Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-11-03

Of its bright bloom. We had long
talk, TIL she grew frightened at being
missed, and hurried away, but not be-
fore she had promised to go with me to
Italy.
The artist stopped here with sigh,
and then, looking at jamie, said, with a
smile
"You think she was wrong?'
"Oh, II don't know Please tell
me the rest"
"Ah, you do think it wrong, and SO
did Nellie; but, when l put it all be fore
her, she could not say me nay; and we
settled that she sould come to my cous-
ms house in London, be married from
there, and then 60 straight to Italy.
She took one of the servants into her
contidence-it was necessary to do that
and on the day appointed she left the
house just at dawn--left it, as she
thought, for years. | was waiting for
her in the park; and we walked across
the moor to catch the first train at Ry.
lands, and so reached London by s
o'clock. Fancy, darling, what . walk
that was for her, leaving her home like
a criminal, expecting every moment to
hear the sound of her fathers angry
voice behind her But we got safely to
the station and started on our journey
without having seen face that we
knew. Once in London, Nellie's spirits
rose. and she felt safer when my dear
old cousin Anna--whom you most love,
Janie-received her with eager well
come. We had some breakfast, or
rather drank some coffee, for we could
not touch any Of the dainty eatables
provided for us, and then Nellie chang
ed her dress for something more fit for
her Notwithstanding very quiet and
simple-and we drove to the church.
| have no clear idea of anything hap
pening till we stood together at the
caancel-rails and | took her hand in
mine and felt that all our troubles were
over. But it was too soon to feel Sc
cure, for, just as the clergyman began
the service, he was interrupted by has
ty footsteps entering the church and a
loud voice raised to forbid the mar
riage. 1t was Nellie's father, and
behind him was Mr.. Scott, with smile
on his face which told me that had to
thank him for discovering our plans.
They took her away from me, scarcely
gran ing a moment to say goodbye.
But that moment was enough for me
to remind her that two years more
would give her power to act for herself.
claimed no promise of faithfulness,
for knew that / could trust her. They
took her away: | could do nothing"
ooh, how cruel How could you bear
! to"
| 81 don't know. 1t was like being
stunned by a heavy blow; for time
the sense of pain was crushed out by
the shock But the cruelest experience
of all was that | could not hear word
of her. wrote again and again, but
your father was in India, and her other
brothers were but boys, and there was
no one to take my part. She was
watched continually; some old bag in
Mr.. SCOTS pay was with her always.
Pity her, jamie, spending the long,
dreary days here where you nave been
so happy. She spent hours in the gar
den, l heard afterward, tending her
flowers, till she grew to- weak TO do
anything but lie on the sofa by the
window and look at the sky | was in
Italy, making home for her. 1t was
so bright and tasteful; all the little
things | knew she liked l gathered to-
gether, and was almost happy in the
work The two years passed, and / got
the few weeks holiday had bargained
for, and started to bring her home. !
could not sleep, l could not rest; a
feverish anxiety had seized me; and l
travelled night and day till Rylands was
reached, and only mile or two parted
us. | could not ask after her-some-
thing checked my speech-and start
ed off to walk once more across the
moor. You know the way, jamie
oyer the moor, down the long meadow
to the bridge, and through the church
yard. 1t was sunny evening, and as
| crossed between the graves the sun
light shone whitest on a white cross
just off the path. You know it, jamie,
it was quite new then, and the letters
were freshly cut. | read them at a
glance--Nellie's name She had died
a month before"
jamie could not bear to hear any
more; her tears had long been running
silently down her cheeks, and now her
composure broke down altogether
Don't = don't cry so, my jamie.
Dear Nellie has been all these years in
heaven, and you have come to make it
all up to me. But you can understand
now why on that first evening your
eyes had such charm for me-the
only eyes | cared to look into since she
was lost to me. / loved you first tor
Nellie's sake; but | wooed and won you
for your own, my darling
And at his eager words the painful
feeling of jealousy of the dead that had
been in JAMES heart as she listened to
the story died away forever.
Life is Short