American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-02-16

SlONhALSo+
"No. Oh, Mr.. Lowth, didn'ty you ever
hear the old saying
Well, Nellie?'
"That when you heard the first robin
of spring singing, if you had pulled the
stocking from your left foot, you would
find on the inside of the SOLE
% What?''
So A hair like that of the PERSONS you
are going to marry"
" You ridiculous child"
Nellie's face was burning hot at her
foolishness, but she could not help
laughing at Lowth's evident apprecia-
ton of it, and his thorough astonish-
ment.
Nellie, III buy you rattle the next
time l go into town."
Nellie pouted.
"Well, did you find the hair?"
&c Yes, SIR
"Was it mine P" tossing back the loose
masses of dark brown hair.
A little quivering smile spoiled Mel
lies pout.
&C The rest is a secret
" Then you don't intend to tell whose
the hair was like?''
No, shall not tell
{" May 1 guess?"
81 can't help your guessing, sir"
"Was it like Ned Howland's am
broisal locks, little dignity?''
81 haven't promised to tell if you
guess
{" So you haven't! Then 1 shall not
waste my time guessing. But tell me
one thing
g What is that?''
sIf you have faith in the trick
g Utter faith," Nellie said, smiling,
and shaking her head.
''Then I wish-I do wish that the
hair may be like mine.''
Manfred Lowth spoke with no rail
lery, yet he hardly knew why he spoke as
he did. There was a moment of swift
thought in both their minds.
Manfred Lowth had committed him
self-as an honorable man he had COM
mitted himself. He had no right to say
such thing in such tone unless he
meant what he said. So he stood, half
condemned, looking down at Nellie's
sweet, agitated face.
She was lovely. As he knew her she
was sweet, innocent, affectionate girl;
but the thought of marrying her never
entered his head until that moment. His
ideal was older and graver, as one to
understand him thoroughly must have
been. He fancied face of more power,
deeper eyes and a strong effect; but if
he read Alright the eyes and lips before
him, their meaning was very sweet and
thrilling.
Nellie blushed with distress under his
eyes. He searched her face resolutely.
Such face had pursued him once, when
he was mere boy, and loved with his
passionate first love. He dropped her
hands at last and stepped back.
g Are you going to school this sum-
mer?" he asked, plucking a dry leaf
from the geranium in the window sill.
I" Yes. L graduate in July.''
sob, yes; l had forgotten. And in
July comes your birthday?''
1" Yes; [ am eighteen in July"
She was womanly for her age, after
all. If he could only be sure that she
was not as light-hearted as she was fair!
But that pretty way of tossing back her
curls was Bessie Bradford's own. He
did not wish to be fooled twice by the
same style. So he chatted about the
school exhibition, the closing of the Ii
brary, and the military review in April,
and finally took his leave.
''He thinks me only child, and
love him sou she murmured, sobbing
bitterly. 81 hate my baby face! And
he always fads me doing some childish
thing | wish was dead.''
She cried herself nearly i'll, but es-
capped undetected to her room when her
brother came in. The next day she
heard that Manfred Lowth had gone to
New York.
The spring wore on. Nellie Dare
grew pale and grave. Her mother be-
came anxious. Nellie was surely study
ing too hard. She could never bear the
excitement of the exhibition. So Nellie
was taken almost by force from school
and sent to Nahant
Nahant's sea breezes had no effect.
Nellie's chaperone, Mrs. Bertram, of
Boston, recommended tonics and bath
ing, drives and flirting, and did her best
to have her prescriptions carried into
effect; but Nellie endured every thing
listlessly, and finally begged, in answer
to her aunt's expostulations, TO be let
entirely alone. She should do better so.
Mrs. Bertram gave up in despair, and
Nellie read and dreamed in solitude,
or sat idly on the rocks watching the
sea. The wild wind Drowned her face
and blew very faint roses in her cheeks,
but days and weeks crept by, while Mrs.
Bertram bemoaned that Nellie never
would be like other girls.
One morning a fishing party came to
the hotel. They were entered upon the |
books as GO Manfred Lowth, of Boston -
&c Edward Rowland, of Manchester, New |
etc.
&C Nellie, my dear, do hurry! Mr..
Lowth is here from Boston-the finest
mani Well off, well connected gentle
manly and of excellent character. You
can never expect to make a brilliant
match having no expectations yourself;
consider this just the thing for you.
Now, Nellie, if you will only have your
wits ahOIIt Won instead of baipn So in