tplease
orgive that unladylike speech. Twill I,
;hange my dress this minute 4
>" No, dear" interrupted uncle /; sit (
s late, and after all, if the heart is G
light, it does not matter SO much about /
me dress Only Elsie, though thee 4
nay be able to worship IN spirit and in
ruth when sthusi arrayed, remember 8
hee is apt to divert the minds of those
Who are not accustomed to such things
rom better and purer meditations {
But, come, we must be of. --- ]
Never had my conscience troubled me |
IS it did that day. 1 created a stir, as I
had desired, but felt that in so doing ]
made myself responsible for all the I
rood seed that might be lost that day.
never saw any harm In persons dress
ng as they chose, but before quilted
hat little brown meeting house, / ac-
that when "oue was ID
Rome, it was best to do as the Romans
iid.'
Upon my uncle's farm stood an old {
moss covered mill, that had not been
used for many years. Strolling that I
way one morning, I entered, and per- {