Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-06-11

VII Ntile fdiHihB uti hthu W oIunu tut
hair back from her forehead the glitter oi
golden bracelet on her uplfted wrist
struck on the young mans delighted eyes.
you're brave little cousin, Nellie" "
Willie cried eagerly, ITO wear my gift on
your arm, instead of locking itup in box
like Jessie"
Nellie's eyes fell on the cleaning brace
let on her left arm, and she halflaughingly
covered IL over with her right hand.
III only wore one tonight" she said
primly, half inclined to make play for her.
self with the young mans cagerness, yet
half abasbed aud touched by it, "just to
show it to friend"
/" Your friend was Mark Wilton, Nell"
Willie suggested. "What might Mark
have said, if it's a fair question p
To this Nellie, twirling the bracelet
round and looking at it wistiully out Of her
dropped eyes, answered slowly
lie said it was foolish fnery for such
as me- who was to be workingman's wife. "
Was it the witchery of the purple fire.
light, OF the girls eyes, or her wistful down
ward look upon her present which made
Will Drayton blurt out unguardedly
Only say a word, Nell, and there will
be no need for you to be a workingman's
wife"
Bat Nellie either did not or would not
see the drift Of her cousins rash remark,
and went on demurely:
80 Mark bid me give you your pretty
present back, and tel. you it was too grand
for poor girl"
Wilie's face flushed red.
Aud do you mean to say you'll do III"
he asked sharply.
No. said | wouldn't, because though
your present was too good for me, I'D wear
it now and again for sake of the kindness
which made you give it,"
Even when you are Marks wife ?"
And when Willie put the question the
soft eyes wavered in their glance, and a
flush came to her cheek.
Mother and Jessie like Mark" she
said, in guileiul evasion. He's steady
and careful, and has some money rut by, SO
they talk of his leaving my lord. and tax.
ing a farm and-and-"
Her confidence stammered aud halted
now, and Willie filled up her sentence.
marrying you and settling down in
home"
Something like that, Willie; only I'm
young yet, and it's time enow to think about
it,"
"And if another man came for you that
my aunt and jess liked as well as Mark,
what would you do then, Nellie 2"
But Nellie, instead Of answering, looked
from his eager eyes back again to the glow
ing wood.6re.
"What would you do, Nellie 7" he
urged.
There, heard jess calling" she cried !;
"she'll say I'm silly lass to stand here
talking, instead Of going to bed"
She slid by him into the passage leading to
the stairs, but he followed her swiftly, and
caught her hands.
"You never kissed me for my present,
Nell" he said, "Will you kiss me now and
say good-night2"
She drew her bands from his and pushed
him from her in half.laughing denial.
"How dare you be so bold, Willie ?"
she cried, and then with feet foot she fed
up stairs to the shelter Of her room.
".
December driited into January, and still
Willie Drayton said never u word of going
back to London, seeming but too content TO
spend his time in the society Of his cousin
Nellie. Only her mother and Jess, he
kept telling himself, were on Mark Wilton's
side he had no part or concern in Nolie's
unbiased affections. So, when the days
work was done, he sat by her ia the glow
ing freight talking of London, until the
girls head grew dazzled with the notion
that to be The wife Ct Willie Drayton, and
live in the great city, where she might wear
gold bracelets, aud display a snowy silk
without word of comment, was to be almost,
if not quite, a lady.
1t was one thing to be the head keepers
wife, whom every Que called Marx, if they
did not call him Wilton; but it was another
thing to marry her cousin, whom people
always called Mr.. Drayton, not daring to
make too free with so well-dressed aud pros
porous a gentleman.
Nellie's foolish head went round in those
days when she dreamt dreams aud saw
visions, in way she marveled at later,
when the glamor had faded,
She liked Wilie's blue eyes and chestnut
hair, his comely face and his town-bred
ways, better than the homely, honest lover,
daudyism and fine clothes and gold watch
chain, all OF which were so many suares in
the way of foolish Nellie Draytou.
At first Nelie's Irritation was kept out OF
Wilton's ken, who came and went as usual,
and from whom she stole moments to be
given, when be was gone, to Willie Dray-
ton. But as her zest for Wllies society
strengthened, she grew careless and saucy
to her old lover, and leaving him with her
mother and Jessie for company, boldly went
out of doors with her cousin, and, in the
short winter glooming, while the clasp Of
the old love was warm on her hand, yielded
her lips to the kisses Of the new.
"Nellies only bit dazed with Wilie's
talk about London" Mrs. Drayton would
say, excusingly, when she saw Wiltou's
look darken on his brow and lower at Nell
lies open detection.
But Wilton would answer never word
of complaint or reproach 10 mother or sis.
ter Of the girl he loved so we'll. Only, as
time went on, and Nellie grew more heed
less of his silent patience or his silent pain,
he began coming less frequently to the Oak
farm, proceeding which very much dis
concerted Miss Nellie, who was well pleas
ed to sit as queen between her two admir-
ers"
"You're like to loose a good man with
your giddy.headed nonsense. aud don't
believe you care pin for Will Drayton,
Jessie said to her warningly. "It's only
the folly Of gold bracelets, and foolish bits
of ribbon in your hair, that's lifting you off
your feet"
For Nellie not daring to wear Willie's
bracelets every day, had taken instead to
tie up her pretty brown hair with ribbons
of blue and ribbons Of scarlet, that Willie
bought in the village for her adornmen;,
and to which vanity Of the flesh Jessie
scornfuIly alluded. Whereupon Nellie
laughed sauciy, aud told Jessie she liked
Willie better than she liked Mark, to which
essie impolitely responded that if she did
she was greater silly than she took her
for.