Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-08-23

weary anu ncNtI I'd unutI5tdnu cOluncSS
or reserve. he was constant visitor at
Mr.. HarTison's mansion, and would al
ways seek opportunities 10 be alone with
Mary. The two lovers frequently met
in her parlor, and were rs friendly as
neighbors and old acquaintance could
be.
Ono evening, in the bright autumn
days, Colonel Stockworth met Miss Har-
rison in the grove that stood about her
home. He had joined her as she walked
alone. He repeated his love for the
twentieth time, and for the twentieth
time she refused him. Cool and impas-
sive, the dark browed man replied that
her wishes should be respected and he
would desist in his declarations of love,
but that he trusted to the effect of time
in bringing about change; and, saying
very quietly he could afford to wait, he
left her with more feeling than he had
ever betrayed before. When he had de-
parted, the old negro nurse, who had
followed behind at respectful distance,
approached her mistress and said:
"Miss Mary, you'd better beware Of
that man; he was muttering something
between his teeth when he passed by me,
and it sounded nightly like curse up
on Mr.. Wilson and yourself. l tell you
he is full of mischief, and is bad enough
to carry out any mean thing he sets his
heart on. And tell you, he doesn't
love you, Miss Mary, because it didn't
hurt him bit when you discarded him,
but it made him angry. could see it
all. He has done so many cruel things
1 wouldn't be surprised at anything else
he might do. So, l tell you, young mis-
tress, you must keep shap eye on him. {"
A few days after this John Nelson and
Mary Harrison met again and renewed
their professions of attachment, and
were as happy as possible under the
statuary aspect of their matrimonial
plans. Mr.. Harrison pleaded with his
daughter, and implored her to accept
the wealthy sutton, pleading the embar-
rassment of his own personal affairs and
the financial relief such a marriage
would bring him. But all to no purpose.
A regular, systematic course of Sights
and petty annoyances were put into
practice toward John Nelson; sometimes
his horse was suffered to remain hitched
to the rack, and not taken to the stable,
as was universally customary toward all
welcome visitors in that land of chival-
rous hospitality; sometimes his waitin g
man, with his masters portmanteau,
was not shown to the room usually occu-
pied by his master; and, again, Nelson
was not asked to return to dinner after
a morning call, or invited to stay to tea
after an afternoon visit, and was now
never asked TO call again. The continued
and persistent Sights and insults weighed
heavily upon his mind, but were as so
much fuel to his consuming love-they
intensified the burning love he felt. and
tended TO confirm her i'm her choice.
And now his visits were short and hur-
rled, and their partings sad and fearful
Nelson and Stockworth seldom met at
the mansion, and even in the most friend
ly manner, because the one knew his
strong point, and the other was not ready
to expose his chagrin and disappoint-
mcnt. Mr.. Harrison would sometimes
meet John Nelson at public places and
pass him without recognition until it be-
come unbearable, because it was the sub
ject of conversation throughout their
large circle of acquaintance.
At last the early spring came with its
flowers and sunshine, and all nature
seemed buoyant with life and activity.
Mary Harrison was radiant with beauty,
and as chaste and unsuspicious rs Hy-
patia and unconscious of evil and danger
as an innocent child, while John Nelson
was incapable at attrbuting improper
motives to Stockworth. He only felt
that there was an understanding between
his rival and Mr.. Harrison, and that the
latter preferred the wealthy. sutton for
his daughters hand.
At last, with Mary's consent, he de-
termined to bring matters TO a crisis; he
was victim to Sights, and often insults,
which goaded him to madness and des-
peration, and he concluded to visit the
the next day and claim the
fathers consent, and, in the event of q
failure, to marry the girl at the old
church, as both were of age.
When the appointed day arrived he
dressed himself with scrupulous taste
and propriety, ordered his servant to
make ready his horse and accompany
him to the mansion, with strict orders
that the horses were not to be taken to-
the stable under any circumstances.
While the servant was making his prep
John walked leisurely and
into his mothers garden
and gathered large bouquet of snow
white hyacinths, the first of the season.
He tied them with u pale-blue ribbon,
and as he mounted his horse he gave
the flowers to the servant to carry in his
hand until they should reach the man
sion. His horse was n FESTIVE thorough
bred and seemed agitated as they rode
down the long avenue of aspens and
Lombardy poplars that led to the front
gate. The horse would sometimes wheel
around and refuse to go forward. This
was kept up until within mile of the
and they were entering dense
forest of pines, where leaves were sigh
ing in the breeze of the spring twilight.
The servant was riding some fifty yards
in the rear, when the sharp report of
shotgun broke the stiffness.
John Nelson fell from his saddle NOR
tally wounded, while his horse fled wildly
in an agony of terror up to the mansion,
leaped the fences and gallopcd around
the yard neighing wildly and snorting
through his distended nostrils. Mary
Harrison was standing with her father
On the veranda watching the movements
Of the terror-stricken animal.
20, father, something has happened to
Mr.. Nelson" cried Mary. "Let us go
put on the road and see what it is"
And with that she fled as fast rs her
strength would allow down through the
ane and out into the old pine forest.
She outstrippcd her father. A horrible
Tread gave lightning speed to her pace,
md as she ran her hair fell over her
shoulders and floated i'm the air like an
aureole of glory about her head.
But we return to John Nelson. As
soon rs he fell from the saddle, shot
through and through the body, the faith
'ul servant was by his side. He raised
his masters head on his lap, and moaned
John rallied little, and
his servant and saw the now-
ITS still clutched in his faithful hand
"Robert, take those flowers to Mary
With my last love. Tell her that l died
al n - n