The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-09-04

Nellie clunQ To me screaming. ] did nv
hest 10 stop them. They left the road
entirely. and took their vay across tb,
field. and striking a stump the snow had
had hidden. the sleigh overturned. and
We were thrown out together.
was not hurt. hut Nellie Law ;psep.
sible. lined her nm in NV arms. and
/ cIaspcd her 10 NV bosom. and begged
her TO omen her ewes and TO sneak one
word 10 me. But she was like one
dead; and in INV terror dare not take
her home. I carried her. instead. TO
nv sister, who. frightened half out of
her senses, came forth to meet me. She
took Nellie into an inner room and babe
me bring a doctor. and he was there
con.
I sent an hour of agony. such as I
had never felt before /; hut at last Jennie
came To me. all smiles.
"There is no danger" she said; "sbe
has come I herself: she only tainted from
fright. You haven't killed her. or even
hurt her much. Won foolish bow"
And I hurst into tears Jennie bept
over me.
"But TO think she should he ~ sly."
.be said; ga gentleman's portrait in her
bosom all the while. and not a word to
me of IL. III punish her for il now"
And away she ran back to Nellie, but
NV tears were all dried up, and NV heart
was gall. She was engaged to some one
else. this girl who WAS 80 dear TO me,
Some one had been before me. and she
wore his portrait next to her heart. Fool
that was not to guess il.
never asked whose portrait il was.
Tom Armstrong; or Jack Mayden's, l
did not care. When Nellie was well
enough to 10, in the course of an hour or
two, | drove her home and babe her good
by.
I said, al regret that I should have
been the means of alarming you so, Miss
Brodie."y
And she looked up into my face with
her great blue eyes, and said, at was
not YOUR fNult, YOU COulu not nClp ". III
was 40 foolish to faint away"
And ! thought to myself, "What de-
ceitful creatures women are!' for the
look she gave me was as sweet as IL she
had not worn another mans portrait in
her bosom.
A week from that day went to New
York, and sought out an old ship-owner,
who had been my fathers friend.
"Fm tired of farming" | said, "and
want to try the sea rs common sailor"
The old man would have laughed me
out Of the notion but when he found
me firm, he gave me what help he could.
/ went on board vessel bound for
China, and wrote to sister Jennie, telling
her to send for uncle William and his
wife to manage the farm, which ! knew
they would be glad to do; but | never
told where was or what | had done. !
meant, you see, to throw myself away,
AMI he heard of no more by any one OF
course I was mad, for the time; that is
the only excuse for me.
So | led the sort of life sailor in the
merchant service leads-no very pleasant
one, I can assure you-ior a year or two.
| grew no better for it, and no happier.
The other men had mostly some one at
home-mother or sister, wife or sweet
heart-to get letter or message from at
times; ], Of my own act, had no one.
And all the while, at work or at mess, or
in the hours when watch was kept ON
deck, | thought of Nellie; saw her as
she looked when she sat by her fathers
side in the summer moonlight; saw her
with the freight on her golden hair, he
side the winter hearth saw her smiling
up at me, as We whirled through the
snow-drifts that last bright day, and saw
her as she lay like dead thing in my
arms. And fancy panied other pictures.