The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-02-14

depend great deal upon you, Nell,
This Willis case will take great deal Of
preparation before il comes into court, and
father Is busy, too, just now. Mother is
always busy, so you and Tasie must enter
tain the doctor"
Tasie goes home tomorrow, It is Just
as well, Ned, for she cannot feel as we do,
and she gives little shivers of horror now
when she speaks of the doctor. What a
handsome face and head he has, Ned !"
"Caliban with the frontispiece of Jove, -
was the reply. "I must be of. Take
good care of Doctor Holway."
In obedience to this last request, Nellie
was waiting in the drawing-room when the
doctor came down stairs, occupied with
some piece of fancy sewing, that allowed
tongue and wits to be in freedom.
She was not exactly pretty girl, this
heroine Of mine, but she had 4 bright,
frank face, and one that was very pleasant
to look upon. Her great charm was her
sincere, cordial manner. Looking into
her well-opened blue eyes, hearing the
sound of her fresh, girlish voice, awakened
iustinctively the confidence Of any com
panion. You could not doubt either her
earnestness or her sincerity. Whatever
she undertook, she gave her whole interest
TO it, and Just now she had undertaken to
make her brothers home pleasant for Doc.
tor Holway. So without glance or word
ever betraying that she thought of his in
frmities, she yet contrived THAT the easiest
chairs were those that naturally fell to his
share the books he was reading, the news
papers in the morning, the backgammon
board in the evening, were, by some magic,
ever within easy reach of his hands. He
wondered why he was so seldom obliged
to limp across a room at Mr.. Gordons.
When Nellie found he loved music, a
cosy chair mysteriously found its way to a
comfortably corner near the piano-forte,
aud not too far from the cheerful open
CRATE, and there Doctor Holway passed
hours, dreamily listening to the fresh young
voice singing ballads, or the firm fingers
playing his favorite airs. Nellie was no
musical genius, but she played with taste
and feeling, and understood the art Of
keeping her performances within the limits
of her ability, never undertaking anything
of the sky-rocket order, but selecting such
music as pleased her listeners, without any
fear Of the performers falling into trouble
over intricate difficulties She sang bal.
lads well, her pure, clear voice full Of
feeling, and her pronunciation distinct.
Music, singing, games, animated conyer-
sation, and sometimes an hour or two Of
reading, filed the days, and in the even
ing the family were usually together, with
often pleasant circle Of visitors.
1t seemed impossible April was really
so near, when one bright day in March
Ned drove the Doctor to B. TO inspect
his rooms at the college where his new du-
ties were to be performed The grounds
attached to the college were very extern
sive, and dotted here and there were pretty
one-story cottages.
Doctor Holway's rooms were in the huge
pile of brick and mortar where the stu
dents boarded, and were fitted up with that
chilling neatness peculiar to bacbelorquar-
ters. Making all necessary arrangements,
the gentlemen left the college, and re-en-
tered the low basket carriage in which
they had been driven over. They were
slowly vending their way to the gate, when
Doctor Holway commented upon the little
cottages already mentioned.
"They are for the married professors, y
said Ned, when actually obliged to speak.
"Was my predecessor married2"
"Yes. The cottage nearest the college
was his. II is closed yet but if you would
prefer to live there, l viii mention your
desire to the president"
"No," with little weary sigh. any
rooms are very pleasant, and as | cannot
keep house, it is better for me to be near
the dining-room.
The ride home was rather silent one.
Doctor Holway was evidently pondering
intently upon some subject that flled his
heart with sadness. His large, earnest
eyes looked forward with mournful steadi-
ness, and his lips were closed with firm
pressure.
Ned was thinking of the coming separa
ton, and wondering how the gap in the
home circle left by his friend could ever be
filed. Never had the hours sped along so
swiftly as they had since Doctor Holway
became an inmate of the family. Looking
into his sad face now, it was difficult to
picture it lightened by mirth and jest, but
many an hour had passed when no laugh
was freer, no jest brighter, than that Of the
crippled deformed physician. They were
nearly at home, when by some irrepressi-
BILE emotion the doctor seemed forced to
4
open his heart to his friend.
al think you will do me the justice to
believe, Ned, that | am not ungrateful
when | tell you | think l must give up
this professorship and return to Mississippi.
"You do not like the college2p p
81 turn my back on Paradise when
leave you all, Ned. You have made me
very happy here; SO happy that ! forgot
my deformity and my forty years, and
dreamed was young and straight again.
Laugh at me for a madman if you will,
| Ned, when tell YOU | love Nellie: love