Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-12-02

mlnQ tnaC JOnn mOCner was Cfy1nS
to expose and mortify her. A wo
mans pride will do a deal for he1
when her heart is breaking. II
brought the color to her face again.
and strengthened her trembling
limbs. It steadied her voice and
eyes. Mrs. Holt was puzzled and
disconnected by the sudden change,
81 am so sorry" Nellie said, in q
tone of fearless regret. we can
scarcely get along without John. He
seems such standby. But men
ought not to be tied athome, I think,
If they choose to go, they sould D
allowed their own way. There he il
now in the garden. I am going oui
to speak to him of it,"
Try to coax him to stay, Ns1iie,
said the mother, in q tone of more
entreaty than perhaps she had eve,
used in her life before. '~He is q
good son, and I can't get along
without him. I think you can keeI
him if you will"
This prayer would have been effect
ual, but for the memory of that smile
which ranked in the girls heart.
Had she not given John Holt every
encouragement, if he had cared about
her? Had she not said and done
things 50 affectionate toward him that
she had blushed with shame thinking
of them afterward? ? John was no fool,
and if he had cared for 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
in the garden. He stopped, seeing
her, and looked wistfully into her
face. Though he had denied his
mother so decidedly, her words had
not been without weight. Women
understood each other. Could it be
possible? and there was Nellie COM
ing down the walk. Her head was
erect, and her face perfectly compos-
ed, though slightly pale.
"I am so sorry" she begun.
Your mother has been telling me of
your plans. Of course you know best
what is good for you, and / 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 a last grasp
at his self-command, and held it.
There was a short, formal converse
ton, both so engaged in making q
pretense of being kind and friendly,
and just as usual, thateeach could
not perceive that the other was also
making q pretense; and four weeks
after they parted with tolerable COM
posure, and John Holt went to Cali
fOrnia.
He stayed there five years, and
sent his mother her gold spoon. He
stayed three years longer and then
came home himself. Nellie was
Nellie Cramer still, they told him,
and was much sobered. Some way
she hadn't seemed to care much about
flirting for several years. Her faith
er and mother were dead, and she
was keeping house for her unmarried
brother. There were hints that the
new minister went to see her very
often, but Mrs. Holt didn't believe
that Nellie would look at him.
John listened, and when evening
came took his hat and went out for a
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 Nellie. The soft
Spring twilight was settling down
when he reached her house, and as he
walked quietly up the path, q slight
figure sat in a window, looking out,
singing lowly to herself in q mourn
full reverie. She did not see him, but
when he came nearer he saw her face
clearly. The round outlines and
bright color were gone, but he was
forced to own that she had grown far
more beautiful. The chastened lus-
tire of the eyes. the firmer, sweeter
closing Of the mouth, the purer and
more perfect outlines-all belonged
to one who had eaten of the bread of
sorrow. and had found q blessing in
it's bitterness.
Something swept over his heart
with passionate force-some regret,
some longing, he scarce knew what.
If he had suffered at losing her eight
years before, he felt that such loss
now would kill him. He quietly en-
tered the open door, paused on the
| threshold OF the room where she sat
alone. She still sung softly, but as
he looked, stopped. sighed, and be-
came silent.
i" Nelliew he would have said, but
his voice Was only Q whisper.
He went forward into the shadowy
room.
els it you, Jamesf" she said, half
turning, expecting her brother.
John took step nearer, and this
time his voice did not fail.
"Nellier'
She started, half rose, hesitated,
then, as he took . step nearer, sprang
with q glad cry into his extended arms.
81 Thought you never would come,
John!' ahe sobbed.
"Were you waiting for me T. he.
asked. g Did you care for me before
+ went away r
Then and always, John. How
could you b 20 blind
John Holt smoothed her hair ten-
S1nr1v fesp os.as vs,rsnnnk ~ silence