The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-09-22
NELI.IE'S MISTAKE.

MlSIAhE.
Nellie Graham stood leaning aoainst
the easement OF an open window leading
Oh to sloping lawn, at whose base
flowed sunny, ripping stream Of wa
ter.
Near her, reclining OH low, easy
chair, sat young girl Of about her own
age.
At first glance the exquisite soul-love-
Illness of her face paled in Miss Graham's s
more brilliant beauty. but there was
moro to love it's possessor and fewer to
envy her.
Something like Indignation was in her
voice rs she addressed her friend.
IT cannot believe that you mean it,
Nellie" she said. "You have been en-
gagged to Cnrol Stanley d year, and how
can you say so carelessly that your en-
gagement shall be broken-"
beg pardon" interrupted the other,
III low ironical tones. II have not yet
been ongaged to Carol Stanley twenty
four hours. 1t was to Lord Carol Stan-
ley gave my pledge.
"Oh, but Nellie, because he has lost
title and estate, must he also lose the
woman of his love? Think minute
You surely will not give him up 80
easily? Think better of it, dear. I
know you care for him. Do not so
lightly renounce your life's happiness. "
''You plead his cause eloqucntly, my
dear. Really did not know I possessed
rival i'll my fair cousin. Perhaps q
heart caught in the rebound. You know
the rest of course, and can point the
moral"
"Nellie, you are cruol-cruel /"
But the late speaker had passed
through the open window out of hear
ing, and advanced to meet man quick
y approaching on the green sward,
while the young girl left behind fell
back in her chair, the great tears cours-
ing down hor checks, on which the GRIM
son color signal famed.
'I must leave this place. I cannot
meet him again. must go home But,
oh how can she give him up p
Myra Lynne and Nellie Graham were
cousins. The girls, however, had been
closely united, more by the tic of friend
ship than cousinship, since the latter
was n distant bond, and Graham Court
was almost as much Myra's home rs her
own.
Now, however, the palmer charms of
her own humble home were very CRATE
full to her.
Here no one could probe tho discovery
80 new to hersclf-could trace the scar
let blush which seemed so often to burn
her cheek, until she wondered that it
did not leave its brand.
She had been home six weeks, and
twice Carol Stanley had ridden over to
see her, but she always denied herself
to him Oh some household pretcxt, un-
til one morning he overlook her in the
road.
$50 I nm to find you at last, he said.
His voice sounded the same as of old,
the bright CHEEKY tone was unchanged.
"Hava You seen Nellie lately ?" she at
last found courage at ask.
"No," he answered, and then she saw
tho frown gather on his brow, and nj
expression of pain come about his lips.
81 soc as little Of your cousin rs posi-
bic now. You know, Miss Lynne, ]
an no longer n subject for congratula
tion."
eyes, I kl.ow," she said. "J---"
"Don't pity me-, he interrupted. 81
can't bear that quite yet"
'I drd not mean to pity you," she re
Piled.
And then tho conversation drifted into
other channels.
ooh, if Nellie had not spoken Of tho
heart caught i'll the rebound p she
thought, when weole after week Caro-
Stanley would find his way to their gar
den, or the parlor, to spend long hour.
with it's fair young mistress.
She understood so we'll why he came
because now and then Ncllic's nnmt
drifted into the idle talk, and because q.
he grew stronger he dared speak of hel
and tho love hc had borne her.
1t was mingled pain and pleasure t.
listen.
IF only she had not learned her owl
heart, tho pain would have becn less.