The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-02-25
NATHANIEL Hollis IDOL.

The fute.like voice that uttered this
pettish exclamation broke through the
fragrant stiffness of the autumnal even.
ing Like Earring chord in some exquis.
tie melody, and Nathaniel Holt looked
up from his paper with slight frown
on his bronzed, handsome face. 49,.
He was tired, very tired, after day
of hard labor on his mountain lands
and had thrown, himself into 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. v
For Elsie Marian was not one given
to unusual exertion,. and generally man.
aged to secure the good things of this
world with as much ease as was possible
or consistent with her position as de.
pendent niece in the home of her
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 6
wreath, her dead-gold hair falling about
a face as fair as any lily that lifted its
spotless brow to the opal sky, and nc
violet that ever blossomed in the COO
tufts of meadow grass beyond the viii
I1r1 IL 4. 81
eyes she lifted to Nathaniel Hollis
troubled face.
He stood over her, bis hands folded
on his back, and his broad, bronzed
brow flushed q little 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 tired you ?" .- y
Nothing" /"
"You were once contented, happy
girl, Elsie; what has changed you 2"
Nothing" She spoke listiessly, YET
faint, sea-shell 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 al
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 80, fol
this young girl had been his idol fol
years.
II am not changed" Elsie tried tc
steady her voice. I am the same o-day
that 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 tn,
little hands, and held the slender finger
in his own.
II am not jealous, Elsie. You do no
seem contented of late; you are alway
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, I have grown
80 used to your tender, watchful love
Elsie, it would be hard to give it up
And I have thought that you had grow
tired of me, and had given your low
to Lewis Walton, who seems q NOR
fitting mate"
"a divorced man, Nathaniel" Elsi
cried lifting her eyebrows slightly
although her cheeks were dyed will
burning bushes and her lips tremble'
nervously.
"A divorced man, repeated Nathaniel
looking her full in the face. eyes
Elsie, there is danger of you forgetting
me through him, for he is more pol
ished, more fascinating man; yet, Elsie
dear, he is as unstable as the wind
and not calculated to make any woman
happy"
ble," broke out Elsie, whose conscienc
was not as easy as it might have beer
Vucu SaVe Ivy PROMISE tOUo you
wife, I meant to keep it," , y,.
Nathaniel Holt drew the golden hea
down to his breast and breathed silen
prayer over it,; for Elsie was woman
with beautiful woman's love of tn
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 Aattel
ing speeches.. ~ T. = .@,..
Remember this, Elsie" he said, so,
emnly;" what God has joined togethe:
let no man put asunder,' and, althoug
the law has separated Lewis Walto
and his wife, in the sight of God she
his wife STILL -..-- ...
"There"- lifted her face sue
denly, and held up her lips for kiss
shat will do. I must 60 in to Aun
Eunice." @
Nathaniel Holt kissed the lovely fac,
not once, but many times, and year
after those passionate kisses were re
membered with keenest pain. Elsi
slipped away from him and ran into til
house, and Nathaniel, silenced but nc
aag