The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-06-29
And she vent away. Actually. !
couldn't propose to her.

couldn't propose to her.
Five years travelling about the
world changed me considerably. /
was very little like the man had
been. l had learned the ms and
outs of human nature, and the
worth of much that is valued in
early life. had spent part of my
Time in Enrope and South Ameri
ca, where l nearly lost my individ-
uality In adapting myself TO the
manners and customs of others.
had had my heart experiences and
love intrigues also. | had lost my
heart a dozen times and as often
found it again. Only once was l
seriously i'll love, and that was
with a sweet faced English girl,
with hair like Neliy's. She mar
RED a wealthy banker, however,
and [ strolled away into France,
where | remained IA few months
an,i then crossed the Channel again
to see her riding through London
streets In her husbands carriage
Then l came nome.
l remained in New York for a
month, and then went to Herford,
to see how my old place prospered.
Everything seemed as 1t did when
| left it. The little farm house was
as brown outside and as comforta-
bic inside as ever. The orchard
had been well kept, and the trees
were heavy With their full crop OF
unripe fruit. L thought of the
time | had helped rifle them, and
laughed. Then l thought Of Nelly
AS she was when | went away, aud
looked grave. What had she now
grown to be, l wondered. When
/ lett she gave promise of being a
sweet and beautiful woman-the
style of women which make such
charming wives. | wanted a wife
l was free to acknowledge L did.
I fter my unsettled, wandering
life, the thought of home pre-
sided over by good wife was a
common one. l read Ike Maryels
"Reveres of q Bachelor and en-
tertained the plan more earnestly
than before. 1 came to the con-
clusion that / must see Nelly.
SO one day / knocked at the
door of the country cottage where
sac lived. My heart beat heavily
while | waXed for a response to
my summons; mean while l looked
around and observed the thrifty
air which the place bore. Every
thing was as neat AS wax work.
Suddenly the latch of the door
was snapped up, and the entrance
was open. A thl, homely girl,
with. fnzzled yellow hair, and a
soiied calico dress pinned up over
a SHORT quilted petticoat, faced lne
squarely.
/ lis Miss Nelly Bert at home ?"
inquired, a vague fear dampening
my roseate hopes.
That's my name. VIII you walk
IMP"
My heart went down ike large
weight of lead, but stepped over
the weii-scoured threshold. As
Miss Bert closed the door she gave
me a quick, scrutiniZiDg look, and,
thinking IL time to make known my
identity, as she did not seem TO
know Inc, | said:
''You remember me- am VII
/ liam Thatcher?
mir. Thatcher! My goodness
who d have thought 1t ?"
We shook hands. Her hand was
as large as mine, and | am sure
stronger and rougher.
"Come right into the kitchen.
I'm at work there. and shan't make
stranger of you, I'm sure. Take
chair. Amt this. nice weather
Tor the fruit crops? p
Having set NE chair, she seized
the handle of an old fashioned
churn which stood in the middle
of the room, and, prefacing her
next act with the remark that her
''butter had most come" set to
churning vigorously, her sleeves
rolled away from - pair of arms
which pnafnhaI NINA for s,1a and
muscle. And through the thamp-
ing Of the dasher aud the splash
ing of the buttermilk, we talked of
old times-Nelly Bert aud /.
1t was all very well, dear reader.
Nelly had turned out a smart, en-
ergetic, capable house wife. She
was house-keeper for her father
and brother, doing wonders every