The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-03-03
NATHANIEL Hollis IDOL.
BY OLIVE BELL.

exclamation broke through the fragrant
stiffness of the autumnal evening, like jar
ring chord in some exquisite melody, and
Nathaniel Holt looked up from his paper
with a slight frown on his bronzed, hand
some face.
He was tired, very tired, after day of
hard labor on his mountain lands, and had
thrown himself into a great easy chair OF
his mothers, on the south porch, for mo-
ment's rest; and he could not understand
how the speaker, tall, supple girl with
hands as white as milk, who passed her time
in comparative idleness, could be tired
For Elsie Marian was not one given to
unusual exertion and generally managed to
secure the good things of this world with
as much ease as was possible or con-
sistent with her position dependent
niece in the home of her mothers sister, Ma
thaniel Hollis aged mother, who simply ador-
ed the bright young girl who had brought
sunshine into her old house, and whose help
less orphanage covered many serious faults.
At this moment Elsie was seated on gar
den stool, half hidden by the dropping
boughs of willow, laboriously attempting
to twist tiny lunches of dogwOod berries and
autumn leaves into wreath, her dead gold
hair falling abouta face as fair as any lily that
lifted its spotless brow to the opal sky, and
no violet that ever blossomed in the cool
tufts of meadow grass beyond the willow
copse was as blue as the modest eyes she lifted
to Nathaniel Hollis troubled face.
He stood over her, his hands folded on his
back, and his broad, eronzed brow flushed a
lite with some sudden inward emotion
Elsie" he began, the brown eyes that
she dared not meet searching the face that
dropped beneath his gaze, "what has tried
your
s'Nothing."
''You were once contented. happy girl,
Elsie; what has changed your
Nothing, she spoke listlessly, yet faint,
sea shell pink crept into the round, soft
cheeks and up to the roots of golden hair
"Yes, Elsie, something has changed you
YOU are the same and yet not the same.
You have lost your blitheness, you do not
come to me with kind words, as you once
did, Elsie, and charm all my cares away.
Tell me why?"
Nathaniel Holt sat down on the grass at
his cousins feet, and watched the color come
and go in the face above him. He was terri
bly, in earnest, this, sober, self-cOntained man
of 80. for this young girl had been his idol
for wears. Alas! that he should one day
own that he had forgotten his Creator in his
blind worship of the creature.
81 am cot changed" Elsie tried to steady
her voice. 81 am the same to-day that /
have been every day for years. You know
I'm twenty, and L must try and be wo-
manly"
HAS Lewis Walton anything to do with
the change, Elsie?"
Elsie's face blushed crimson, vet she
laughed merrily.
NO. You are surely not jealous, Nath-
aniel?"
It was NathaniePs turn to blush now
which he did to perfection. For answer, he
drew the dogwood berries out of the little
hands, and held the slender fingers in hi;
own.
Il am not Jealous, Elsie; but you do not
seem contented of late-you are Away;
tired. YOU never run up the mountain-patf
to meet me- or take long rambles in the
woodland. so as to be near me, as you once
did. You see, have grown so used to YOU
tender, watchful love, Elsie, 1t would b
hard to give it up. And | have thought
that you had grown tired of me, and hac
given your love to Lewis Walton, who
seems more fitting mate"
A divorced man Nathaniel" Elsie cried
lifting her eyebrows slightly, although he
cheeks were dyed with burning bushes anC
her lips trembled nervously.
"a divorced man." repeated Nathaniel
hooking her full in the full in the face; Eyes
Elsie, there is danger of you forgetting M
through him, for he is more polished, NOR
fascinating man; yet, Elsie, dear, he Is un
stable as the wind, and not calculated to MAX
any woman happy
His divorced wife was confirmed dirt,
Elsie says, dreamily, drawing her HARD
away from NathaniePs strong clasp, AIT
gazing out at a scarlet rift in bank of orang
Clouds that overhung the western hills.
'.His wife was too good for him, Elsie
Take warning and do not listen to hi
sophistries, for, believe me he Is not worth
good woman's esteem.
"You must think me very impossible,
broke out Elsie whose conscience was not a
It might have been; ''when / gave my prom
Use TO be your wife, meant to keep it.
Nathaniel Holt drew the golden head dow
To his breast and breathed silent praye
over it. For Elsie wss woman, with
beautiful woman's love of the worlds follie
and adulation, and he knew enough Of Lew
Walton's character to know the arguments b
would use, and that be would not be sparin
of hattering speeches.
'.Remember this. Elsie" he says soleml,
'.what God hath joined together, let no ma
nut asunder; and although the law has seps
rated Lewis Walton and his wife, in the sigh
of God she is his wife still"
There" Elsie lifted her face suddenl.
and held up her lips for kiss, "that will d.
must 90 into Aunt EuDice."