The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-10-19
ANYTHING FOR A CHANGE

ANYTHING FOR A CHANGE
Nellie Tyrrel was a very pretty girl, but
very whimsical and impatient She read
novels all day, and felt deeply the gross in
Justice of fate, in not making her life like
the lives of the heroines of fiction. Chest
nut Farm was miserable place, in Nellie's
view, and not q bit like a manor, or grange
or castle. Nothing mysterious or tragic
could ever happen on such prosaic ground,
nor could anything extraordinary occur to
any of the people who live there.
Day after day the same monotonous
drama was enacted. The A-train passed
up in the morning and passed down again
in the afternoon; but the passengers seemed
to be always the same people, and Ger
tainly it was invariably the same locomotive
and train of cars. Here was breakfast,
dinner and supper; twice a week John
Mortimer paid q visit ); occasionally some
one else dropped in, and in this set of in
cidents was comprised the entire history of
life.
Nellie was ennued to death. This lovely
autumn afternoon she sat in the doorway
of her uncle's pretty farmhouse, book in
her lap and rebellion in her heart. The
wind was sweeping the red leaves from the
trees, anu luc lOuS, ICuAOuo SoAAA0ASA =" % Ae'S'
coming to an end.
Glow much all this reminds me of my
lifeno unused Nellie 81 am growing old
without ever having been young From
the instant we are born we begin to die
but some of US more rapidly than others.
Good heaven. will there never be a change.'
Nellie" said little boy making a sud
den appearance from the interior of the
CIT
here. because it is too chilly. You will
catch cold"
Il hope not" answered the young lady
with infinite scorn II may come IN pres
entity
persisted little Frank, her mischievous
brother.
~ shall come when it pleases me
That's rude. Nellie, and daren't tell
auntie that. There's company In the par
lor, ami she told me not to tell you and she
wanted to surprise you. and they will be
gone away soon if you don't come in said
Frank. With that defiance Of grammatical
prophecies which is the pleasant privilege
of childhood.
Company Some bore, | dare say: but any
thing for a change. Nothing could be dulier
than sitting here"
So Miss Nellie went in. She found Aunt
Mary conversing with the handsomest
young man possible to imagine-tall, dark,
slender, rather piratical looking. ut on
| that account oniv the more attractive. he
might have sat for Lord Byron's '.Corsair"
or "Lara''-in fact for anybody very wick
| cd and very splendid in appearance. Aunt
/ Mary rather st.ffiy introduced him as Mr..
| Lionel Chelmont. Nellie could hardly
speak for embarrassment. Here was her
beau>ideal at last
! 1t presently appeared that Mr. Chelmont
! was an author. He was even now engaged
upon n book, and, being DESTROYS Of rural
solitude until he could finish it. he had
called upon Aunt Mary - obtain board
and lodging with her. if possible for a
mouth or so. or. if impossible. TO obtain in
formation where such accommodation in the
vicinity could be had.
1t is SO quiet here he said in q thrill
ling moduated voice; 'and quiat is what
seek have lived in such n whirl of ex-
citement during the summer. that am bent
en- trying the opposite extreme. Sick with
pleasure, he almost longed for woe, as the
poet says. and really the sentiment ex-
presses my own feeling exactly"
1T is very dull in winter. said Aunt
Mary
THE duller the better" laughed Mr.
Chelmont II don't have time for anything
but my book | should be unaer "a load of
obligation if you could accommodate me,
and shan't be in the way at all; and as for
the price. anything you like to ask will meet
my views exactly.
He had such careless way Of speaking.
that Nellie already half him. This
indifference about what what be was TO pay
was so romantic. and IN such contrast with
Aunt Mary's penurious ideas. and John
Mor,imer's greedy counting up of the
shillings and pence. And how admirably
he was dressed-at Chestnut Farm he looked
out of place. His proper sphere would be
= mighty castle OF >",u. STINT one Of those
amazing structures described in stories
with slaves around him, and all that sort Of
thing
Aunt Mary finally decided to take him
for fortnight At least-his sojourn after
that time to be longer. if mutually agree
able-.and payment" she coughed. rather
grimly. ..in advance" At this Nellie's
ears tingled-it was really so coarse, she
thought-but Mr.. Chelmoni merely said:
Admirably business like. l respect
that quality for l haven't q particle Of II
in my composition. l scarcely know how
to coun; my own money. and I never was
able to learn the multiplication table.
So be paid the fortnisht's board IN adj
vance, and was established. Here Was .
change at least. and Nellie began to know
something Of happiness already.
At first Mr.. Chemoui 5 booE claimed great |
deal Of his attention: for he remained in |
his room nearly all the time. He showed |
the effect Of his confinement, being pale and |
without Appetite but he WAS always lively !