Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-10-01

offering her the position Of teacher where
she had boen 70 recently pupil. This mark
oi confidence In Nell's ability and acquire.
ments was complete surprise 10 Mrs. Dnies,
ana II seemed 10 her generous soul greater
reward than she deserved for the part she
had taken 10 shaping her course.
IL was At the close u the spring term that
this Oher came 10 Nell. 20 that she was ~
have vacation, which she very much need
ed' before she entered upon her new yOca-
tlon In tho early autumn. II was during
this vacation that Mrs. Dales was surprised
by receiving visit from our old ncquaint-
anoe, Mrs. Melton. IL was by no means a
pleasure TO Neil 20 again meet her old mis-
tress, whom she had not seen since she left
the iarm' seven years previous; she treated
her cOurteously, however, ~ she WAS bound
70 do any one who came 10 the home Of her
friend. That Mrs. Melton had grown de-
crepld, and wrlnkled, and gray, since they
last met, was evident at q glance, to Nell,
but II was also equally evident, ~ soon a.
she began 10 speak that her tongue had lost
none Of its sharpness.
:. La, me " she began, as soon az she had
laid aside her bonnet and WIS comfortably
seated In big easy chair which Mrs. Daet
had, with difficulty, induced her 10 accept
She wasn't used ter slch Things - ne
said.
"Sakes alive! How mast,r quaar things
do turn out In this world Here's our little
brown skinned Nell (staring at Nell through
her spectacles) bleached out nigh bout a.
white as pond-llly, and loOkin' fine ~ a
fiddle. An there's Nell Lynn, a shiftless,
drlnkln' spendthrlft, an his wife an young
ones lookin' like town charges II Nell Ony
knows enough nOw,' turning TO Mrs. Dales
who sat bv, "ter go on a-keepin' school an
laly up her money instead o. glttin' married,
she can byme-bye have q good home o. her
own, and not have any man to thank fort.
But, LOrd-a-massy, the fust thing yourl
know, it'll be all cut an dried that she's ter
marry some o. these 'ere teacher fellers l.
the head one o. the 'Cademy a married
manp she asked, looking straight at Nell.
Nell's stammered " No" was accompanied
by such vivid blush that Mrs. Melton burst
Into a loud laugh.
"Wall, WALL" she exclaimed, a. soon as
she could speak for laughing, as she turned
TO Mrs. Dales, "ef I ain I biz the nail on the
head this time, I'll miss my guess. Sure ~
peas an beans, that gal IS dead In love with
that feller Already"
''And well she may be-" said Mrs. Dales
with spirit, as ths door closed upon Neli's re-
treating figure, ''for she has been engaged TO
Mr.. Waite these three months. They would
have been married this summer, had not
advised her to teach for year or 30.
thought II would be good discipline for her,
and valuable experience in many respects
Mr. Waite is very estmable man some five
yeaT4 her senior, and am wholly satisfied
with her prospects. But, Nell Is worthy 70
he the wife Of the noblest Of men," and Mrs.
Dales looked straight into the black eyes Of
her law, with a curious expression.
Mrs. Melton evidently understood the mean
ing, for she answered disdainftllly:
II low you think so. Some folks are
alters master wall satisfied with the upshOl
o. their own dOin's."- WOmdR's journal.