Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-11-16
Whole No. 2044.


had not yet put out from the other side,
its owner apparently having gone on
shore for some refreshments, With
sudden determination no rowed briskly
up to the bank, and drawing up hls
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, jack
Yes, Nelly; am | so alteredf'
NO, scarcely at all only ] thought
you were In New York.
She stepped into the boat, hc grasp
cd the oars without any further remark,
and away shot the light boat into mid
stream.
Neither spoke, yet each heart was
in q tumult of wonder and doubt and
apprehension. The silence became op.
pressivc. Nelly felt it must be broken,
so she rushed into commonplace obscr-
yations.
Isn't our river lovely just hcrc' |
have never seen anything pretticr.'
Nor l., Jack responded. The
great American rivers are quite DIFF
fercnt thing-immcnsely grander and
more imposing, but nothing like this
for peaceful beauty. They could never
give one the homcful feeling that this
has
DO you see that plant?' Nelly ask.
ed, leaning over the boat, and plucking
a spIig of tall, graceful foliage that
stood up out of the placid water. 1T
is very rare, l think; l have never
seen it in any other part ofthe river,
and even here you see it very seldom.
1t is so lovely when in bloom. This is
not. What a pity!
There is some over there, l think;
shall we 60 over and see? Allow me
to look at it. l 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
a moment, and Nelly continued the
conversation vigorously. 0, what
hypocrites, to be discussing thus ear
nestly bit ofpaltry river weed, when
each heart was full of such widely
different thoughts
1T was only the sun on the leaves
I thought it Was blossom, Nelly said,
earnestly examining the plant to which
Jack had rowed up.
1T is very pleasant out here this
evening" Jack remarked, presently.
Would you like to stay out little
while?
THANK you think I must go home,'
Nelly replied, feeling she could not
endure much more of this kind Of
thing.
So Jack handed her out, and held
her trembling fingers moment in his,
then he drew his boat up into the house,
donned hat and coat aud prepared to
accompany her, though he was angry
at his own weakness in scorching him
self in this way. He saw so plainly
before his eyes those words impatiently
dashed two or three times underneath:
'This is my unaltsrable decision I can
never change my mind
He was presently thinking that he
had been fool to come. The effort
to appear natural and unconstrained
was too much for both. 1t was relief
to reach the garden gate and bid each
other good night.
And yet good night could not so
easily be said, for it meant good bye;
and Jack felt that this time it must be
final. No more coming back to rake
up the ashes of dead hopes; and, in
stead on bod night, he could only cry
out, in voice of suppressed pain:
'Nellyp
She was not the old Nelly-she
could feel for his pain, and be gentle
with him-she could be sorry for what
he had suffered for her sake all these
years, and hate herself for her cruel
thoughtlessness of long ago.
Jack, forgive mev she said hum
bly,; Il made great mistake.
The underlined words vanished in
moment"
Nelly, my love! he exclaimed;
'when did you find that out?'
%, years ago. she replied, little
YEARLY.
Poor little Nelly! he said remorse-
fully, without thought Of his own
past pain. %, those wasted years! !!
How selfish l have beenp
Don't reproach me like that, jack
NolIx, cr;od imnlorinO1v sand hona