The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1879-01-04
NELLIE's NEW YEARS VISIT.
BY MRS. N. A. DENIS0N.

"Quarreed with Frank !" exclaimed Mrs. Went
| worth.
"Quarreed with Frank ~ echoed her husband,
| in the same BREATH and with not less amazement.
Then they both looked at Nellie Nellie was
Mrs. Wentworth's unmarried sister, and she now
stood before them, still dusty with travel, having
just accounted for her unexpected journey, by say
ing she had "quarreled with Frank" the said
Frank being her lover, to whom she had been en-
gagged.
"Quarreled with Frank repeated Mrs. Went
worth, holding up her hands. "Oh Nellie and
thought him so nice"
Nellie laughed.
"Don't look so Mortified" she CRIED "The faults
all mine You were good enough to ask me to
spend the winter with you but declined, because,
you see, 1 thought was in love with Frank. But
now that find that 1 am not, have come"
"Not in love with Frank exclaimed her sister,
holding up both hands. ooh Nellie, how can you
say so? ?"
''But do say it. Or rather, Il find can't mar
~ n person, and live hum drum life, in some
stuffy little rectory, all my days. So Frank must
90. 1 have come here the last day of Decem-
ber as you see so as to finish off the old year. and
be done with the old life. Tomorrow l begin
new year and n new life. l shall come out as it
were, at your Reception. / intend to catch mil
onaire, and be happy forever after, as the story
books say"
abe happy forever afterP" echoed her broth
-in-law, dOubiously.
"And why not?" replied the gay girl, turning
sharply on him. doesn't every body, now days,
say that money is the chief good You've got so
much of it yourself, you don't understand about
others. You afford to be romantic; but l
can't. And as for living all my days in poky
little rectory-"
"Ah, my dear (" interpOsed her sister, with
deprecating shake of her head.
laughing again. a az oeshHd efJ5eo6e GMeelis
and besides, intend to have my own way. al
ways did have it, you know"
Nothing more therefore, was said about Frank.
The winter that followed was one of the gayest for
years. Not evening passed that Nellie was
not present at some party>or other, and the days
were filled up with receptions, calls sleighing par
ties. etc. etc. For Mrs. Wentworth's beautiful
sister was quite belle. A dozen fortunes were
laid at her feet before Lent came, bringing with it
some slight cessation of the round of gayeties but
one and all were rejected. This suitor was too
old, that one not sufficiently cultivated, a third
was too obviously selfish, fourth too highly-tem-
pered. Besides, that she had tested of the
siren cup of fashionable society, Nellie found as
many a one had found before, that it was after
ALL but "Dead sea ashes" She turned from it,
finally, with loathing.
az suppose have exhausted life" she said one
day, as she sat in her dressing-room and curious
" regarded herself in the mirror. IL am looking
frightfully old and worn-not O bit like the fresh,
bright girl that came here, last December. The
fact s all men fops or fools seeking rich wives;
and we, well, we're no better; all the women are
scheming puppets, among which | may class my
self. irving their best to secure rich husbands"
"I'm disgusted with them," she continued =
"with myself most of all. I'd rather go back and
marry the parson, and mend stockings in the bay
window of the little green rectory, than marry the
best man in society. Heigh ho!'
"But the parson isn't there, now" said Mrs.
Wentworth to her, one day, when she had repeat
ed something like this, in her presence.
"What, has he left DINGHY parish" and she gave
q great gasp, while the color fed from her cheeks
ayes, 1 heard he had"
"Left Dingy parish What, for good?"
$50 suppose. Some rich, city church has call
ed him. They thought the jewel required finer
setting"
"And it did," she said, frankly. "Frank was
too great for us, and our little village; might
have seen it. Why hasn't any body written Moth
er knew that lat least, she might have thought
il would have been of some little interest to me-"
"Mamma knew you had thrown him over, and
took it for granted, suppose, that you didn't care
to hear"
Nellie's reply was a significant shrug of the
shoulders.
al shall never see him again, suppose" she
sad that night, however to her sister.
"Never You've no idea how horribly treated
him. Now, I suppose he'll go hunting after a
| wealthy woman. Well, don't care"
But she did care Her tears, in the night watches,
attested to it she cared, in her elusive Ian
| guage, tremendously.
The next day was Sunday
| Nellie could hardly be induced to go to church.
| She had suffered, in learning, too late, perhaps,
the priceless worth of the heart she had dared to
| trife with.
| The church was goodly distance, and, Nellie,
| as she entered, with downcast eyes, and heavy
| heart, felt desperately in need of its calm and
| strengthening service. At the first sound OF the
rector's voice, however, shiver of delight thrilled
| to her heart. She dared not at the moment, hit
| her eyes, she felt so humbled, but when she did
gather the courage there stood Frank Penrose,
and his ringing voice was the sweetest music sne
] had ever heard. And when she caught his eye,
| she bade farewell to hope; for she felt then that
| she loved him, and had loved him all along.
At the close of the service he came to meet them
came quietly, steadily, smilingly this man, whom
Nellie had deserted for society and fashion.
| If his hand had but trembled little, as he
prasped hers masterfully, she might have again
INDUCED in some hippant speech, to prove that nc
had not conquered her; but the tears were toe
near for that.
He pointed out the varied beauties of the old
church.
al think you would like the parsonage-it il
not green,' he added, with half suppressed smile
"Frank," she said, implOringy.
"And when you there, it will be bower o.
roses" he added. "You will Gomez
What could she say? Nothing. Her eyes elo-
ouent with tears, did all the talking.
"Did you know Frank was going to preach thi'
morning?" she asked of Wentworth, as they drove
home.
"Of course" was the laconic reply.
"You might, at least, have prepared me-"
"Why! To keep you from going? And defer
if not prevent, this happy ending' Confess now
Nellie, you're tired of fashion and society"
She held out her hand
at am tired of it, and forgive you" she said
Glove is better than money, after all. And" sh'
added, enthusiastically, "there's not another mai
in the world so good as Frank Penrose."
Except Harry" said Agnes, nesting closer ul