The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-11-19
LOVE AND CONSTANCY:
Or, FARMER BROWNS "REMINISCENCES

have no words for hen sweetness can't
describe her perhaps were I to do so, or
even could place her picture before you.
you might not see her picture as I do. Ey
cry eye makes it's own beauty, and to me she
was more beautiful than any living creature.
Nellie Brodie-I mean lovely Nellie Brodie,
whose father was the sexton of our chu CHI
a good man, but prosy and prone to tell one
or two good stories about ghosts, proved not
10 be ghos, g whenever one met him. Many
and many time baYe l listened to them
out in his little back porch of a summers
night, with the moon bright above us and
mysterious chrps and cries in the bushes
and the smel of evening prinroses growing
far sweeter and sweeter and Nellie still. as
quiet as mouse, sitting with folded hands
between us
We were busy folk enough by day, but we
idled away the long summer evenings to-
eether, and thought no harm of it. 1t ia
good to be idle sometimes, in that happy sort
Of way, and to tell the truth, like it. No
man could say l neglected my duty. A
better farm no man ever had, and larger crops
no man gathered and no starved cattle
grazed my meadows. As for my dairy
but that was sister James doings A good
house. A pretty, bright-eyed girl, with
warm beart, and laugh that seemed to be
catching. Alone together we two were, and
we were foud of each other.
pouer to1d bar tbot 1oro5 Milf
but | cid not hide it from her. Nellie and
she were great friends. Over ant over again
[ tried to find out from Jennie what she said
about me-NeIlie, mean-but the girl
would never let word slip out. A true
woman hides another's secrets. knew that
aid I bailt on it.
For" said to myself, "if Nellie disliked
me Jennie would give me a hint, sister-lk
and save me from notification. Either
she knows nothing, or she knows Nellie likes
me"
After that, Imay say I eourted Nellie.
She knew | loved her I'm sure ofthat. even
if had not said so out and out, she could
not help knowingit.
But there were other young men in the
place, of course, and many willing enough
to list en- to old Brodies stories for the sake
of looking at his daughter aud many zeal.
Gus pang had in those days for Nellie had
the same pretty, kindly ways to ALL the
same smile for every one.
L used to think that "No" from Nellle,s
lps would go straight through nv heart
like bullet. aad found it hard to risk the
hearing Of it. She must say it to all bpt
one OF Us, and was not SO handsome az one
and not go witty as another, and not 80 rich
as third. / think never knew how n1a;n
was though, until I had my PHOTOGRAPH
taken one day by man who had a oal,arv
In the village. I thought at first that be
must have made too much of my mouth and
too little of my eyes, but he showed mo
plainly that it must be good likeness no
cause 1t was machine and couldn't make a
mistake. took the things home and mt
them in drawer and showed them RI M
body ; but they took the little vanity had
out Of me, though I kept saying over and
over again, what do looks matter for
man -
Ia meant, you see, to give Nellie one for
her album, but thought if looked like that
it was best not. rye heard other people
speak of the same feeling since, in regard to
photographers and l am not sure now thew
are always perfect.
Waiting and watching. hoping and fearing,
! let the time slip by and winter came with
Its frost ana snow. and old Mr.. Brodie told
his stories by the fire instead of in the porch