The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-08-10
Written for the Dallas Heraldl
GRANDMA'S STORY.

80, Grandma, O'clock ut these lovely
fashion plates - exclaimed Etlie sum
mers, kneeling ON her gandmother's
foot cushion and laying fashion mag
azine in her lap. The old lady fitted
the spectacles to her eyes, and taking
the book she said; c
81 used to like such things as this
when was u girl, "t
She looked for minute at tho gaily
tinted plates, then dropping the mag4
zine fell into a reverie, forgetting her
young granddaughter who still leaned
on her knee.
Fnic, who was now quite fifteen,
was full of all young girls romance,
and seeing a tear in her grandmother's
eyes, she said softly:
"What are you thinking of grand
map
'Of the past, my child, and Il little
incident connected with our old maya
zine, nearly thirty-seven years ago"
"What was it," asked Eflie, "a love
story"
eyes, it was love story, dear"
900 tell me-" pleaded the young
girl, "Mmama is asleep, papa gone
down street, and | am so lonesome.
Won't you toll me, please" and She
curled her pretty little form up on the
hearth rug, and awaited with eager Gu
riosity the expected treat
"When Twas about seventeen, began
the old lady, 81 was full of romance
and happiness, never thinking of care,
and was the pet and darling of my pa
rents and my two brothers, older than
myself There were only three of us,
and we were a happy family, ] can tell
you. Like all girls had a lover, and
unfortunately, my old father did not
like him. He gave me no reason, only
said he did not like him, and | should
not marry him.
"Wcll, child, the more my parents
objected to him, the more | became in
love with my handsome lover can
shut my eyes now and see again his
dancing blue eyes and waving brown
hair as he stood ON the door step the
bright moonlight night that he asked
me for my love. And, child, in defi-
ance of all should have remembered,
/ gave him my young heart.
ave had been engaged only about
two months, when one day my father
called me into the librsry and, taking
mo on his knee, asked me very seri-
ouSly what Martin Coleman came 10
the house so often for? | di not
> know what to say. Father looked so
grave and displeased j was afraid to
own my engagement and still more
afraid to deny it. At last, he said
ste,nly, Il see how it is. You have
been silly enough to encourage that
young man, after all | have said toyou.
Now, my daughter you shall never
marry him; and ] do not wish him to
know that you are not guided by your
own wishes. j am going to New York,
to be absent II month, and ! give you
that time to release yourself from this
foolish ENHANCEMENT. When return
j shall expect to find my little girl all
my own again.
'Ile stem look had left his face as he
concluded, and he wound his arms
about me and asked me to promise him
obedience. was passloDately attached
to my father and had never in my life
resisted his authority; so gave him
my word j would do Us he desired
though / felt my heart sink like lead
in my bosom as the words left my lips.
L"Days passed on and every evening
fomid Martin Coleman at my side, and
each day / felt the task given me by
my father grow more and more diff
cult. At last a letter came saying fnth-
or would he ut home the following
week. Then ] knew my time had
come. and resolved to break my en-
gagement that very evening. what
the resolution cost me 1t is needless to
say.
.'That niglit-when my lover came Sc
full of hope and confidence In my love,
1t almost broke my heart to shatter all
our bright dreams, and brand myself
in his eyes, as one incapable of truth
or honesty. How it all passed canno,
tell now, Ii is so many years ago, hui
he wrung my hand in parting GRASP
that night, saying in such accents Of
misery, shall remember them to my
dying day, you have blighted my
whole life, Nelly. May God forgive
YOU ~