The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-04-11
Perhaps he will object" pleaded

Nellie.
@No, no." I exclaimed, lit will please
me very much-and-I will feel highly
honored to be allowed to address you
by your Christian name"
"Pshaw, Tom! it'll please her. Wonr
il, Nell?"
She laughed and gave me bewitch
ing look accompanied with nod.
Il was going to say" said Nellie
that perhaps you could sing with me-
mo, no; excuse me, can't sing
Nellie"
The word was uttered with q gasp
and certainly turned violently red In
the face. Joe was looking at me, and
l saw he had desperate struggle to
control the muscles of his mouth.
l was indeed fond of music, but was
entranced with her magnificent voice
The evening passed on golden wings
Joe ran on in his wild old way; told his
jokes and laughed just as boisterously
as he did when we roomed together at
college. He did not give us much
chance to join in the conversation; for
one comic anecdote reminded him of
another which he must tell. We both
laughed heartily ut his stories, and
talked volumes to each other with cur
eyes.
That night / dreamed I loved Nellie.
ooh, truthful DREAMY I dreamed she
reciprocated that love. ooh, vain
dream Then dreamed intrigue be-
gan. We determined to elope. My
heart bled for poor Joe, but l felt it was
death to live without her. Now she
has met me under the old elm south of
Joe's house. see her pale, excited
face! l feel her nervous hand clasping
mine! Now we are fleeing! On, on,
and now we are pursued Joe is on
our track! The scene changes, and we
are on the river. We glide along
smoothly in light boat. Now we are
safe, and she is mine-mine forever
But no, Joe still pursues us. Now he
is close to us. Why cannot we glide
faster? Joe approaches swiftly. Now
he closes in on us. He has caught her
in his cruel grasp. Her beautiful plead
ing eyes are raised to mine. Joe raises
a knife aloft. Then I catch his arm \:
we struggle silently together. I wrest
the knife from his grasp and plunge it
into his breast, and he drops from the
misty boat and sinks beneath the dark
waves. How dark the river has grown
by the pale light of the moon! The
gaunt and CHASTITY figure of Mr.. Long
emerged from the waves. 1 |
saw him catch my darling in his long
arms, and, before I could interfere,
they had both disappeared beneath the
turbid waves of the river. This awoke
me. arose and resumed my wearing
apparel, bathed my feverish face, and
vent forth into the air to try and exor-
use the evil spirits with a fragrant Ha-
7ana.
By the ensuing morning my dream
lad ceased to trouble me, but the reality
II things did not cease. There was
Nellle before me in all her beauty, all
Ter sweetness, to tempt me on to love
Ter. There was Joe, with all his ex-
Iberance of spirit, and as unsuspicious
S child to tempt me Oh to love. He
eemed to do all in his power to bring
IS together. He often lured MS into in
eresting conversation, or managed to
ct us engaged in singing and playing, j
nd then leave us alone for hours. Days
assed away and lapsed into weeks; in ,
hese weeks l was almost the constant Z
of Nellie Hall. We were '
ut boating, riding, and to innumerable g
and entertainments, all through Y
he suggestion and planning Of Joe. I O
lit and knew well the danger; I was C
scinated at first-now I was irretriev- h
ply in love. The thought of breaking e
way from this charming creature G
used me pain like unto death. L re- g
lived to leave. No matter what it d
'st me, the only honorable course for K
e to pursue was to return to the city d
I'd forget-no, not forget, for never b
uld l forget the only woman 1 ever 8,
we'd or could love. n
Joe was absent on the day arrived N
this determination. ALI the better. Il
thought; it would be easier to get a,
'ay. proceeded to pack up and get SC
ady to go on the evening train. I no. 70
ed, during the process of packing. o,
at the long body of Long was over b,
allowing me. He seemed determined
to let anything escape his observa- 80
N. AT length, when 1 had finished OF
work, he approached me. HIS long OF
n was raised to his breast pocket, and OF
I'M thence he distracted a letter. 90
ich he handed me. / tore it open: il Of
s from Joe, and read: mr.
'homas Thurston, you are a traitor I no mr.
ger doubt your perfdy. Long has watched 10,
and Nellie closely. 1t is useless to denv Jo'
II intention of clipping with her. demand
sfactlon, and 1t can only be had from your pl,
rus blood. Meet me on the river bank. and. on,
The light OF the moon and in the presence of -.
Y, we will settle our differences JOE. ";
looked up. Long had disappeared, Al
in his place stood Nellie. an
Why, Tom, you're not going to leave ed
are your" she asked.
thought she addressed me in tone brl
regret. 1 looked in her bright ewes OIL
UGH beautiful, loving eyesl How no
Id L pain her? How could I drive Gle
blood from her cheeks and the light gr'
n her eyes by showing her Joe's let sill
and telling her all? She came very ~
to me, and said, coaxingly: Tor
Don't go, Tom; 1 will be so lonely en-
3 now" we
l cannot stay, Nell. regret having -: -
leave you'-my words came fast and f fnc
ost inarticulately. / ought to be i a,
ny way now, and can only stay long III is