The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-06-26
9Sl5as5sss Stories.
GFOr the Stark County Dsmocrat.I
BE STORY OF NETTIE GLENN.

THE STORY OF NETTIE GLENN.
BY GEO. T. WISE
Lifes, sunrise gilds the golden hopes and
Man sports amid its gOlden-tinted scenes;
Nor dreams Of sorrew in his path Of life,
OF blasted hopes, scared heart and worldly strife
'Oh Paul! How delightful and refresh
ing this cool breeze r exclaimed Nettie
Glenn, as she, tired and heated, stopped
suddenly few steps IN advance of her
escort, at little opening in the wood, to
rest while beside an old, moss-grown
stone. -r- .--.s ..- u. b.. .s
Paul Clinton was Nettie's accepted low
er and nobler or mere devoted one it
would have been hard for her to have
found throughout the village of Ashton
where both resided-or indeed IN any
place in all the wide world
As Paul fastened to her side, she hung
child-like upon his arm and eonfdingly
rested her head upon his shoulder.
1t was warm, beautiful afternoon, IN
the latter part of May, and they had been
wandering through the wood gathering
wild flowers. .
Nettie directed Paurs attention to the
beauty Of the blue violets, cowslips, dai-
sizes and wild roses, of which, her hands
contained great clusters, but when she
held some up for him to enjoy their fra
grance and looked expectantly right up
into his face, Paul forgot the flowers and
could only see two, large, clear. blue eyes,
peeplng from beneath the brown straw
hat,-bnghter to him than than the vio-
lets,-and little pink lips sweeter than
the most delicate rose bud. And as he
tenderly brushed back from the fair white
brow the snimmering mass of waving
gold, he-oh let the vulgar close their
ears and turn away their eyes-told her
over and over again that old, old, story
and confirmed Its truth by a shower Of
warm kisses.
If ever it was given to mortals on earth
to realize the truth Of Heaven or Fairy
land, it was then for brief time to Net
tie. Her cup of happiness seemed full
The golden sunlight trembled on the
bright green leaves of the rich old wood
until 1t seemed like a fairy realm. The
twittering of the birds in the branches
above was ike the whispering of angels ;
the tender, yielding moss beneath their
feet was to her, soft and yelvety as the
couch Of sylphs, and the myriad wild
flowers exhaled the balmy fragrance Of
love around,
Fam would they have tarried long
amid such scenes but the setting sun
warned them to retrace their steps. As
they returned, arm in arm, slowly along
the home ward way, the future was $alk-
ed over, arrangements made, and the day
appointed which was to consummate their
brightest hopes.
Paul was &c be absent from the village
for one short month, then to return and
claim sweet Nettie as his darling bride
And after seeing her safely within the
gate of her own little, brown cottage
home and bestowing one long, sweet, lin
gerlng kiss, bade her good bye, only for
one, short month, he said.
ALAS how soon the brightest h opes OF all,
Like fairest flowers are dop1hed to fade and fall I"
Nettie was good girl at heart, yet in
chned to be theughtless and fickle-minded
She would not Intentionally wound the
feelings OF those she really loved, but at
the age of seventeen she did not fully sp-
preclats what 1t was. to possess the whole
hearts devotion of a proud and noble
minded man and on more than one occa-
sion had her vain coquetry and ill-timed,
bitter, stinging words penetrated deeply
Paul's sensitive nature, and which, moth
ing hut his unselfsh, worshipful love
could ever have forgiven.
A few days after PauPs departure
being Just the proper season of the year
the village beaux and maidens had pro-
jected a picnic Nearly all were friends
and acquaintance of Nettie's and of
course extended her an invitation. At
first she declined; excnsing herself on ac-
count Of the Absence OF Paul; but when
again two or thee evenings after, two Of
her most intimate friends, attended by q
dashing young man, who had lately made
his appearance IN the neighborhood, i'm
portuned her to 60, her first resolution
gave way and the charms and blandish-
ments of the extremely affable, young
strangsr-who offered his services as an
escort to Nethe-found her tickle nature
an easy prey and obtained her consent to
accompany him.
Dick Baxtsr-for that was his name
was an unprlncipled man. from a neigh
oorirg city, not hundred miles from the
village of Ashton, a heartless,- uncrupu-
lous gambler and adverturer, who recked
not for the future but only seized upon
present opportunities to thoughtlessly
and selfshly crafty his own pleasures.
His dark curling hair and mustache,
set off with bright-colored necktie and
I sparkling diamonds, together with Ger
tain degree of refinement of manner, en-
abled him to ingratiate himself at once
into the favor of the majority of persons,
and yet keen observer would easily de-
tect the villainy of his nature, in the low
cunning brow and in every lineament Of
his countenance.
A few moments in his company made
Nettie almost forget poor. plain, sober
minded Paul who in his absence never
forgot her for one moment.
por1l Of the. and Of fuvo vuaaIyo ID
Unexpectedly, lust on the eve of the event
Of the picnic, and at once hastened to see
Nettie, expecting to give her q pleasant
surprise He had already heard of the
picnic, but did not know of Nettles en-
gagement. His keen penetration howev-
er quickly detected something cold-like in
his reception by Rettie, but when he re-
quested her company to attend that same
picnic on the morrow and heard from her
own lips of her engagement with Dick.
Baxter, and her saucy refusal to break it
he was'utterly stricken dumb and arising
bade her a cold good night" and took
his departure.
He is angry now thought Nettie but
the good natured fellow will get pleased
again and come back after il is all over to
forgive me.
Paul took the first train, leaving the
village, determined to punish Nettie's
coquetry, by remaining away for at least
two or three weeks.
Nettie went with Dick to the picnic,
but it was far from being enjoyment
to her. She soon grew tired of the bland
Dick. whom she found was quite as ready
to bestow his sm'ies and attentions upon
any one whom chance threw in his way
as upon herself A feeling Of guilt would
steal in upon her senses, and there was a
continual gnaWing sensation around her
heart and she felt sense of relief, when
Dick departed that evening, telling her
that he would leave the village the next
day, perhaps never to return-and in
wardly she wished that he never might.
Gladly would We draw veil over the
subsequent events to be related in this
chapter, or rather that they might be
more pleasant to relate but the truth