The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-10-17

She looked charming, with her rosy cheeks
and bright eyes and sunny hair and was
happier than ever l had been in my life.
Going out Of the village, we met Tom
Armstrong, with his splendid cutter. He
looked daggers at us both--or at least |
thought so and he went as heard after
wards TO invite Sue Nichol to ride with
him. As ho drove out of sight, l made up
my mind to ask the question that would
settle everything ou our way home.
Man proposes and Heaven disposes.
Things happened that evening that l had
not thought Of We were going back, in
the moonlight, when | put my hand on
Nellie's and made her turn her eyes toward
me.
Il had been trying to say something to
you for long WHILE" l said. perhaps
you guess what it is"
But before | could utter another word,
my horses became frightened at something,
and away they went like mad things.
Nellie clung to me and screamed. | did
my best to stop them. They left the road
entirely and took their way across field,
aud striking against stump the snow had
hidden, the sleigh was overturned, and we
were thrown out together.
l was not hurt, but Nellie lay insensi-
bic. | lifted her in my arms and clasped
her to my bosom, and begged her to open
her eyes and to speak one word to me.
But she was like one dead and in my
terror | dared not take her home.
carried her, instead, to my sister, who
frightened half out of her senses, came
to meet me. She took Nellie into an inner
room and bade me bring doctor aud he
was there soon.
| spent an hour of agony, such as l had
never felt before; but at last Jennie came
to me, all smiles.
There is no danger" she said. "She
has come to herself; she only tainted from
fright, You haven't killed her, or even
hurt her much, you foolish boy"
And burst into tears Jennie bent
over me.
But to think that she should be so
sly" she said "a gentleman's portrait
in her bosom oil this while, and not word
to me of it LII punish her for it now. "
And away she ran back to Nellie, but
my tears were all dried up, aud my heart
was gall. She was engaged to some one
else, this girl who was so dear to me.
Some one had been before me, and she
wore his portrait next to her heart. Fool
that was not to guess it.
never asked whose portrait it was
Tom Armstrong; or Jack Maydens, did
not care. When Nellie was well enough
to go, in the course of an hour or two,
drove her home and babe her goodbye.
l said 81 regret that should have
been the means of alarming you SO, Miss
Brodie."
And she looked up into my face with
her great blue eyes, and said. SIT was
not your fault ; you could not help it, 1t
was so foolish to faint away"
And thought to myself, "what deceit
fol creatures women are !" for the look she
gave me was as sweet as if 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.
"I'm tired of farming" | said, sand
want to try the sea as a common sailor. +"
The old man would have laughed me
out of the notion but when he found mo
firm, be 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 her
where l was or what / had done.
meant, you see, TO throw myself away, and
be heard of no more by any one. OF
course, was mad, for the time that is
the only excuse for me.
So led the sort of a life in the mer-
chant service leads--no very pleasant one
| can tell you--for a year or two. Igrew
no better for it, and no happier. The
other men had mostly some one at home
-7-mother or sister, wife or sweetheart-to
get letter or message from at times l.,
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, beside the winter hca rth;
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 painted
other pictures. | saw her as Tom Arm-
strono's wifa / saw her-oh. GOOD heay-
ems with his children on her knee
am not sure but that | should have
turned idiot, had not something happened
to alter the circumstances in my position.
This was nothing else than the total wreck
of our vessel, and my narrow escape from
drowning, but with an arm broken by the
falling of spar. For mouth / lay on a
sick bed and then, with soitened heart
and feeling that was sick Of the sea,