Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-05-13
CHAPTER III.
NELLIE REMINGTON.

er Of different type of womanho d
from Bessie Boyd, the farmers daugh-
ter.
She was beautiful-fascinat ing. Her
long black hair hung in massey waves
down her back; her large, lustrous
raven eyes flashed from under heavy
long lashes. The contour of her face
was such as would at once win the eye
Of an artist, and make him covet .
sitting.
Her habiliments were always of a
quiet order, and deterierated from her
appearance rather than added to it..
They were almost shabby, and long
ego out of fashion. In all the quiet
little English sea coast village there
was not young lady who dressed so
oddly.
But her beauty caused the observer
to forget the fashion of her garments,
and drew all attention to her fea lures.
Her carriage was queenly as the
noble-woman, and she held her head as
high, when passing through the viii
lAge, as any of the wealthiest. OF this
girl the people of Woodstock knew lit
tie, and that little in reality amounted
to nothing.
Some few week before the opening of
our story, she had come hither with an
elderly, but still fine looking lady,
whom every one at once guessed to be
merts in an unpretentious house w hlch
ha'! been unoccupied for over a year.
He they dwelt, hermit-like, never
minsling with any of their neighbours,
ant when addressed by a passer by,
merely nodded and walked on. Mrs.
teh,.ugton had never been known to
peak to any one in the village. Bes-
~ however, met Nellie alone one day
a.a urged her to call and spend n
morning with her, which, after consid-
cradle hesitancy, she agreed to do.
Having redeemed her promise, Nellie
left Mr.. Boyd's without extending an
invitation to her new.found friend to
repay the visit.
Once or twice afterward sh visited
Bessie,. and then suddenly ceased COM
ing. She had not put in an appearance
for several days till the morning after
the terrible storm and shipwreck.
Bessie Boyd had incautiously re-
ferred to the strange solitude Of her
mother in the last conversation they
had held, and probably that startled
her. Such was Bessie's surmise now.
Upon leaving Mr.. Boyd's, on the
morning of the shipwreck, she started
for home.
"Yes,'' she unused, as she walked
along, lit must be a terrible thing to
lose the one you love! think should
die. too. II that happened to mel"
In ten minutes she came TO her home
"A plain, but neat appearing domi-
Gle at the foot of On overbanging cliff.
The storm had cleared entirely, and
the sun was beaming brightly upon thu
white particles clinging to the rock
and barren branches Of trees but Nell
lie Remington seemed not to notice
this as she pushed open the door and
entered the house.
'Motherlo she called, gently.
Mrs. Remington replied from an in
ner room.
.'IIere, Nell"
The voice was rather sweet, but
thick. as if choked, and caused The girl
to start.
She entered the dining-room hastily.
At a table sat the woman aho.tt " hon
all the village gossipped If >te had
always the color which was now IN
her cheeks, and the light which A. he'd
from her eyes, she cou d be cal cd beau
tifnl without exaggeration.
On the table at her hand was de-
rsnter.
oh, mother!'' exclaimed the girl,
with look of intense pain uton her
face oh, mother, what have you
doneg"
"Done, Nell," said Mrs Remington.
Nothing only enjoying my elf,
quietly
Nellie Renington's eyes flashed an
grilv.
Enjoying yourself? Rather say
yon have been destroying"
The woman laughed strange
laugh.
mot so. You don't know how to
take this life, Nell. Eat, drink and be
merry, for Tomorrow you '
'SIlence!' cried Nellie, ''you must
not speak like that"
Mrs. Remington, with an unsteady
hand, filled the glass she held from the
dscanter, and raised it to her Ups,
without deigning to notice the ter
ruption. But, before she coud drink
down it's contents, the glass was eat
spinning across the room. Itfeil np0n
the hearth and was shivered into
thousand atoms.s
"Can | not leave you moment,
mother? Must | always be at your
side?''
Now, Nell-now. Nell" said Mrs.
Remington, leaning back in her chair
and giving her daughter an angry
look "Be careful. You must not be
ippudent to your dear mother. IL any
one else had destroyed that fluid, l
should have been very angry, but, as
it's you, why forgive"
Nellie gave her mother a look-ah,
such sad, plying look, and knelt
down beside her at her very feet.
Hush, mother, dear. You don't
know v hat you are saying. You have
been doing again what you only yes.
terday promised you would net do.
Oh, if you would only keep your
word"
The tears burst from the poor girls
eyes rs she said this, and her whole
frame shook with the intensity of her
feelings. She clenched her fingers till
the nails made great dents in her
palms, in her effort to suppress the
emotion which consumed her, but it
was too intense TO be Quoted in a mo-
ment. Beyond doubt she had been
totally unprepared for this sight of o
mother Observation-Disclosures too drunk
to rise from the great armchair in
which she sat.
Mrs. .Remington's face changed, and
the look of defiance left it. She shifted
uneasily in her seat.