Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-04-22

UJluR III vain w hlnle ucl sOus' uiu
love him dearly. and | don't care who
knows it! And you are cruel, heartless
creature, that you are, Ruth Forrest, to
suppose that didn't"
Then why in the name of common
sense, Nell, did you send him to the right
about so summarily?"
"0h, dear, how stupid you are, Ruth!
Don't you see | had to, after what I'd
saidP ! know | shall die, but | don't
care; wish | was dead this minute, for
what's the good of living if I'm never to
see Tom agaln2"
And, with this final summing up of her
woes, Nellie ran up to her room, threw
herself on the bed and cried herself to
raging sick headache, not uncommon
sequence to girlish sorrows, petulance and
penitence, such as Miss Nell was most
Justly suffering from.
A week went by, but Tom did not come.
Nellie hoped and waited, and secretly
thought he might write, or in some way
give her an opportunity Of making up
their absurd quarrel, but Mr.. Chandos did
nothing of the sort.
His exasperating silence aroused her
pride, and she declared she would go
home the very next day, just to show him
that she was not breaking her heart about
him by any manner Of means.
"But you intended to spend the sum
mer with me, and it's not half gone yet
What will people say?" | remarked, pre-
tending TO be nightly surprised,
81 can't help what people say. I'm
not going to remain here, and allow
Mr.. Chandos to think I'm pining for his
return"
"0h, nobody would suppose that, Nell;
least of all Mr.. Chandos. He has given
you up, | dare say, and troubles himself
very little about you, one way or the
other"
"Indeed! You are very wise, Miss
Forrest; and now | will go home, since
you presume to know Toms thoughts so
intimately well" replied Nell, with great
dignity.
The above conversation took place while
we were on our way to visit poor woman
who was quite Ill, and whose husband had
recently died of consumption, leaving her
entirely destitute, with three children to
support, and not friend or relative in
the whole wide world.
We found Mrs. Hammond much better,
though still very pale and weak; and, sit
ting beside the he'd, attentively listening
to the poor widows tale of want and suf-
fering, was handsome, gay, careless Tom
Chandos.
Nellie's face grew crimson, and the hot
tears sprung unbidden to her eyes, but
Tom did not seem to notice her confusion.
He bowed politely and arose to 60, but
detained him.
"Well, really, Mr.. Chandos, this does
surprise me; for, of all the places under
the sun, this is the very last where | d
ever thought Of meeting you"
That's because you believe me thor
oughly selfish, and SO am as general
thing; but Mrs. Hammond has no small
claim on my benevolCnce, and came TO
do what could for her in her present sore
distress"
"Claim! Why, how can that be? |
don't understand you at all, Mr.. Chan
dos"
Perhaps not, but there is nothing SC
strange about it. Mrs. Hammond's hu3'
band, whom never saw, was a miserable
Mason, which explains the reason of my
being here and sinks me still lower in the
estimation Of at least one fair lady, fee
quite sure" he sald glancing roguish!v a
Nellie.
"Oh. please, Tom, don't say anothe
wordl" she sobbed. at isn't that | wan
to be restored to my old place in you
heart-I dare not hope so much-but onl!
to be forgiven, and then 90 home and die
for | am hateful, silly, wilful littl
plague, ana no good to anybody, and II
, lust as lief be dead as mott"
The trembling hand she timdly helC
out was quickly put aside. Tom caugh
her in his arms, and kissed her half
dozen times, regardless of the astOnlsh
ment of good Mrs. Hammond and tn
gaping wonder of the three little Ham
monds.
81 began to think you did not love m
one bit," she said, smiling through he
tears.
"Well, must confess did not take j
much to heart" replied Tom, with th
utmost assurance. Because, you see
Miss Nell, | knew you better than yo
: knew yourself, and felt confident of win
ming you, despite your solemn assevera
ton never to marry Mason"
"0h, you didP And !, like simplcton
Z, crying my eyes out and breaking my hear
all for nothlag. I'll never do it again
Tom-never, as long as | live!"
= 81 hope not, dear; for hope you wi
e never again lose your temper for such
, trihe," he answered, very gravely.
"No, Tom; only | do like to have m
i own way"
"Yes, am quite convinced OF that, br
n you must learn to bow gracefully to th
J. inevitable, for you are fated to marry
= Mason"
r 81 know; but wouldn't, Tom, if 20
G hadn't happened to be the Mason. "
Unanswerable argument Tom said n
p more.