The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-03-10
LEARNING A LESSON.


William Young, in -4ppteton's Journal.
LEARNING A LESSON.
CHAPTER I.
"Oh, what have I done! What have
I done" exclaimed Nellie, under her
breath, as sad and dismayed she hur.
ried no the garden path. "He will
never be kind to me any more. How
could have said SUCH a thing?"
And her hands trembled so that she
could scarcely lift the latch of the old
fashioned door. and she turned away to
quiet herself little before going in.
The garden was lovely and luxuriant,
and heavy dews, weighing down the
heads of all the beautiful blossoms
made it still more lovely in the calm
clear light of the moon which shown
80 brightly overhead. But with a sigh
Nellie crept out of the glory of silver
ligh,, and paced to and fro beneath q
row OF rugged elms, whose far-spreading
branches cast a afretwork Of shadow over
the fowery borders and neatly gravel
ed paths below.
Nellie glanced up at the rambling old
farmhouse which had been her home
for so many years. How she loved it,
Every nook and corner that it contained
was dear to her.
II have it, and all in it, left to me,
she said. in soft, sad tone; land dear
father and mother, too. A happy, happy
home it has always been, and / AM
thankful for it! But, oh, Edward. how
could you be 80 unkind? Oh! how
could you?"
She listened, fancying she could hear
haps she might have done 50.
With lofty looks and disdainful curve
of his rather thin lips, he was on his
way home along the winding lanes. H.
was a man of five-and-th thirty, while Mel
lie was scarcely twenty. She was sim
pie and innocent as a child; but he had
learned many lesson in the school OF
lifetere this. Yet another was in store
for him, and probably another and
another - for while we live we must
learn; and we will learn-so foolish arc
vein the most costly and laborious
way, for the most part. Experience
keeps a dear school," says the proverb,
"but fools will 90 TO no other"
And are we not all fools until hard
and inexorable experience has knocked
and kneaded wisdom into usp And one
lesson which, Edward Melville prided
himself on having learned was the value
of money. He was a bachelor, and &c
he made up his mind he would remain
until he could find q woman with
money who would be his wife. H.
himself was country doctor, and, with
n very small and not increasing practice,
it would never do to marry and have
nothing but that to depend upon, he
told himself.
He had generally escorted Nellie to
her own door, after their evening walks
but this evening he had left her just out
side the gate. He was her aunt's step.
son. She had known him all her young
life, and had always called him
Cousin Edward. all unsuspicious of the
feeling which was steadily gathering
strength within her. heart, till this even
ing. And Edward ytor his part, had al.
ways treated her as mere child.
"A glorious night" he murmued, a.
he leisurely pursued his way; and as hs
looked round at hamlet and trees, and
wayside brook, and picturesque farm
houses dotted here and there, all sleep
ing in the moonlight, the disdainfu
curve left his lips, and pride and hau
teur smoothed themselves away from
his brow.
Poor little Nellie!" he said again
with something like complacent smile
II suppose, then, that she cares little
more for me than I deserve. It is :
great bore, for, of course, it is out O
the question that I should-that
could >"
He paused, and began humming ,
tune, and switching the dew-ladel
hedges with his walking.cane.
NO." he presently recommended
lone must have enough to be comforta
bile. And Nellie has got nothing. and
have got next to nothing. One ma,
put up with the want of little senti
ment, should imagine, If one has tol
cradle settlement in life. At all event
] mean to try it."
CHAPTER II.
"Ycu will 60 to meet Miss Bassett,
suppose, Neliep" inquired her mother
"Oh, yes, mother. Edward wa
good enough to say that he would driv
me to the station in his dog-cart; he vii
bring Us both home, too. He says tina
rich young lady like Miss Bassett vii
not care to walk mile, even along ou
lovely lanes. he is sure"
Perhaps there was the slightest under
tone of sarcasm in Nellie's voice, TO
her mother glanced at her IS if in sur
prise without replying.
Edward had given Nellie, bit by bit
and with a good deal of tact, bis idea
upon the subject of money, and of tn
comfort to be derived from proper Us
O: it. .Outwardly t.e two were as goo
friends as ever. At heart, however, b
was carefully on his guard while Nellie
tender, and gentle-natured though sh
was, could not help slightly despisin
him.
Miss Bassett was an old school-fello1
Of Nellie's and great heiress, and SD
had taken fancy to spend the remain
der of the summer in the old tumble
down farmhouse which Nellie calle
home.
Edward was very attentive, even spt
cially kind to Nellie, on their way
the station. and her heart went out t
him again.
"Ifonly had not said that to him,
she thought. as the dog-eart stoppe
and be carefully lifted her out: I"
hope-oh, / do hope that he may forge
it." .'...~- .-
The train ran in. There was, prett
';racie Bassett's face at first-class cal
riage window, and in o few minutes 81
was seated in the dog.cart beside Et
ward, chatting to. and laughing wit
him as if she had known him ft
years, and Nellie had taken the seat b
hind. And that was not the only ever
ing they spent in chatting and laughing
Nellie and her father and :llother-a
three, and many of the neighbors besid
soon saw what it would come to. An
Nellie grew older and grayer day
day. But as yet she kept her ow
secret. and she hoped more and mo-
that Edward had forgotten her foolisl
thoughtless words on a certain mool
81