The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-08-30

/ ers was puzzle even Ia her own
mind The >S1y reason she could
give was that John was steady and
quiet, and more likely to remain at
home thar the oIheE,were. But she
confessed tc herself 90 be 10 continual
trihulation with hims
My dear" she sid, to q crouy,
you know that fifty cords of wood
we, had, good beech. birch and ma
pie, with not more than twenty sticks
OF spruce through the whole? Well,
john must mention that stove-full Of
spruce, and so lose fire dollars on the
bargain. | never did see such fool.
Then be wanted to hurry off our po-
tatoes last Fall for fear OF rot. told
John particularly not to own TO a
speck; but if you viii believe it, when
Thurlow came to bay them and asked
| if be had seen any signs of rot, that
ninny said, Yes, little though /
WOW | don't believe there were six
spots larger than tne head of pin in
the whole lot / don't know where
the fellow got bis shiftlessness. Pm
sure ] could always make a bar
gain"
john took all this very quietly, as
we have said. He knew that though
his mother would say such things to
others, she would by no means have
allowed any one TO say them to her.
But one thing he could not bear was
that Nellie Cramer should talk in the
same way. Nellie seemed to delight
in tormeDting him. She would fol
low him into the gardens aud fields,
hang on his arm with her curls blow
ing across his breast, looking up smil-
ing and chatting into his face, so soft
and sweet as Il kitten; then suddenly,
/ if hc CHANGED to press those wander
/ ing curls against his breast, or 10
bend too near her lovely upturned
face, or to breathe word of tender
ness, off she went with toss OF the
head and a curl Of the lip, and as like
/ ly as not, some such speech as Il do
wish you wouldn't be SO foolish, John
Holt"
tie never got angry with her. How
could hey But sometimes a shadow
would drop over his face aud be
wouldn't have much TO say to her
for time. Then, when she went to
him with her coaxing ways, and laid
her little hand on his arm, whisper
ing:
Now, don't be yexed, John; like
ycu so much; but | don't want you to
talk nonsense, y be would look down
and smile, though not very brightly,
and promise to try to avoid nonsense
for the future, ending his promise
with 8 sigh.
'.Dear me! do wish you wouldn't
sigh so, Johnln the girl would say,
pettishly. lit makes me feel melan-
choiy 10 bear you One would
think had doae something dreadful
70 you"
Then John Holt would smile again,
still less brightly, and promise to try
not to sigh any more.
Such little scenes as this were mere
asides, however. Nellie usually paid
out little attention to John, being
chiefly occupied in dancing, flirting,
and quarreling 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 incorrigible firt. 1t
was only when she bae no one else TO
talk to. ar wanted to pilue some oth-
er lover, or when she wanted some
real service, that she went to John,
who was sometimes pleased and
sometimes hurt to see that she came
to him only when she wanted help or
advice
You are sort of grandfather, YOU
know" she said one day, giving his
arm a squeeze II have an idea
that you are about seyenty-fve years
old. How old are you, John?"
II am just one-third of that" he
said, smiling. a am only a month
past twenty-five"
Possible? Well, YOU must have
been very old when you were born.
Beside, twenty-five is old TO me. /
am only nineteen. Now, you come
and hear my story and tell me what
to DO. | came over here on purpose
to see you"
John followed her obediently
through the garden, and down TO a
bench under the shadow of the beach
grove on the lawn; and when she
took her seat there he leaned against
the trunk of tree and waited, look
ing down on her.
"You see, John" she began "I've
had an offer"
John Holt was tanned that Sum-
mer, bat through the BROWNIES one
might seen a faint blush run over his |
face. Nellie didn't see it, for she
was looking down aud rolling her
apron tassels, a very bright color in
her own face.
There was moments silence after
this announcement, and seeing that
be vas expected 10 say something,
John presently said 'Yes?"
Nellie gave her shoulders an impa-
tient shrng, and looked up. Il sup
pose you will guess from whom 1t
is James Lee. | told him | would
think about it, aud tell him my de-
cision tomorrow. Now, he's very
well of, you know, and when his
father dies be will be rich. But then,
OF course, there's no hurry about that
But the tronble is this, James will
live all his days in Riceville / am
positive, and that is dreadful You
know | want to live in a city, and
want my husband to make figure in
the world And James, why, james
is almost as much ofa deacon as you
are. -
"You are complimentary observ-
ed John Holt, with d certain quiet
dignity. The blush had quite gone
from his face; and some ofthe brown
ness seemed to have gone, too; for be
looked slightly pale.
20, ] don't mean any harm, You
cross fellow Nellie said hastily.
ou know ! think you are splen-
did"
II an, ,oucb ohI;ped to vot, ?, ha