The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-09-13

the girl, and then went steadily aboq
his work. The waters of his soul were
too deep for babbling.
When spring came, for the first time
in his life John electrified his friends
He was going to California. The an
nouncement was made quietly but firm
ly, and he stood like a rock agains
which expostulation beat itself to spray
He gave good reasons, and resolutely
maintained his right to choose for him
self.
"You have always said, mother, thai
you wished were more venturesome,
he said. "I am going to please you
now"
"But how is the farm to get along
without you? she objected.
"Frank understands everything, and
can manage" -
Mrs. Holt took courage, and, break
ing over some little awe which, in spite
of her talk, she felt for her son, spoke
out
"John, has that Nell Cramer Tilted
you ?"
"Jilted mel" he said, flushing as
much with anger as with surprise.
"What do you mean, mother? We
have always been good friends, but
never any more. never gave her the
chance to jilt me-" ~
"Then why don't you give her the
chanoe2" persisted his mother, who did
not choose to give up, now that the ice
was broken. "Nell is a good girl, il
she does firt little. I Ialways thought
that. she liked you, only that you were
too slow to see it. Then, Nell has got a
little sum of money of her own that
wouldn't be amiss."
"You are entirely mistaken, mother,
he said, decisively. ".Don't let us say
any more about it."
"Oh, you great fool !" muttered the
mother, looking after him as he went
out. "Was there ever man so blind
He is no more fit to live in the world
than an angel out of heaven is.
Then, seeing Nellie Oramer passing
the street, she lifted her voice and called
her in. sE ...... .:
The girl came in, wondering at such. q
peremptory summons.
"Come and sit by mo II commanded
The matron, and Nellie obeyed.
Mrs. Holt scanned her from head to
foot, the neat, trim figure in its snugly
fitting paletot of dark gray, the green
bonnet, that brought out her fresh, clear
color with a new luster, and the fair,
bright face.
"Did You know that our John is
going to California;" asked Mrs. Holt,
abruptly, her keen eyes on the girls
| face.
All the color faded ont of it in an in
slant, and Nellie Cramer dropped into
chair as suddenly as if she had been
shot. She sat there and looked at the
other with her strained eyes, but said no
word. ,
eyes," said Mrs. Holt, unable to re-
press a slight smile of satisfaction at
this proof of the correctness of her sur
misc; "yes, he's set on ding in spite of
al can say. He is going in month
or six weeks. Let me see; this is the
middle of April. He says he shall start
by the first of June, at furthest."
That smile of Mrs. Hollis Was an un-
fortunate one. Nellie had always feared
those sharp eyes, and now the thought
flashed into her mind that Johns moth
er was trying to expose and mortify her.
A woman's pride will do good deal for
her, even when her heart is breaking.
1t brought the color to her face again,
and strengthened her trembling limbs.
It steadied her voice and her eyes. Mrs.
Holt was puzzled and disconnected by
thesudden change.
"I am SO sorry9" Nellie said, in q
tone of fearless regret. eve can scarce
ly get along without John. He seems
such standby. But men ought not to
be tied at home, |. think. If they chose
to 20, they should be allowed their own
way There he is now in the garden. /
an going out to speak to him of it." 4
"Try 10 coax him to stay, Nellie, I"
said the mother, in q tone of more en-
treaty than, perhaps, she had ever used
III her life before. {" He is good son,
and can't get along without him. I
think you can keep him If you will"
This prayer would have been effectual,
bnt for the memory of that smile which
ranked in the girls heart. Had she not
given John Holt every encouragement,
if he had cared abont her2 Had she
rot said and done things so affectionate
toward him that she had blushed with
shame thinking Of them afterward2 ?
John was no fool, and if he had cared
FIR her, he might have understood.
He had probably been trying to put her
back.
With these thoughts burning in her
heart, Nellie Cramer went directly to
John Holt as he walked up and down
the garden. He stopped, seeing her,
and looked wistfully into her face.
Though he had denied his mother 30
decidedly, her words had not been with
out weight. Women understood each
other. Conld it bo possible /? and
there was Nellie coming down the walk.
Her head vas erect, and her face per-
fcctly composed, though slightly pale.
81 am so sorry" she begun. "Your
mother has been telling me of your
plans. OF course, you know best what
il good for you, and I have been telling
her to let you have your own way. But
we shall all be sorry to lose you, John. /"
That was all. He gave last grasp at
bis self-command, and held it. There
was short, formal conversation, both so
engaged in making pretense OF being
kind and friendly, and just as usual,
that each could not perceive that the
other was also making pretense and
four weeks after they parted with toler-
able composure, and John Holt went to
California.
He stayed there five years, and sent
his mother her gold spoon. He stayed
three years longer, and them came home
himself. Nellie was Nellie Cramer still,
they told him, and was much sobered.
Some WAY s..o hadn 'tseemed to care much
about flirting for several years. Her
father and mother were dead, and she
WAS keeping house for an unmarried
brother. There were hints that the new
minister went to see her very often, bat
Mrs. Holt didn't believe that Nellie
would look at him. '.- --.
John listened, and when evening came
took his hat and went out for walk.
No one but his own family as yet knew
OF his return, and he was resolved to see
himself the effect of his coming on Nell
lie. The soft spring twilight was set
ting down when he reached her house,
and as he walked quietly up the path, a
slight figure sat in a window, looking
out, singing lowly to herself in a mourn
full reverie. She did not see him, but
when he came nearer he saw her face