Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-03-30

The Express Package.

to accomplish, and no particulal
haste necessary in my movements
vi course, under the cirrumstan
ces, 1t was natural for me TO lool
to the right and left and allow
trifes to absorb my attention, anC
thus idly observant, l leeame a
ware that something was "goine
on in Adams Express Office thai
had collected q crowd, and wa.
the occasion for much merriment
So in | went, and crowded my
way through miscellaneous col.
lection cf persons assembled in
front of stand, where strong.
voiced gentleman was selling, at
auction, the 9uncalled for" pack.
ages. On the very top of the
huge pile from which he drew
his sales, there lay small, neat
little package, evidently a book,
and this particular object it sud.
denly became my fancy to possess.
do not pretend to. account for
the strong desire l felt to own
that book, so. nicely directed and
enveloped in ) white cover, but
| wanted it. So / drew near the
stand, as the auctioneer lifted the
package from the pile, and two
minutes later i found myself mi
nus fifty cents apd the owner of
the book, Several friends stand.
ing n:ar me, urged me 10 open my
bundle and chow the contents, but
Iaughingiy refused, and gained
the street with :he knot still IN
tied. Sliding it easily into the
pocket of my overcoat, carried
my treasure home, and, once SAFE
ly In my own room, proceeded to
examine ny prize. The neat
white cover was directed, in a
bold handsome hand to- JJ
"Afiss Fannie Wharton, Philadelphia,
To be left at the Office until called for"
Opening the paper, my pur-
chase proved to be a handsome
photograph album, bound in claret-
colored velvet, with gold clasp,
and on the cover q small gold
shield, upon which where engraved
the. initials ST. w. and II. E."
Of course, | looked inside. There
were only six pictures, blanks be-
ing lett for future insertions. The
first was evidently taken from a
painting, and represented a tall,
handsome gentleman standing be-
side a horse; this WIS marked, in
the same bold hand as the cover,
'FFather." Mother followed, a
fair, elderly lady, in a white cap
and black dress. Then came a
handsome copy of father, young
and stalwart, standing erect by a
chair, and looking the impersona-
ton of frank, young manhood.
Howard" was the signature
"Nellie" came next, the loveliest
viguette, evidently the portrait of
very beautiful girl iuf some
seventeen or eighteen summers.
The next was q group, a gentle.
man and lady, marked George
and Rosa )" and the last, u wee
little face set in lace, was ''Rosa's 8
baby" This was all. a5 i9I29l
Iput the book away, halflaugh-
ing at my own, speculation, and
thought | should forget the whole
matter in a week; but, the fair
face,e above ethe1 name "Nellie,Yf
was not SO easily forgotten. Day
after day found myself over the
open book, studying theg vignette
head, when | should have been
pouring over my. pile Of ponderous
law-books. i was leatliug a lone
| ly, half homesick lite in the city,
studying law, away from home,
with all ample income for oil my
wants, and plenty Of leisure for
the pursuit of pleasure. / knew
that while my dear widowed moth,
er would rejoice to see me ada
nous Judge, she was still willing
to towelcomeme home5 if | failed to
pass my examination; sol stpd-
led when agreeable, and wasted
much precious time IN loupging
about the city; yet, on the whole,
was aboutas industrious as most
young men would haye been in 9
similar position. -,s -eT I,,- s,a55
| l0ne evening, somesthree months
after Miss Fannie Wharton IS al.
bum became mine, i was spending
the evening with one of my fell
low-students, Joe Leslie, when q
tall young gentleman. with a
grave, handsome face; and man
ner matured beyond his years,
walked into the room 1t did not
need Jce's cry of, .-,.9
| Howard, my dear fellow !" to
tell me his name, and ! bowed to
the introduction of, ~ = so,r
rs,.sr-T ss.lg ~ -at1 sTf fs s..s p