The Republican journal., 1881-04-28

| remind her OF poor Jacks tate, ana the
little concern she had ever felt for his
pain, but Marian could not prevent a
passing thought of these things
In spite of Marian's constant manUuy-
ering to spare Nelly, the girl dropped, and
lost her usual flow of spirits. Her mother,
divining something of her malady, sent
her away for the winter to a distant friend,
where, removed from the observation of
those who had known her from her child
hood, she learned to bear the first real
sorrow that had shadOwed her Young
! life.
In the following autumn when Marian
and Edward were married, Nelly had re-
gained her bloom and energy. She could
tease Edward in the most sisterly way,
and had apparently recovered from the
wound she had received, yet a keen OBJ
server COnld detect a difference in the
| girls character. She was far less self
engrossed and exacting, and Marian, re-
loicng over the additional attractiveness
| OF her ever attractive sister, lOnged for
Jack to come home and try his fate again
For he had never been near them since,
though they had heard from him from
! time to time, the last news being that he
| had gone to New York, entrusted with
the charge of a branch OF the business in
which he was engaged.
Marian wondered if Nelly, as the years
! passed on, ever regretted her hasty de-
cision. 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
would Have had a very different answer
| If Edward had not come in the way at
| that untOWard moment when Nelly had
once allowed herself to realize the strange
! ness of exchanging Jacks bIOtherly re-
| gard for a dearcr one. Marian perceived
that the fact Of Edward being stranger
and so many years her senior, made Nelly
like the Importance OF his tancied atten-
tions, and that the girls pride and self
love had been much more wounded than
| her heart She even suspected sometimes
that Nelly had discovered her mistake,
and would never care for any one but
Jack Why did he not come? Could he
| have forgotten his old love If Marian
could only have known about that, she
would have written to tell him all her
Surmises. but it was too delicate a matter
to interfere in. His parents had removed
to another town. He had never written,
and She knew nothing, so she could only
lament in silence that Nelly should be
denied the happiness that was her own
| lot
SiN years had changed Nelly into a
woman, quiet and subdued in comparison
with what sne had been as a girl, but
| still bOasting OF no ordinary beauty. She
! CO th11ral hpua,-or l,I,t bnt
the occupant of small boat, laHily ply
ing his oars one summer evening, recOg
nized her as she stood waiting at the
waters edge for the terry-boat.
He lay obviously on his oars, hesitat-
| ing what to do. The old Wherry had not
yet put out from the other side, its owner
apparently having gone on shore for some
refreshments With sudden determina-
ton he rowed brslly 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, Jack -
'les, Nelly; am | 50 altered ,"
mo, scarcely at all only | thought YOU
were in New York"
She stepped into the boat, he grasped
the oars without any further remark, and
away shot the light boat into midstream.
Neither spoke, vet each heart was in a
tumult OF wonder and doubt and appre-
hension. The silence became oppressive.
! Nelly felt it must be broken, 50 she rush
ed into commonplace observations.
Isn't our river lovely lust here ,"
hay-a
"Nor l." Jack responded. 1.-The great
American rivers are quite a different
thing immeasurably grander and more
| imposing, but nothing like this for peace
tul beauty, They could never give one
the hometul feeling that this has"
ADO you see this plant ;" Nelly asked,
leaning over the boat, and plucking Il
sprig Of tall, graceful foliage that stood
up out Of the placid water. 1T 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 a pity y
"There is some over there, | think
Shall we 90 over and see? 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 care
fully, as if it were a matter OF vital i'm
portance. Their eyes met tol moment,
and Nelly continued the conversation
vigorously. O, what hypocrites, to be
discussing thus earnestly bit of paltry
river weed, when each heart was full Of
such widely different thoughts
''It was only the sun On the leaves;
AZ Ia, al, n
earnestly examining the plant to which
Jack had rOWed up.
''lt is very pleasant out here this even
ing" Jack remarked, presently. "Would
YOU like to stay out a little while -
"Thank YOU; think must go 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 moment in his, then
he drew his boat up into the house, don
ned hat and coat, and prepared to ac-
company her, though he was angry at
his own weakness in scorching himself in
this way. He saw 50 plainly before his
eyes those words impatiently dashed two
or three times underneath: "This is my
utaitPrablc drcisiOn | can nerry chuj1qr my
mind
He was presently thinking that he had
been a fool to come. The effort to appear
natural and uncOnstrained was too much
for both. 1t was a relief to reach the
garden gate and bid each other good
night"
And yet good night could not 50 easily
be said, for it meant good by; and Jack
felt that this time it must be final. 80
more coming back to rake up the ashes
OF dead hopes; and, instead Of good night,
he could only cry out, in voice of sup
pressed pain:
"Nelly"
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.