The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-06

| lie tuncjed a face of more power, deeper
eyes, aud il stronger effect; but ii he
! read Alright the eyes and lips before him,
tIeir meaning was very y eeJ and thrIl
ing.
Nellie bushed with distress under he
eyes. He searched her face resOlutely.
! Such face had deceived him once, when
| he was mere boy. and loved with his
passionate first love. lie dropped her
hands at last, and stepped back.
Are you going to school this sum-
merW he asked, plueking q dry leal from
| a geranium ON the WindOW-slll.
"Yes. l graduate in july"
"On, yes; l had forgotten. And in
July comes your DirthHay?'
"Yes; L am eighteen in july"
She was womanly for her age after
all. Ii he could only be sure That she
| was not as light-natured as she WAS
| fair! But that pretty way of tossing
back her curls was Bessie Bradford,
own. He did not wish 10 be fooled twice
| by the same style. SO lie chaEGed ABOUT
the school exhibition, the closing of tue
| library, aud tine military review in
April, and hnally took his leave.
"He thinks me only a child, and love
him so?' she murmured, sobbing bitter
| ly. 81 nate my baby face! And he al
ways finds me- doing some childish
| tuingl | wish l was dead"
She cried herself nearly ill, but es-
capped undeteeted to her room when her
brother came in. The next aay she
| heard that Manfred Lowth had gone TO
New YORK.
The spring wore on. Nellie Dare grew
pale and grave. Heg mother became
anxious. Nellie was surely studying
too nard; she never could bear the ex-
element OF the exhibition. So Nellie
was taken almost by lorce from school,
and sent to Nahant.
| Nahant's sea breeZes had no effect.
| Neliie'S claperone, MRS. Bertram, OF BoS-
| ton, recon mended tonios and bathing,
drives and flirting, and did her best 10
| nave her prescriptions carried into
effect; but Nellie endured everything
listlessly, ana finally beg ed, in ansWe:
to her aunt's' eXpostulatlons, TO be let
entirely alone. She should do better So.
Mrs. Bertram gave up i'll despair, and
Nellie read and dreamed in solitude, OF
sat idly on the rocks watching the sea.
| Iue wlld wind Drowned her face anu
blew very iaint roses in her cheeks, but
days and weeks crept by, while Mrs.
| Bertram bemoaned that Nellie never
would be like otner girls.
| One morning fishing party came to
the hotel They were entered upon the
| books as 'MauIred LoWLn," of BOSTON," :"
edward Rowland, OF Manchester, New
Hampshire,' etc.
| "Nellle, my dear, do hurry Mr.. LoWth
| is here from Boston--the finest man!
| Well-otf, well-connocted, gentlemanly +,
and of excellent character. You can
never expect to make very brilliant
match, having no expectations yourself,
| but | consider this just the thing for you.
| Nou- Malta van only will hlVn Vnur
vits about you, instead of being 80 in
different to everything, shall be HANK
lul. Why, there is no answering what
lnat pretty face of yours mghV do, if
Won would only see your chances! Terry
| Holmes declares you the prettiest girl
here. and his father is a millionaire.
Just think of it, NelLieW
Nellie, strangely pale, with her back
to her aunt, turned MaCcossa upon her
handkerchief, saying, cEoHingly:
"What Mr. LDWtn, auntleW
"Manfred Lowth. He's u shipper from
Boston. Belongs TO my set."
Nellie found another handkerchief,
rave defiant glance at her pale lace in
| the mirror, ana lufneo 70 her aunt.
| II am ready"
They went to the dining-room, and
took their places side by side. Exactly
0pposite Nellie sat Manfred Low ii, m. x
| ing lobster salad, and chatting souly
and gayly with Mrs. Vernon, from New
| York. AT Nellie's right side sat Ned
| Rowland, her old beau from ManChes-
ter.
Lowth looked up and bowed to her.
| She returned the salutation, and then
turned o Ned Rowland.
Perhaps tor an hour she flrted-neYer
aiterward. After dinner she Went to
her room, bathed her head, which acheu
horribly, then joined her aunt in the par
Ior. There was Manfred Lowth, who
stood at her side a moment and eX-
changed few words with her, til Ell
snunLered away. But Ned Howland
bent over her chair all The afternoon.
At night she Went to bed teyerish and
ill.
A week passed. Nellie became aware
that Ned Rowland loved ner. tie was q
ood.hearted, good-looking, but rather
etfemmate young man; handsome and
very winning, however, and year be.
lore Nellie might have loved him, but
truly loving LowVh as she did, the thing
was impossible. Sne tiually told him
frankly and kindly, that size did not love
him.
They were sitting on the rocks a.
twilight.
you u60u 10 llho uIo, NSlIle3 SdiC
Rowland, his lips growing pale under
his pretty mustacne.
II like you now, Ned"
"But l think You used to love me-
little, Nellie"
She clasped her hands nervously.
"Inat was not love, Ned-ou!it it was
nothing like love! Don't talk to me any
more, please. l am sorry you are
grieyed, but can't help it. DON'T blame
me-and be kind to me. have my owl
troubles to bear"
He got up and went down the rocks
She did not know whether he was of
tended OF not, and suffering from keen
: sense of her own SORROWS, she hardl,
cared. She knew he would be IN love
with some one else within week.
There were bitter tears in her eyes az
she looked over the ocean. Suddenly ;
firm hand was laid ON her shoulder.
"Neille, how DO you know SO wei
what love Isl"
She turned her head and looked into
!; Manfred LoWth's grave face.
"Because 1 nave reason to know" sht
answered passionately.
"Nellie, Nellie," he said, Il love you
Will you answer me as you did How
lanuN
| "No."