The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-08-21
HOW ESCAPED BAUHELoRDOM.

A STORY TOLD BY FARMER BROWN.
& I have nc. words for her sweetness; 1
can't describe her perhaps were I to
do sol or even could I place a picture
before you. you might not see her as I
did and do. Every eye makes it's own
beauty, and to me she was more beauti-
full 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 sum-
mer's 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
a 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
is good to be idle sometimes, in that
happy sort of way; and to tell the truth
1 liked 1t. 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 grazed
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 were fond of each other.
I never told her liked Nellie Brodie,
| but did not hide it from her. Nellie
! i. r. J. n 1
over again tried to find out from Jen-
ME what she said about me-Nellie I
mean-but the girl would never let a
word slip out. A true woman hides an
other woman's secrets. I knew that and
built on it.
" For" said Ito myself, If Nellie
disliEed me Jennie would give me a
hint, sister-like, and save me from NOR
| tification. Either she knows nothing,
or he knows Nellie likes me-"
Alter that, may say l cOurted Nell
| lie. She knew I loved her, I'm sure of
that even if I 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;
and many a jealous pang / had in those
| days ; for Nellie ha the same pretty,
kindly ways to all, and the same smile
| for every one.
I used to think that no" from
NeIhe's lips would go straight through
my heart, like bullet, and 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
so witty as another and not so rich as
L L
plain was, until I had my photograph
taken one day, by a man who had
| gallery in the village. [ thought at
| first 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 it was q machine and couldn't
make a mistake. I took the I'll ings
home and put them in a drawer, and
showed them to nobody; but they took
the little vanity I had out of me, though
l kept saying over and over again,
90 What do looks matter for a man?"
l meant, you see, to give Nellie one
| for her album, but thought If looked
/ like that 1t 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
! fearing, 1 let the time slip by; and win
| ter came with its frost and snow, and
old Mr.. Brodie told his stories by the
fire, 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 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 I Vowed-
Nellie should take sleigh ride with
me. ..-
| Tom Armstrong had said--I heard
him-that he meant to drive the pretti-
est cutter, the prettiest pair of horses,
and the prettiest girl IN New Bridge.
He meant Nellie by the prettiest girl.
His turnout might be what he chose,
but Nellie should never go with him.
She should go with me.
The snow fell fast, and by morning
you could see nothing for miles around
but great drifts, though the sky had
! grown clear as though it had been sum-
mer. called for Nellie N the afternoon,
and she was ready, and away We went.
She looked charming, with her rosy
cheeks and bright and sunny eyes and
sunny hair; and was happier than ]
had ever been IN my life. -
Going ont OF the village We met Tom
Armstrong, with a splendid cutter. BE
/ looked -daggers at us both--or at least
| thought SO, and he went as I heaped af-
| terward TO invite Sue Nichol to ride
with him. As he drove out Of sight
made up my mind to ask the question
that would settle everything, on our
way home.
Man proposes but Heaven disposes.