The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-06-18

Ntu llNNNA w.
the family who has been in love p
"Nclly, has Mr.. Fay ever asked you to
marry him ?"
Nelly was silent.
HAS he ever even told you that he
loved you ?"
Il don't care if he hasn't, answered
Nelly. sobbing. Il know he does, and l
don't see why you want to make me SO
miserable; aud 1 wish was dead do.
At this interesting juncture arrived Mr..
Gerard Fay. Mrs. Parker not feeling
desirous to meet him, vanished through a
side door, aud Nellie, unable to regain her
composurc, or dissimulate without intend
ing to do SO, allowed Gerard to guess the
secret of her distress; and he, feeling un-
usually magnanimous after an extra bottle
Of champagne and moved by the sight of
beauty in tears, forthwith offered himself,
and was accepted.
There, told you SO, said Mrs, Lay
mar, furiously, to Kate.
keep cool, was the rejoinder, "and
let Us 90 and call on the bride-clect.
Frank Rashleigh viii be down next week,
and then we shall see what We shall see.
Aud Mrs. L'Aymar, having no small
confidence in her cool-headed friend, wait
ed patiently until Mr.. Rashleigh, Gerard :
intimate fricud, should arriyc.
When that important parsonage made
his appearance. it is to be presumed that
the LADIES' enlisted him a, oncc-as shortly
after his arrival he took occasion to remark
to Gerard
That's rather pretty girl, pointing to
Nelly. Pity she's such a dowdy figure.
and dresses in such Sandwich Island
style.
Gerald said uo,hins-beins absolutely
dumb with astonisbmout. Nelly dowdy,
and badly dressed? Was tha, the juig-
ueut Of Frank Rashleish, who was a we'll.
known oonnoissour in female beau,y--oa
his pearl-his lilly Of maidens, as he had
foudly termed her? Was he indeed so
bliud?'
Rashieigh saw the shot bad saksr effect,
and wisely forbore further eommants At
that time. lie then turned his attention
to Miss Irwin, whom he pronounced "a
perfectly elegant woman, aud fauliiessly
beautiful
Maybe so, dryly answered Gerard,
''but prefer the haIFopsncd rosebud to
the tulip.
Spite of which, ere loag, he virtually
transferred himself and bis attentions to
Miss Irwin, who concealed her delight
under sn ateciatiou of cold dignity
Sometimes Nsllys paliag checks, after
an unusually protneted absence, smoie
him With keen sense of selfreproaeh--
abut she ought to have understood me
from the 6rst," he argued. sReasoa
should have shown her our entire iaeom-
patibili,y
sinsalarly enough, reason had entirely
failed to perform her duty ia the frs;
stage Of NeIly's love, bu, she had stepped
in now, and suggested that man who had
behaved ike Gerard Fay must be alike
devoid Of principle, character or common
good feeling, and could not, therefore be
considered a very serious loss by any sen-
siblo girl
WhereuPon Nelly took heart, greE
pret,icr aud more blooming than ever.
Z Oae day, as she was walking leisnTely
( along the little path tha. wound through
the beautiful woods, from whence the vii
lase derived It's name, she Suddenly found
/ herself face 70 face with Gerard Fay
Her first impulse vas to turn back.
7 Her second, to bow s,ifiy Her third, to
speak 10 the mos, cordial manner gina
be, which she accordingly did.
I Gerards salu,atiou was by no means SO
unembarrassed, bat instead Of passing on,
rs he might easily have done, he continued
TO walk by her side, diseoursing Of wealth
er, the sceaery, the last new novel, aud
growing more aud more desperate At Nel-
ly's unmis,akable indifferencc--,ill,s az last, ,
he frankly told Nelly the story Of his short
comings with regard to her, taking care to
color ii slightly, and praeticiug little
arithmetic on it, in the way Of additions
aud substraetions, winding up BY asking
Nelly to take him this time for better or
worse
Whercupon Nelly, who listened to the
whole with a perfect immobile counte-
nance, quietly asked -" Have you dnish-
ed, Mr. Fay?
sYes," replied that sen,leman some
what doubtfully.
VERY well, sir. have only 70 say
that | can not marry man DO not love
could not marry man / did no, re
speet, and could not respect the man who
had not the principle to refrain from en-
tering into rash engagements, the honor
to keep them, the sense TO refrain from
the attempt to patch them up when broken.
Good morning, Mr.. Fay
And so ended Gerard campaigning for
the year 1880.
Long Oourtships.