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

Wilmot asked me if world give her
lessons in painting. Of course there
was nothing for me but to conserlt-not
that much relished the prospect, for
you know what your uncles are like.
jamie, and they were the same then
handsome, headstrong, brainless fell
lows, with as much idea of art as a
greyhound, and | pictured their sister
the same kind of creature. Your
father was away with his regiment. and
the boys could tell me nothing about
her. Their holidays had been at diff
ferent times, and they scarcely knew
her. For the last six months she had
been staying with an aunt in London
and now she was coming home for
good. l am dwelling on this part of it
because | want you to see how natur-
ally everything came about. Your
grandmother had been dead for years,
and Nellie was the only girl. You can
fancy how her coming was talked of
and looked for and prepared for. At
last she came. 1t was unexpectedly,
after all. They had caught an earlier
train than they had expected, and we
were playing cricket on the north side
of the house when her father brought
her to see her brothers! | saw her
coming across the smooth expanse Of
green, lawn all in the sunshine, a small
figure, small indeed by the side Oh your
fathers side-dressed in some gray
stuff, with bow of scarlet ribbon at
her neck. Do you want to know who
she was like, jamie? Look ia the
glass for she was az like you as two
blades of grass are different
yet scarcely apart. You are taller, |
think, by the rnerest tiihe, fand she
was the paler; but you are her sweet
self. To find her again in you-ah, |
am constantly afraid you will fade into
nothugness, and leave me more utterly
alone than ever. jamie, it does not
grieve you to hear all this?
"Only for you, Arthur" she answ cred,
eagerly. at is because | can guess
something of what is coming. | wish
oh, do wish that it had been different
and that you had married her and been
happy all these years."
He put his arm around her with a
fond, protecting look.
'She would have loved you dearly,
jamie; but you are all to me that she
was, my darling-and how much more
will you be in the happy years to come,
my own little wife2"
Tell me the rest, )" was her whispered
response.
at seems strange to think of it now.
but | remember | was disappointed in
her mt first. She was not in the least
pretty, and her cheeks had not your
wild-rose bloom. "A pale, uninterest-
ing schoolgirl was my verdict, as |
watched her playing chess with her
father that evening. My first lesson
came next morning, She first day of
that wonderful summer. She knew
nothing of art--could scarcely hold u
pencil properly; but one could not be
with her and not feel better for her
sweet presence. | had no sister;
had never known my mother; the
women had mixed with were com
mon-place feminine mortals. In Nellie
| saw IA realization of my ideal of per-
feet womanhood. Pure, tender, true
as steel, she was too good to live"
His voice trembled and failed him
for a moment, and JAMES soft hand
stole into his
'Since her death | have never men
toned her name to any one but you,
my darling" he went on, after a mo-
ment. "But | want her to be mem
DRY in both our lives, that you may
fully share my thoughts"
Thank you for telling me-" was the
low remark. "Please go on"
"There was a man living near-he
had the house at Woodlands, where
your Uncle Jasper lives now He
called constantly at the house after
Nellie came home, and, from what
happened afterward, | know your ia
Their encouraged his visits and gave his
full consent to his engagement to Nellie
if he could obtain her concurrence.
But at the time | scarcely realized his
existence and it was just the same
with Nellie. We were so happy to-
gether; she was constantly in the
school-room with the boys, who adored
her, and she would join us in our
shorter walks; moreover, there were
my painting lessons which threw us
much together. | cannot understand
even now how they were so blind. So
we SttlllIilti Wtut pll, tit OilC iIoiiiiiIS,
as / was sketching with her. Do
you know the old bridge just beyond
the Park?'
at was swept away in the floods
ten years ago, and papa built new
one"
"You shall see my picture of it when
we go to London. 1t was a capital bit
of work for beginner, and Nellie and
| used to sit down by the. river bank
lust where the sweep of the three arch
es could be best seen. This was our
last visit, for the picture was finished
and / remember she was looking at it,
very proud of her work, when told
her what we had both of us known for
so many summer days. And that
evening, when the lessons were over, |
went to her father in the library and
made my confession. OF course
knew he would be angry-I expected
that; but he would not listen to me
| a |.