The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-08-27
HOW 1 ESCAPED BAUHELoRDON

hVh l ESCAPED BACHELORDOM
STORY TOLD BY FARMER BROWN,
have no words for her sweetness 7
can't describe her perhaps were I to
do so! or even could I place a picture
before you. you might not see her as I
did and do. Every eye makes its own
beauty, and TO me she was more beauti-
ful than any other living creature. Mel
lie Brodie, I mean lovely Nellie Bro
die, 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 to be no ghosts af
ter all whenever one found him. MANY
and many a time have I listened to
them, out of his little porch, of a sum-
mers night, with the moon bright above
us, and mysterious chirps and cries in
the bushes, and the smell of the even.
ing primrose growing far sweeter. and
sweeter, and Nellie. still and quiet as
mouse, sitting with folded hand be-
tween us.
We are busy folks enough by day; but
we idle away the long summer evenings
together and thought no harm of it. 1t
good to be idle sometimes, in that
happy sort of way; and TO tell the truth
liked it. No man could say that I
neglected my duty. A better farm no
man ever had. and larger crops none
gathered, and no starved cattle Qrazed
in my meadows. AS for my dairy-but
that was sister James doing. A good
house. A pretty bright-eyed girl with
warm heart, and laugh that seemed
to be catching. Alone together we two
were, and we we're 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 Jen-
ME what she said about me-Nellie 1
mean-but the girl would never let
word slip out. A true woman hides an
other woman's secrets. knew that and
built on it.
For" said to myself, eff Nellie !
disliked me Jennie would give me
hint, sister-like, and save me from NOR |
ttication. Either she knows nothing, |
or she knows Nellie likes me-"
After that, 1 may say 1 courted Mel !
lie. She knew l loved her, I'm sure of |
that even if had said so out and |
out she could not help knowing it.
But there was other young men in |
the place, of course, and many willing |
enough to listen to old Brodie's stories
FOR the sake of looking at his daughter;
aud many a jealous pBng 1 had in those
days for Nellie ha I the same pretty,
kindly ways to all, and the same smile
Tor every one.
I used to think that a "no" from
Nellie's lips would go straight through
my heart, like a bullet, and 1 found it
hard to risk the hearing of it. She
must say it to all but one of us, and I
was not so handsome as one, and not
80 witty as another and not so rich as
a third. I think I never knew how
plain was, until 1 had my photograph
taken one day, by man who had
gallery in the village. I thought at
nrst he must have made too much of
my mouth and too little of my eyes
but he showed me plainly that the ma
chine must take a good likeness, be-
cause 1t was a machine and couldn't
make a mistake. / took the things
home and put them in a drawer, and
showed them to nobody but they took
the little vanity had out of me, though
kept saying over and over again,
What do looks matter for a man?"
meant, yOu see, to give Nellie one
ior her album, but thought If looked
like that it was not best. I've heard
other people speak of the same feelings
since, in regard to photographers; and
am not sure now that they are always
perfect.
Waiting and Watching, hoping and
Tearing, let the time slip by and win
ter came with its frost and snow, and
old Mr.. Brodie told his stories by the
hre, instead of on the porch and the
lamp light fell on Nellies yellow hair,
as she sat knitting, making the pretti-
est picture you ever saw and 1 made
up my mind to put my fate TO the test
before Christmas, and didn't. You see
when young fellow is in love he loses
courage. But one thing l vowed
Nellie should take a sleigh ride with
me.
Tom Armstrong had said--I heard
mm-that he meant to drive the pTettl-
est cutter, the prettiest pair of horses,
ana the prettiest girl in New Bridge.
ne ne meant Nellie by the prettiest girl.
nus turnout might be what he chose,
ont Nellie should never go with him.
one should go with me.
The snow fell fast, and by morning
YOU could see nothing for miles around
Out great drifts, though the sky had
grown clear as though it had been sum-
mer, l called for Nelliein the afternoon,
an ana she was ready, and away we went.
Gne looked charming, with her rosy
cleeks and bright and sunny eyes and
sunny hair; and ! was happier than 1
Aad ever been in my life.
Going out of the village we met Tom
armstrong, with n splendid cutter. BE
looked daggers at us both-or at least
tlought so, and he went as heared at-
erWard to invite Sue Nichol to rlde
WIN him. AS he drove out of sight
mace up my mind to ask the question
.lat would settle everything, on our
way home.
n, Man proposes but Heaven disposes.
things happened that evening that L
IlI not thought of. We were going
S4eE, IN the moonlight, when put my
nand on Nellie's, and made her turn her
eyes toward me.
l have been trying TO say something
You Tor long time" said. Per
You guess what it is,
mt before I could utter another word,
norses became frightened at some
VllnnR' and away they went like mad;
,eAie clung to me screaming. l dld
best to stop them. They left the |
G tSaa entirely and took their way across
i Io neld, and striking against stump |
o snow had hidden, the sleigh was |
,,er.J1rned, and we were thrown out |
was not hurt, but Nellie lay insensi- !