The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1878-09-25
Nellie Dare'S Love

the sky was as blue as in June. Man.
fred Lowth stood on Wilson's hill look
ing down upon the city. 1t cleaned
white and beautiful from the plains,
and the hills. green with their cover
ing of pine forests, rose still and stately
beyond. The "duil gray meadows
within sight had peaks of snow upon
them, and the breeze brought the at
mosphere of snow from the mountains
though the sunshine felt so bright
Manfred Lowih stood with his arms
folded across his breast and his tall,
powerful figure outlined against the
still ky. As he stood thus, still and
resolule in his solitude, with his alb
sorbed, masterful eyes, and face of
Spartan firmness, he looked every inch
a king. Ii WIS his thirty-tifth birth
day. There may have been something
sad in the thought to him, for he was
utterly alone in life, and the circum-
stances which gave II sense of airy free
dom at thirty bring a feeling of desola-
ton at sixty. Possibly Manfred Lowth
thought of this as he hailed his birth
dav morn, and thought how much of
his life was gone. Not that there was
any sign of advancing age in his wig
orous figure and abundant dark hair.
As he suddenly placed one hand upon
n stone wall before him and leaPed
lightly over, he displayed a vigorous
agility of exceeding grace, and his step
MS he walked down the hill, had IL
buoyancy of youth and hope. If his
thoughts had been grave they were so
no longer. lie went down the hill
whistling cheerily.
There was long road Of yellow clay
stretching before him TO the city with
patches of bare scrub oak at either
side. In one place the road went over
a slight elevation, at the commence
ment of which the space beyond was
concealed by the hill I; and just here
Manfred Lowth ceased whistling and
began searching his pockets eargerly.
lie laughed merrily as he brought
forth from the breast pocket of his in-
uer coat little wOrsted mitten. This
is how he came by it:
The morning before. he had been
going over the hill, but not whistling
as then. Reaching the top, he looked
down upon little figure seated upon
stone by lonely roadside, where hard
ly house was in sight. 1t was per-
feet picture. The girl wore crimson
merino and pretty snowy hood, which
was pushed back from her rose of n
face, over the sweet, low forehead, off
which little tresses Of golden hair were
blowing in the mild March wind. She
was altogether too intensely occupied to
put back her hair-curiously occupied
too. She had pulled her shoe and
stocking from her left foot, and was
intenlly examining the small sole ofthe
white worsted stocking, while the lit
tie bare. snowy foot rest,d unnoticed
on the frozen ground.
Manfred Lowth recognized Nellie
Dare, and thought she must be crazy.
What in the world was the child do
ingi
Suddenly a quick smile flashed over
Nellie's face, her cheek dimpled, she
tossed back her hair, and looking up
saw the watcher On the hill. The stock
ing was turned and put on In a flash,
the little boot put on (Manfred LOwth
was sure it was only half put on, by
the tracks it made in the snow near
by), and Nellie Dare sprang into the
crossroads and hurried out of sight.
Arriving at the place Lowth picked up
the little white mitten. He put two
fingers into it--walked on, looking at
il and smiling-and then Nellie had
looked so pretty and frightened. But
why had she uncovered her foot and
examined her stocking by the roadside?
Surely they were no thOrns or thistles
about at that time of the year.
When he came to the crossroad by
the pines, he hesitated, and finally
struck into it. Then he put the nit
ten back into his pocket, butt0ned his
coat and walked faster,
Nellie Dare's home was on the Au-
burn road-a little white cottage with
bare lilacs and rose vines clinging
about 1.-THE lovliest place around in
the summer time. Now, there was a
face prettier than any rose at one OF
the parlor windows, and Manfred
Lowth looked up and bowed to it.
Neilie's fresh, young blood flooded
her heart as she caught sight of the
face which personifed all her girlisl
ideal dreams. She dropped her book
and rose trembling as Manfred Low Il
entered the room, He looked Will
laughing eyes at the pretty, flushing
face as he took her hands.
Miss Nellie, l have called, out of The
purest curiosity, to know why you