The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-01-08

your Office hours ?''
"Confound my Office hours l' com.
| mented the doctor to himself. Aloud
/ he said ''Tm sometimes obliged to
break through my Office hours. Tn
| going now to see a-patient on the out
| skirts of the town" So they drove on.
| The "patient could not have been
| in critical state. The doctor leaning
back in the carriage, let the reins lie
loosely on the horses back as thev
passed slowly through shady wood
roads smelling of pines, while the warm
breezes futtered light curls across
Nancy's arch black eyes and blue silk
parasol had to be held mp to keep the
sun from her rosebud of a face. The
doctor had lurking fear tha5 Nancy
was rustic and ignorant, but ah she
was so pretty
How far they rode in this lazy way,
wholly wrapt in conversation, is not
known. How far they would have rid
den is not certain, if Nancy had not
sent mischievous glance straight into
the gray eyes, and inquired
Why, where does that patient of
yours live ?"
The Doctor laughed frankly, coloring
nevertheless.
'f I see you understand the swa, S
that are dark and the tricks that are
vain, pretty we'll, Miss Nancy. And now
I don't dare to tell you what was go
ing to before you spoke"
" What was it?" queried Nancy, Gu
riOus and conscious.
It was" said the doctor, bending
his own face closer to the curl shaded
one at his side, ''that wish I had the
right to keep you with me always. Miss
Nancy, well, look at me-Bill you let
me?"
1t was well that the doctor did not
guess why, amid Nancy's bright bushes,
her lips quivered and her eyes filed
with tears. She had made up her mind
to accept the doctor, but in this decisive
moment the thought of John Armitage
sent pang, cruel in intensity through
her heart. Then came the memory of
their yesterdays quarrel, and Nancy
faltered with a struggling smile.
II don't know"
She did know, when in the late twi-
light she and the doctor walked to-
Rether into the dusky sitting-room at
home, where her father was doing and
her mother knitting, to ask their con-
sent and their blessing.
"Dear me, said the good father,
rubbing his eyes. "TWo such pieces of
news in one days cur'u hereabouts. I
heerd On'y an hour since that Johnnie
Armitage is goin' to Texas to farm on
his own account. I sorter thought, too,
t he an Nancy f0ncied each other, but
here she's wantin' to mary another. It's
cur'uF."
Nancy had taken her hand from the
doctors arm and had sat down in the
window. She heard mistily comments
and congratulations, laughed at Jokes.
She walked down to the gate with the
doctor when he left and stood there IN
der the lilacs, his arm about her, re-
plying to his tender talk but when he
was gone, leaving a farewell kiss on her
lips, she rushed upstairs and threw
herself on the bed in a perfect agony
of sobbing that she could hardly stihe
In the pillow.
The story of the next week is hack
neyed- Such happenings are too COM
mon. Nancy came and went like the
ghost of herself, but the whole village
was gossipping over her engagement,
and her evidences of trouble were
ascribed to the "queerness OF a girl
Just engaged" Little tired Mrs. Arui-
tage ran over across lots one afternoon
to tell the Evanses that John was going
on Monday, and she guessed he would
manage to get over and bid them good
bye; and cried because her pet son was
going away, and was cool and sharp TO
Nancy, evidently suspeeting that she
was the cause.
Perhaps light natures suffer most
overwhelmingly. Often in these beau
tiful June days Nancy, all alone in some
shadOwy, grassy place, with sun
beams shimmering above, would Won
der in dim, childish way if she should
not " "die when John went" Only one
hope was left. John was coming to say
goodbye. Oh, if she could only let
him know how it really was But how
eould she? and she would look down
desparingly at the little gold circlet on
her finger.
Sunday afternoon John finally came.
Nancy, sitting in the parlor with the
doctor, caught glimpse Of the we'll
known figure at the gate under the l
laos again. For a few moments the
room whirled around and she was
deathly white, then she rose mechan-
ically, saying she must bid Mr.. Arnai-
tage good bye, and she went out to the
doorway, where John was greeting with
her parents and warding of the New
foundIand with laugh.
Yes, ne was replying, as Nancy
came up, they say there is q pretty
good chance ont there for a young fel
low with health and energy-how do
you do, Miss Nancy ?-and I've always
been enterprising, so me an to try it. "
Nancy stood pulling the rose vines to
prices, while for an hour the others
talked crops, politics and prospects.
She could not have spoken for her life,
though she longed to speak as con-
demned criminal longs to ask for mercy.
Not once di.; John turn his obstinate
auburn head TO look at or spe k to her,
and at last he rose to go. He inter
rUpted himself while detailing partic-
lars about grazing lands, to say good
bye while he Just touched her hand. IL
he had looked at her, the miserable,
pathetic look of appeal would have
gone straight TO his heart, but he did
not dare to look, and turning away ab-
ruptly, walked down the garden path
with the garrulOus farmer hobbling by
his side.
Nancy had Just time TO escape her
mothers eye by running up the stairs.
she did not faint but God forbid that
girls should often know such misery rs
She suffered then. When she at last
ioined the doctor, as IN duty bound, the
stunned look IN her face was pitiful.
She +" was not well, she said, ..in answer