The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-10-17
Select Storp.
FARMER BROWNS STORY.
A THRILLING TALE OF REAL IIrE.


have no words for her sweetness
can't describe her; perhaps, were / to do
so, or even could place her picture before
you, you might not see her rs | did and
do. Every eye makoS its own beauty, and
to me she was more beautiful than any
other living creature. Nellie Brodie,
mean lovely Nellie Brodie, whose father
was the sexton Of our church, good old
man, but prosy, and prone to tell one or
two good stories about ghosts, proved not
to be ghosts after all, whenever one met
him. Many and many a time have
listened to them out in his little porch, of
a summers night, with the moon bright
above as, and mysterious chirps and cries
in the bushes, and the smell of the evening
primroses growing far sweeter and swceter,
and Nellie still as quiet as mouse, sitting
with folded hands between US.
We are busy folk enough by day but
we idled away the long summer evenings
together, aud thought no harm of il. 1t
is good to be idle sometimes, in that happy
sort of way, and to tell the truth like it.
No man could say neglected my duty.
A better farm no man ever had, and lar
ger crops none gathered, and no starved
cattle graxed in my meadows. As for my
dairy-but that was sister James doing
A good house. A pretty bright-eycd girl
with warm heart, and laugh that seem
ed to be catching. Alone together we two
were, and we were fond of each other.
never told her liked Nellie Brodie,
but did not hide it from her Nellie
and she were great friends Over and
over again tried to find out from Jennie
what she said about me-Nellie, mean
but the girl would never let word slip
out. A true woman hides another wo-
mans secrets. knew that, and / built
on it.
"For," said | to myself, "if Nellie dis
liked me Jennie would give me hint,
sister-like, and save me from modification.
Either she knows nothing, or she knows
Nellie likes me"
After that, l may say | courted Nellie.
She new loved her, I'm sure of that !;
even if ! had not said SO out and out, she
could not help knowing it.
But there were other young men in the
place Of course, and many willing enough
to listen to old Brodie stories for the sake
Of looking at his daughter ;aDd many a
jealous pang had in those days, for Nell
lie had the same, pretty kindly ways to all,
and the same smile for every one
l used to think that "no" from Mel
lies lips would go straight through my
heart like bullet, and / found il hard to
risk the hearing of Il. She must say it to
all but one Of us, aud / was not SO hand
some as one, and not so witty as another,
and not so rich as third. | think | never
knew how plain ! was though, until | had
my photograph taken one day, by man
who hada gallery in the village. thought
at first he must havo made too much of
my mouth and too little Of my eyes; but
he showed me plainly that the machine
must take good likeness, because it was
q machine and couldn't make mistake.
took the things home and put them in a
drawer, and showed them to nobody but
they took the little vanity l had out Of
mo, though l kept saying over and over
again, "What do looks matter for man n
I'd meant. you see, to give Nellie one
for her album, but ! thought IL looked
like that IL was best not I've heard other
people speak Of the same feelings since, in
regard to photographers; and | am not
sure now that they were always perfect.
Waiting and Watching, hoping and
fearing, ! let the time slip by and winter
came with its frost and snow, and old Mr..
Brodie told his stories by the fire, Instead
Of in the porch; and the lamplight fell on
Nellie's yellow hair, as she sat knitting
making the prcttiest picture you ever saw;
and made up my mind to put my fate to
the test before Christmas, and didnt.
You see when young fellow Is in love he
loses courage But one thing yowcd--
Nellie should take sleigh ride with me.
Tom Armstrong bad said-I had heard
him--that he meant to drive the prcttiest
cutter, the prettiest pair Of horses, and the
prettisst girl in New Bridge. He meant
Nellie BY the pretsiest girl. His turnout
might be what he chose. but Nellie should
never go with him. She should go with
me,