Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-26
NATHANIEL HOLTS IDOL.

ing like Earring chord in some exquis-
tie melody, and Nathaniel Holt looked
up from his paper with a slight frown
on his bronzed, handsome 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 moments 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 man
aged to secure the good things Of this
world with IS much ease as was possible
or consistent with her position as de-
mothers sister, Nathaniel Hollis aged
mother, who simply adored the bright
young girl who had brought sunshine
into her old house, and whose helpless
orphanage covered many serious faults.
At this moment Elsie was seated on q
garden stool, half hidden by the droop-
ing boughs of a willow, laboriously at
tempting to twist tiny punches OF dog
wood berries and autumn leaves into a
wreath, her dead-gold hair falling about
a 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 viii
low copse was as blue as the modest
eyes she lifted to Nathaniel Hollis
troubled face.
He stood over her, bis hands folded
On his back, and his broad, bronzed
brow flushed little with some sudden
inward emotion.
"EIsie," he began, the brown eyes
that she dared not meet searching the
face that dropped beneath his gaze,
"what has tired you ?"
Nothing"
"You were once a contented, happy
girl, Elsie; what has changed you ?"
Nothing" She spoke istlessly, yet
faint, sea-shen pink crept into the
round, soft cheeks and up TO the roots
of golden hair.
eyes, 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 terribly in earnest, this
sober, self-contained man of 30, for
this young girl had been his idol for
years.
1T am not changed" Elsie tried to
steady her voice. " I am the same to-day
that I have been every day for years
You know I am 20, and I must try
and be womanly."
"Has Lewis Walton anything to dc
with the change, Elsie ?"
Elsie's face blushed crimson, yet she
laughed merrily.
"No. You surely are not jealous,
Nathaniel ?"
It was Nathaniel's 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 his own.
81 am not jealous, Elsie. You do no.
seem contented of late; you are always
tired; you never run up the mountain
path to meet me, or take long ramble'
in the woodland, so as to be near me
as you once did. You see, have grown
so used to your tender, watchful love
Elsie, it would be hard to give it up
And I have thought that you had grown
tired of me, and had given your low
to Lewis Walton, who seems a NOR
fitting mate"
"A divorced man, Nathaniel" Elsi
cried lifting her eyebrows slightly
although her cheeks were dyed wit
burning bushes and her lips tremble'
nervouslv.
GA divorced man" repeated Nathanie
looking her full in the face. "YeG
Elsie, there is danger of you forgettin
me through him, for he is q more Pc!
ished, more fascinating man; yet, Elsie
dear, he is as unstable as the -winC
and not calculated to make any Woma
happy"
"You must think me very impress
BILE" broke out Elsie, whose conscienc
was not as easy as it might have beer
When I gave my promise tobe you
wife, meant to keep it"
Nathaniel Holt drew the golden hea
down to his breast and breathed sileI
prayer over it; for Elsie was q woman
with a beautiful woman's love of th
worlds follies and adulation and he kne
enough of Lewis Walton's character
know the arguments he would use, an
that he would not be sparing of fatte
ing speeches.
Remember this, Elsie" he said, so
EMMY; what God has joined togethe
let no man put asunder,' and, althoug
the law has separated Lewis Waite
and his wife, in the sight of God she
his wife still"
"There"-Elsie lifted her face SUI
denly, and held up her lips for kiss
"that will do. I must 60 in to Aul
Eunice."
Nathaniel Holt kissed the lovely fac
not once, but many times, and yea
after those passionate kisses were +
membered with keenest pain. Els
slipped away from him and ran into Il
house, and Nathaniel, silenced but n
convinced, sat perfectly still, and tri,
to reason away his fears, with KNIT,
brows.
After that life went on much as usu
at the Holt farm. Elsie was to becor
it's mistress at Christmas, and her Au
Eunice was very busy over the expect
wedding. She loved Elsie with mot
er's love already, and Nathaniel, as t
autumnal months drifted by, grew