The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-01-30
Nathaniel Hollis Idol.

- Am 50 tired,
The tlute-hke voice that uttered hi,
pettish exclamation broke through the
fragrant stiffness uf the autumnal even
ing, like II iarring chord III some rXuuis-
tie melody, and Nathaniel Holt looked
up from his paper with slight fr"wl ON
his hronzed, h.mdspm" face.
Hc Was tired. very tired, after Il day or
hard labor on his mountain lm!d>, AMI
had thrown himself INTO II great ,i,.y
chair ui his mothers, uu III" south y rch.
Tor moment = rest: .ud Ia could not
uuders land how ia" speaker, It tai, sup
pie girl. with hands a. white a. milk,
who passed her i'm" III comparative I'LL
Hess, could br tired.
For Elsie Marian was not one given
unusual rArrtlOm, and gen rally managed
To secure the Z ud Things Of this world
with a. much v3.so as Was p"asihir or cDn-
sistent With her position rs dependent
niece in the nom" of her mothers sister,
NatLuni,l Holt aged mother, who sim
ply adured the bright youu" girl who
had brought sunslin" into her Old house,
and whose helpless Urphnnugr covered
many serious faults.
Al this moment Elsie was seated on II
garden stool, half hidden by the droop-
ing houghs al a willow, labOriously
attempting t. twist tiny punches of dog
wood berries and autumn leaves into n
wreath, lr.r dead gold hair falling about
her lac, as liir q. .ny lily that lifted its
spotless brow 10 he up.l sky, aud no vio-
lei flat ever hl"~,om"l in the cool tufts
al meadow grt-s hs.youd the willow cOpsc
I a a I
10 Nathaniel liult's II uhicd face.
He stood over her, his hands folded on
his back, and lis broad, brcnzcd brow
flushed u it'll, with snInc sudden inward
emotion.
"Elsic," hr began, the brown eyes
that she dared not meet searching the
fuce that trapped beneath his gaze,
"what ID tr,d yUu:'
"Nothu ..
"You were once II contcntcd, happy
girl, Elsie; what has changed you?"
"Nuthing, she spoke llstlcssly, yet II
faint, -ea-shcll pink crrpt into the round
soft checks and up 10 the roots ui golden
hair.
Yes, Elsie, something has changed
youl--you are the same, and yet not the
same You have lost your blithencss; You
do not come 10 III" with kind words, AZ
YOU once did, Elsie, and charm all my
cares away Tel me Why"
Nathaniel Holt sat down on the grass
nj his cousins feet and watched the color
come and 90 in the face above him. He
was terribly III earnest, this sober, self
contained man Of thirty, for this young
girl had been his Idol for wears.
81 Am not changed" Elsie tried to
steady ar voice. II AIN the same TO
day that have been every day for years
You know I'm twenty, and 1 must try
and be- wOmmly."
elias Lewis Walton anything to do
with the change"
Elsic's fucc blushcd crimson, vet she
laughed mcrrily.
"NO. You surely are not jealous,
Nathaniel?'
1t was Nathnnicls turn to blush now,
which hc did to perfection. For answer
he drew the dngwood berries out OF the
little hands, and held the slender fingers
in his own.
81 am not Jealous, Elsic; you do not
seem contcItcd Of latc--you arc always
tired, You never run up the mountain
path to meet me, or take long ritInblcs in
the woodland, Is" as to he near me, rs You
once did. You see, ] hnv" grown so
used 10 your tender, watchful love, Elsie,
il would be lard to give it up And ]
have thought that you had grown tired
Of me, and had given Your love 10 Lewis
Walton, who seems more fitting
mate
"a divorced man, Nathaniel" Elsie
cried, lifting her eyebrows slightly,
although her checks were dyed with
burning bushes and her lips trcmbled
nervously.
"A divorced man." repeated Nathan
iel, looking her full i'll the face; "ycs,
Elsie, there is danger of you forgetting
me through him, for hc is n more polish
ed, more fascinating man; yet, Elsie,
dear, as unstable rs the wind, and not
calculated to make any woman happy"
lyon must think me very impressi-
bic" broke ont Elsie, whose conscience
was not az easy rs it might have been,
"When j gave my promise to DE your
wife, meant to keep ii. :"
Nathaniel Holt drew the golden head
down TO his breast and brcathed a silent
prayer over il. For Elsie was woman,
with n beautiful woman's love OF the
worlds follicS and adulatiOn, and he knew
enough Of Lewis Walton's character 10
know the arguments he would use, and
that lac would not be sparing of tlattering
speeches.
Remember this, Elsie" he says SOL
EMMY, "What God hath joined together
let no man put asunder; aud although the
law has separated Lewis Walton and his
wife, in the sight of God she is his wife
still"
"There," Elsie lifted her face sudden.
", and held up her lips for kiss, "thai
will do. / must go in TO Aunt Eunice.'
Nathaniel Holt kissed the lovely face
not once, but many times; and years
afterward those passionate kisses were re
membered with keenest pain. Elsi,