The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-16


tons, and their hearty, suppressed mer-
riment. Their aprons were full at last,
and then when kissed them at parting
| told them who / was. And there was
q scenel
So commenced my acquaintance with
Nelly Berthe Widest, brightest, pref
test little romp that ever babe defiance
to rules. She and Maggie Heath were
cousins, and together double pest to
the neighborhood. But / always got on
we'll with them, and our intimacy pro-
crossed rapidly after the adventure Of
the apple-stealing. They used to come
fame the sanctity of bachelor rooms with
shouts Of laughter, herb, rubbish and
rag dolls. Often they coaxed me off to
tramps over the hills, or frolicked in
the garden where lived.
But time went by swiftly in the quiet
little village of Herford as elsewhere,
and the little girls had climbed apple
trees with became older. Maggie, who
was year Older, matured first, and had
abandoned romping and adopted long
skirts some time before Nelly learned
to blush and escape from my kisses.
She was prettier than ever, though, with
her beautiful hair curled smoothly, and
her wild freedom of manner subdued by
nifty did not quite annihilate our init
macy, however. She came to see me
sometimes even after she had attained
an age when the village boys looked
earnestly at her in church or strove for
a forfeit with her at the huskings.
One day the time came for me to leave
town. | was going away, and might be
gone two or three years and I should
be obliged to leave Nelly. This thought
troubled me excessively. One day she
came to see me, and told me that she
was almost sixteen.
II shall not be here to give you
Ing away"
She was sorry. When and where was
| going? All the time she played daint-
lily with the kitten-her pretty head on
one side. Then, when was L coming
back?
Perhaps never, Nelly" impressively,
trying 60 affect her.
That was too bad-but [ could write, |
She commenced tucking her curls into |
her rigolette, and said she must be GO
ng. Her hood was dyed pink, but not |
half 80 rich as her cheeks; her eyes
we're blue as wood violets, and her curls
Kept falling from their confinement in
little bright rings, and dancing about
ler face. She looked exasperatingly
pretty as she stood there preparing to
cave me.
NELLY" said I, at last, "don't go yet.
want to speak to you"
She sat down again.
Nelly" / began. She was looking at
ne with grave attention, and j stopped.
got up and went to the window. won
lering how | should say it. But I
ouldn't come to conclusion. The
bought that Nelly was gravely waiting
o know what l had to say, scattered
very other idea. A tantalizing remem-
rance OF how pretty she was looking as
he waited, helped also to confuse me.
he silence grew embarrassing. How
loud the clock tickedi How
till everything else was / grew des-
crate.
"Nelly" exclaimed, turning around {
but turned to face her quiet
1ok Of surprise, which quite frightened
1e. Nelly never looked 30 pretty and !,
yomanly before in all her life. The
natter had got to be serious with me, {
'hen turned to the window again. Ny
cart thumped in distressing manner I
s q realization of my intentions came
yer me, but had no idea Of abandon I
lg them. How desperately 7 wanted |,
and how completely failed
i getting 1t My face burned; some f
hing kept rising in my throat to choke
10. had vague idea that / ought to
'oss the room and overpower Nelly's
Istressing composure with my clio.
uence, but that little five feet Of hu-
anity was the most unapproachable u
oJect in existence to me then. MY sit D
alton kept getting worse with each =
lcceeding moment, but was no nearer q
] escape from my painful position. q
II am in hurry. Have you anything h
say to me?" II
NellY's voice was never 80 startlingly il
ear and sweet before. It's silvery ring Il
ent through nae like an electric shock. 81
turned around-I was forced to-she :,
as putting on her gloves. Her eyes II
ere down, but could see that she was q,
serene as a lady Of state. / felt o.
eadfully large, heated, and in my tc
yn way. d.
81 will come up in the morning, or
orning!" II
"Good morning, Nelly!" n a.
And she went away. Actually, I n,
uldn't propose to her. a
Five years travelling about the world lii
anged me considerably. [ was very b.
tie like the man I had been, I had dl
armed the ms and outs Of human ma al
re, and the worth of much that is val Y
ID In early life. 1 had spent part of ~ re-
Y time in Europe and South America, 81
lere nearly lost my individuality in re
apting myself to the manners and ii
stoms Of others. had had my heart al
periences and love intrigues also. I Sc
I'd lost my heart dozen times and as "
ten found it again. Only once was I u
riously in love, and that was with ~ ~
'eet-faced English girl with golden
,ir like Nelly's. She married
'althy banker, however, and strolIed of
ray into France, where I remained 81
v months and then crossed the chan. th
| again to see Mary riding through to
'ndon streets in her husbands car Ill
sge. Then came home. 10 u,
remained in New York for month, to f.,
d then went to Herford, to see how co
7 old place prospered. Everything ma
emed as it did when left it. The lit &c
farmhouse was as brown outside N
d as comfortable inside as ever. The u
,hard had been we'll kept, and the 90
es were heavy with their full crop of AG
ripe fruit, / thought Of the time