The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-02-18
F1RHER BEOWN,S .STORF.
THRILLING TALE OF REAL LIFE.

have no words for her sweetness
can't describe her; perhaps, we're I to do
So, or even could | place her picture be-
fore you, you might not see her as l did
aud do. Eve:y eye makes lis own beauty,
and to ne she was more beautiful than
any other living creature. Nellie Brodie-
l mean lovely Nellie Brodie-whose'f father
was sexton of our church, n good man, but
prosy and prone to tell one or two good
stories about ghosts, proved not to be
ghosts after all, whenever one met him.
Many and many n time have | listened to
them out in his little porch, OF a summers
night, with the moon bright above us, and
mysterious chirps and cries in the bushes,
and the smell of the evening primroses
growing Far sweeter and sweeter, and Mel
lie still quiet as mouse, sitting with
folded hands between us.
We were busy folks enough by day; but
we idled away the long summer evenings
together, and thought no harm OF it, It is
good to be idle sometimes, in tl,aE happy
sort o. way, and to tell the truth, / like it..
No man could say | neglected my duty a
better farm no man ever had, and IaTger
crops none gathered, and no starved caUtle
grazed in my meadows. As Cor my dairy
but that was my sister James doing. A
good house, and pretty blue-cyed girl
with warm heart ahd a laugh ,hat seem
ed 70 be catching. Together we Two wee,
and we were fond of each other.
never ,old her l liked Nellie Brodie,
but did not hide it from, her. Nellie and
she were great friends. Over and over
again l t.ied to find OFT from Jennie what
she said about me-Nellie, 1 mean-but the
girl would never let a word slip out. =
trae woman hides another woman's secrets;
knew that and built on it,
"For," said to myself, eff Nellie dis
liked me, Jennie would give me hint,
sister-like, and save me from modification.
Either she knows nothing OF she knows
Nellie Ill me"
After ihat, 1 may say l courtcd Nellie.
She knew 1 loved her, and I'm sure of
! that; even if l had not said so out and
, out, she could not help knowing IL.
! But there were other young men iii 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 Mel
/ lie had the same pretty, kindly ways to all,
and the same smile for every one.
a.; l used 10 think that ''no" from Nellie's
lips would go through my heart like bull
| let, and found il bard 70 risk she bearing
of it. She must say IL to all buI one OF us.
and I was not so handsome as one, and
not so witty as another, and not so ric' as
a third. | think I never knew bow plain
I was, though, until bad my photograph,
taken one day by man who had gallery
I in the village. 1 thought at first he must
have made too much OF my mouta and toe
little of my eyes but he showed me plain
ly that the machine must take good Ike
ness. because it was machine that couldn'i
make mistake. / took The things home
and put them in a drawer aud showed them
to nobody but they took the little vanity
/ had out of me, though l kept saying
over and over again, "What do looks mat
ter for a man?''
I'd meant, you see, to give Nellie one
for her album, but l thought if | looked
like that it was best not. I've often heard
other people speak of the same feelings
since, in regard to photographers and
am not sure now that they were alway:
| perfect.