The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-07-08

-s Va iOi hHoiauyg benL Her ava
Tor the Winter 10 a distant friend
! where, removed from the obserya
t1on OF those who had known he
her from her childhood, sh,
learned TO bear the first real sorrow
that had shadowed her young life.
In the allowing Autumn, wher
Marian and Edward were married
Nelly had regained her bloom an(
energy. She could tease Edward ir
the most slsteTly way, and had an
parently recovered from the wound
she had received, yet a keen observer
could detect difference I'm the girps
character. She was far less seIf-en.
crossed and exacting, and Marian, re-
Joicing over the additional attractive.
ness OF her ever-attractiye sister.
longed for Jack to come home and
| try his fate again. For he had never
been near them since, though they
had heard OF him from time to time
the last news being that he had
gone to New York intrusted with
the charge OF branch business Ia
1 "'sSH hO WaS OuSdSeus
Marian wondered If Nelly, as the
years passed on, ever regretted her
nasty decision. Other wooers came
but Nelly would have none OF them.
and, indeed, there were none that
could compare with brave. honest
Jack. She believed that he wonld
have had a very different answer If
Edward had not come in the way at
that untoward Inoment-wh0n Nelly
had once allowed herself TO realize
the strangeness Of exchanging Jacks
brotherly regard for a dearer one.
Aarian.perceived that the fact Of FL
ward being stranger, and 80 many
years her senior, made Nelly like the
importance Of his fancied attentions,
and that the girls pride and seIi-loYe
had been much more wounded than her
heart. ShO even suspected sometimes
thst Nelly had discovered her mistake,
and would never care for any one but
Jack. Why did he not comel Could
he have forgotten bis old lovei II Mar
ian could only know about that, she
she would have written to tell him all
her surmises, but it was too delicate q
matter to interfere in. His parents
removed to another town. He had
never written, and she knew nothing,
80 she could only lament in silence that
Nelly should be denied the happiness
that was her own lot.
Six years had changed Nelly into q
woman quie. and subdued in compari-
son with what She had been as a girl,
bat still boasting Of no ordinary beauty.
She was not so changed, however, but
that the occupant Of q small boat,
lazily plying his oars one Summer even
ing, recognized her as she stood wait
ing at the waters edge for the ferry
boat.
He lay obviously on his oars, hesita-
ting what to do. The old wherry had
not yet put out from the other side, its
owner apparently having gone on shore
for some refreshment. With sudden
determination he rowed briskly up TO
the bank, and drawing up his boat,
asked whether she would allow him TO
take her across She started at the
sound of the voice, glanced inquiringly
at the bronzed face, and then exclaimed:
"Why, JackF
"Yes, Nelly; am so alteredf'
"No, scarcely at all; only thoaght
you were in New York:
She stepped into the boat; he graspe,l
the oars without any further remark,
and away shot the light boat into mid
sire am.
Neither spoke, yet each heart was
in tumult Of wonder and doubt and
Apprehension. The silence become op-
pressive. Nelly felt it must be broken,
30 she rushed into commonplace obser-
vations.
"Isn't our river lovely just herel
have never seen any thing prettier."
"Nor l." Jack responded. "The
great American rivers are quite diff
ferent thing-immeasarably grander
and more imposing, but nothing like
this for peaceful beauty. They could
never give one the homeful feeling that
this has"
"DS you see this plantp Nelly asked,
leaning over the boat and plucking a
sprig Of tall graceful foliage that stood
out of the placid water. aft is very
rare, think. have never seen it in
any other part of the river, and even
here you see it very seldom 1t is so
lovely when in bloom. This is not.
What pity"
"There is some over there, 1 think.
Shall we 90 over and ssel Allow me to
look at it. don't remember having
ever noticed it before.
Nelly handed him the little sprig
He took it from her, and examined it
carefully, as if it were matter of vital
Importance. Their eyes met for mo.
ment, and Nelly continued the conver-
sation vigorously. 0, what hypocrites,
to be discussing thus earneatly bit oi
paltry river-weed, when each heart was
| full of such widely different thoughts
"It was only the sun on the leaves; ]
thought it was blossom, "Nelly said,
earnestly examining the plant to which
Jack had rowed up.
4 cit is very pleasant out here this
evening"" Jack remarked, presently.
"Would you like to stay out little
whilef'
"Thank you; / think I must 60 home,
Nelly replied, feeling she could not en-
dure much more of this kind of thing
So Jack handed her out, and held
her trembling fingers for moment il
his, then he drew his boat up into the
house, donned hat and coat, and pre-
pared to accompany her, though h
was angry at his own weakness il
scorching himself in this way. HI