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

ANYTHING FOR A CHANCE
Nellie Tyrrel was 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 a miserable place, in Nellie's
view, and not bit like manor, or grange
or a 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 week John
Mortimer paid 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, and the long, tedious summer was fast
coming to an end.
Chow much all this reminds me Of my
life. unused Nellie. Il 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 q change"
..Nellie," said little boy making a sud
den appearance from the interior Of the
house, "Aunt Mary says you mustn't sit
here, because it is too chilly. You will
catch cold.''
81 hone not" answered the young lady
with infinite scorn. II may come in pres
emily"
..But she wants you to come in now"
persisted little Frank, her mischievous
brother.
81 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
proprieties which is the pleasant privilege
of childhood
'.OOMpAuy 0OuIC wi e. N0t c Soy OuS 0uy
thing for change Nothing could be duller
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
ed and very splendid in appearance. Aunt
Mary rather st.ffly introduced him as MIR.
Lionel Chelmont. Nellie could hardly
speak for embarrassment. Here was her
beau-ideal Mt last
It presently appeared that Mr.. Chelmont
was an author. He was even now engaged
upon 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
m outh or so. or. if impossible. to obtain in
formation where such accommodation in the
vicinity could be had.
ut is SO quiet here,' he said in thrill
ling modulated voice; land quiat is what
seek. have lived in such whirl Of ex-
element during the summer. that am bent
on trying the opposite extreme. Sick with
pleasure, he almost longed for woe, rs the
poet says, and really the sentiment ex-
presses my own feeling exactly"
1T is very dull in winter" said Aunt
Mary.
1.-THE duller the BETTER" laughed Mr..
Chelmont. II don't have time for anything
but my book. should be under load Of
obligation il you could accommodate me,
and shan't be in the way af all and as for
the price. anything yoa like to ask will meet
my views exactly"
He had such . careless way Of speaking,
that Nellie already half-loved him. This
indifference about what what he WAS to pay
was 80 romantic, aud in such contrast with
Aunt Mary's penurious ideas, and John
Mortimer's greedy counting up Of the
shillines and pence! And how admirably
he vas dressed-at Chestnut Farm he looked
out Of place. His proper sphere would be
mighty castle Of ~osnc sint-- one Of those
amasine structures described in stories-
with slaves around him, and al that sort Of
thing.
Aunt Mary finally decided to take him
for fortnight q least-his scjourn AFTER
that time to be longer, il mutually agree
able-.'and payment" she ceaghed. rather
grizzly, Gin advance" At this Nellie's
ears tingled-it vas really 20 coarse. she
Mr.. Chelnont merely said:
Admirably business like! l respect
that quality for l haven't particle Of it
in ny composition. l scarcely know how |
TO count my own money. and never was
able TO learn the multip.icstisn tahle. =
So he paid the fogtnieAts bard in Cd |
vance, aud vas estahlisAed-. Here Uas :
shange IL leass, ana Nellie heenn - knew |
hinn ~ - nninann alnnanv@