The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-02-13
Better Late Than Never.

His name was John Holt and, more
over, he looked like his name, or like
the image which the sound of his name.
in musical ear, would call up in the
mind. Physically he was so well pro-
portioned that his weight could scarce.
ly be guessed, and so broad .ehouldered
that you had TO set him beside anothe,
man in order to realize his superior
height. His skin was fair and his eyes
blue, bnt the hair, which had been Tow.
coIored in his childhood, had deepeneG
to brown. John Hollis face was not
one of those which are called expressive,
-bQt wore, in repose, pretty nearly al
WaSsthe same look.
Mrs. Holt had large and valuable
farm Just on the borders of the town.
Streets had crept gradually about her
fields and surrounded them on three
sides ION the fourth woodlands stretched
back toward the east. Why she should
give the control Of this place to John,
instead of to one Of his sharper brothers,
was a puzzle even In her own mind.
The only reason she could give was that
John was steady and more likely to re-
main at home than the others were.
John was in love with pretty Nellie
Cramer, a neighbor's daughter ; but one
day when he started to tell her OF his
passion she stopped him short with a
laugh and "Nonsense, John !"
He never got angry with her. How
could he But sometimes shadow
would drop over his face, and he
wouldn't have much to say to her for
time. Then, when she went to him with
her coa1ing ways, and laid her little
hand on his arm, whispering:
"Now, don't be ve1ed, John; I like
you 80 much; but I don't want you to
talk nonsense" he would look down and
smile, though not very brightly, and
promise to try to avoid nonsense in the
future ending his promise with sigh.
"Dear me I do wish you wouldn't
sigh 80, John 7" the girl would say, pet
tishly. "It makes me feel melancholy
to hear you. One would think I had
done something dreadful to you"
Then John Holt would smile again,
still less brightly, and promise to try
not to sigh any more.
Such little scenes as this were mere
asides, however. Nellie usually paid
but little attention to John, being chiefly
occupied ia dancing, flirting and quar-
reling with his more snowy brother
Frank, or with any other gay fellow who
was 30 unfortunate as to be taken with
her pretty face. For Nellie was an in
corrigible Airt. It was only when she
had no one else to talk to, or wanted to
rique some other lover, or when she
wanted some real service, that she went
To John, who was sometimes pleased and
sometimes hurt to see that she came to
him only when she wanted help OF
advice.
"You are a sort OF grandfather, you
know" she said one day, giving his arn
soueezs. "I have an idea that you
are about seventy-fve years old. How
old are you, John?"
"I an only one-third of that" he
said, smiling. "I am only month past
tysptyfve."
fossible? Well, you must have
been very old when you was born. Be.
sides, twenty five is old to me. I am
only nineteen. Now you come and heal
my story and tell me what to do. I came
over here on purpose to see you.
John followed her obediently through
the garden and down to bench under
the shadow of the beech grove on the
lawn; and when she took her seat there
he leaned against the trunk of tree ano
waited, looking down on her.
"You see, Johp," she began, "I've
had an cffer."
John Holt was tanned that summer
bat through the BROWNIES one might
have seen faint blush rnn over hi
face. Nellie didr't see it, for she wal
looking down and rolling her apron tas
sells, very bright color in her Owl
face.
There was moments silence afte
this announcement, and seeing that h
was expected TO cay something, Joh1
presently said "Yes?'
"Oh, if you don't want to advise me
: Iwont trouble you," the girl flung ont
sising in pet.
"Come back. Nellie" he said, kind
ly. 81 am not crosss only tall me wha
you want"
She seated herself again with littl
quiyer in her lip.