The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-09-21
Autlersptt,r ]Sutettige,aeer,
A aGREA TJEOnE

over, he looked like his. name, or, like the
image which the sound, of. his name, fa
musical, ear, would, call up. in the mind
+ For John should be strong, and quiet
and true, and grave, and John Holt was
all of these: His skins was fairs AND 'niE
eyes Blue, but the hair, which had been
tow colored in his childhood, had deep:
sned to brown. Ordinary persons would
call him good looking, rather than hand
some,i but a. close observer would pro-
saounee his9profilei perfect rand1his mouth
and chin models of firm and symmetrical
chiseling. The ibrows were straight iand
strong, though smooth, and his not very
high forehead was broad and, open.
John 'Holt's characteristics were 9
.womanish gentleness, q. most. marvellous
and aabsurd honesty, lsapd "a patience
which, to- them, looked only too much
like eowardice, ! II his IFaspy family John was
called great fool. : : ''i'AN
Johns father had, died when. the lad
was butten years old land left his wife to
q bring up her family offive children land
bnanaeet theu farm. She was perfectly
capable of doing it, and even wary busi,
ness men were,on their guard when max
ing bargain with the sharp Yankee
ruatron. Four of her children followed
in;her footsteps, and knew perfectly well
which was, the best end Of the, bargain
but John-well, if he was fool it was
mot because she had d>not warned and
talked ttoithim9 Y. .al;7" a'' q, H'3f
John did not grow wiser as he grew
older, and took upon himself the cares OF
]ile. Mrs. Holt. .had,a largeapd valuable
sarm lust On the borders IF ethe town,
Streets had crept gradually about her
fields,Tand surrennued themA one three
aides; onthe fourth WOO odlands. stretched
back toward the east: Why she should
give the, control ofthis place to John, in
stead of one of his sharper brothers, was
u puzzle even to her. own mind. The
only reason she could give was that John
.,as steady and quiet, and more likely to
remain home than the others were. But
she confessed to herself to be in continual
tfibulation with him. . ,-3.,. 49, :
4sMy DEAR" she said, toa crony, GIyeu
knew that fifty cords of wood we had,
good beech, birch and maple, with not
.n,ore 4, than twenty sticks Of spruce
through the whole? Well, John must
mention that stoveful of spruce, and so
lose five dollars on the bargain. 1 never
did see such fool. Then he, wanted to
hurry off our potatoes last fall for fear of
rot. I told John particularly not to own
tola speck; but, if you will believe it,
when Thurlow came to buy them, and
asked if we had seen any signs of rot,
that ninny said ,.sYes, a, little,' though I
vow I don't believe there were six spots
larger than the head of. a pin. in the
whole lot. Isdon't,know where the fell
low got his shiftFessness. Pm sure I
could always make bargain"
John took all this very quietly, as we
lave, said. He knew that though his
mother veuh say much thingsltos others,
sy.e would by no means have allowed any
oae to say them to her. But one thing
he could lot bear was that Nellie Cramer
should talk in the same way. Nellie
seemed to delight in .tormentiug him.
She would follow him into the gardens
aad fields, hang on his arm with her
curls blowing across his breast, looking
I'D smiling and chatting into his face, so
soft and sweet as kitten; then sudden
II, if he chanced to press those wander
ing curls against his breast, or to bend
too near herdovely npturned face, or to
breatheA a .YordEIof tenderness Gog she
went with a toss Of the head and curl
ef the lip, and as likely as not, some such
speech as :'"I' do wish you would not be
no foolish, John Holt"s ! 9.G y, @ -, - ~
BE never got. angry with. her. :. How
could he?lGBut sometimes shadow
would drop over his face, and he wouldn't
have much to- say to her for a. time.
Then, when she went to him with her
coaxing ways; and laid her little hand on
his arm, whispering
"Now, don't be vexed, John; | like
you so much, but I don't want you TO
talk nonsense" he would look down and
smile, though. not very brightly, and
promise to try to- avoid nonsense for the
future, ending his promise with sigh. .
ssDear me I wish you wouldn't sigh
So. John !" the girl would say pettishly.
81. makes me feel melancholy stohea
lou. One would think I had done some
thing dreadful to you" ,bGa as
Then John Holt would smile again,
still less. brightly, and promise to try not
to sigh any more. a. ~ .'i'2
Such little scenes as this were mere
asides, howeXer-n Nellie usually paid
| but little atssntion to John; being chiefly
occupied in dancing, flirting; and quar-
yeling with his more snowy brother
Frank, Or with any other gay fellow who
was so unfortunate as to be taken with
her pretty face For Nellie, was an in
:orrigiblel Airt. { It. was only when she
had 20 one else to talk to-, or wanted TO
pique some other lover, or when she
wanted some real service, that she went
to John, who was sometimes pleased and
sometimes hurt that she came to him
only when she wanted help or advice.
sfYou are a sort of grandfather, you
Know" she said one day, giving his arm
a squeeze. cssI have an idea that you are
abouf seyenty-6ve years old. How old
ri am jpst one-third of that" he said,
smiling. ~ am only q month past
twenty :.
sPossiblel Well, you must have been
rery old when you were born. Besides,
twenty-five is old tome. II am only nine
teen. Now, you come and hear my story
and tell me what to do. / came over
here on purpose to see you" 0E5aiE
John followed her obediently through
the garden, and, down to abench under
.ae shadow of the beech grove on the
lawn; and when she took her seat there
he leaned against the trunk of q tree and
waited. looking down on her.
"You see, john" she begun, "Pve had
an Offer" - I'l 4 -.
John Holt was tanned that summer,
but through the BROWNIES one might
have seen 81 faint blush run oyer his face.
Nellie didn't see it, fo&r 4 she was as looking
down and rolling her apron tassels, 2
Fery bright color in her own face, - o.: 3 $,
There was q moments silence, after
this announcement, and seeing that he
was expected to say something, John
presently said, eyes"
Nellie gave her shoulders an impatient
shruo and looked nm "Its a very good