Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-01-26
A RIVALS VENGEANCE.

azure OF q Starl1t SKY; snowy OrOW. ana
rosy cheeks, full-rounded bust, dainty,
taper waist, and straight, naughty figure
Such was sweet Nettle Gray, my charm
ing sunny friend and companion. How
1 loved her! laughing away the long
hours that else had passed drearily.
When all of heaven. was one mass of gray
when the rain came drizzling, patter
ing down, from ''ear1y morn till midnight
hour" we used to sit in the cozy little
parlor, dafling Nettie and I. chatting 80,
merrily that we did not know the day
was done till Jennie would bring in
lights and put new Goals in the CRATE.
But one day when the sunshine was
bright and merry birds chanted sweet
roundelays to the light of day Nettie
came in from school, and throwing down
hat and books, flung her white arms about
ny neck, and laying her flushed cheek
against mine, whispered:
80, Maggie! Pm so happy"
"Why, Nettie, are you not always
happy''
'Yes, dear Maggie, for you have filled
m dear mothers place right we'll, and
have made me very, very happy"
What makes you so much happier to
day; was your essay superiOrf
Yes, the golden tribute is mine, and
more;' and she held up the token. Then
her curls nestled still closer against nv
neck, and felt her cheek grow warmer.
couldn for the life of me tell what it
was, but something made my heart stand
still, and drew her closer to me lest l
might lose her.
We'll, my child, what is it?'
Maggie, you remember tall, handsome
Harry Floyd, with whom half the girls
in school are in love, and who flirted so
desperately last winter vita that little
coqnette, Sue Morton, and naughty Ag-
nes Stanmore, whose heart was supposed
to be one solid flintP
Yes, Nettie.'
well, one day was sitting in tho lit
tie cave, by the river side, my portfolio
on my lap, just ready to begin my. prize
poem, when heard footsteps and voices
approaching me, and peeping through
the vines l saw Harry Floyd and Ned
Wallace. Madame de Vincent has of.
tered a prize of golden chain and medal
to any young lady who shall write the
best poem on given sHhject-one which
all hearts, sooner or later, bow before
one which makes fools of wise men and
angels of Cemonsr was Ecd's very en-
phatic speech. You know Sue Tilted him
last winter. well, Ned answ cred Har-
ry, you know I'm to graduate and see
my twenty-fifth birthday on the same
day, and pve determined to marry the
girl that takes the prize, for she must
know how to love, who can write on
such a themen And Wallace said some
thing that sounded like "conceit,'' and
heard 10 more, but went to work with
zeal never knew before, t" write my
poem. Well, Maggie. when the glitter
ing chain was thrown about my neck to-
day, looked over to where Harry was
sitting, and as met his approving gaze.
I think the crimson on my dress Outri-
vailed the blnshcs of the rose in my hair,
and did not dare to raise my eyes again.
But to- night, when 1 was coming home,
I met Harry at the door, and we took
the shady walk through the grove-the
path by the river. We walked very
slowly, and Harry bent down to whisper
in my willing ears: 'Nettie, will you be
my wife p and o Maggie! dear Maggie
what could say but 'yes' since he was
bound to have his own wayT
I brushed back her curls, and kissed
my gentle Nettie. and tear drops would
gather in my eyes; for thought of sun
ny day, six years Lefore, when Arthur
Fay asked me that same question, and I
said yes,' and wondered why he never
came back from the east to fulfill the
pledge.
The days went by, and lovely Ne:tic
grew yet more lovely from the li-ht in
her happy heart.
1t was mild, beautiful Indian summer
l fell asleep in one of the deep. curtained
windows of the library, when Nettie's
voice awoke me, and I heard her sing
that beautiful 'Twilight Hour,' ending
thus:
:'Haste haste DER the summer-tide,
Swiftly our boat will glide
Thou my fond trust and guide,
Ger the blue seal"
! Aud, looking up, 1 saw Harry lay his
| hand upon her head; and gazing upon her
| happy, smiling face, slowly and sadly
50 sadly, that it seemed the funeral knell
| to my darling-he said: 'Nettie, you
| must pardon me, but l do not love you !
| thought did, Int now you must forget
me! You are too bright aud fair to be
my Wife, and you will soon see some 9TH
er far more worthy of your guilelcss
young heart than 1, and you'll be happier
| tn, before.
| Natfia }ooke6 ca}rn1v into b,c nx-no