The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-11-22
SELECTED SKETCH.
DICKS EXPERIMENT.

pages of the Weekly Romaaces, and his ears
strained eagerly to catch the sound &: girls
merry voice on the lawn.
Grief, anger and chagrin were mingled
in Dicks heart. He had come down to
make one of delightful party at Oak DELL
with every reason to believe that he was the
favored lover of pretty Nell Oakley. He had
made no secret of HI. levotion to her, while
she had played him on against that white
headed Walter Simmons with the most en-
gaging air of innocence imaginable.
She was flirting with him at that very mo-
ment over game of tennis on tho lawn !:
and Dick chewed the end OF his cigar vindic-
lively and glared at the columns of the Ro.
mdncer
Right before his eyes was the editors
Answers to Correspondents" and the fol-
lowing paragraph suddenly caught his atten-
ton:
MEMO. 1t is just possible that you are
too devoted to the young lady. Girls are
sometimes caprcious judicious sutton is
willing to let his sweetheart do little of the
aonrting herself
smothered exclamation.
What trump of fellow that editor is
Wonder if he has had any experience with
girls It's comfortable to know that
Memo orany other man, is in the same
fix that am. By George I'll Try that pre-
scription. Little witch! I'll pay her in her
own coin.o
Half an hour later the gay party on the
lawn had drifted away-the gentlemen to
the village, the ladies to their rooms Only
Nell oakly, the pretty daughter of the hos
tess. swung to and fro in the hammock be-
tween the veranda posts.
She looked up with charming smile as
Dick emerged from the house.
81 have been wishing for you, Dick.
want sail down the river VIII you take
me?"
For a moment Dick was tempted, but a
wicked CLEAN in Nells brown eyes recalled
his resolution.
= am sorry Nell. but you must excuse
me. l am going to the village Perhaps
we will go down the river tomorrow. IA
reUoif %
He tossed her the rose from his button.
hole and saunterod leisurely down the drive
Nell actually gasped as she looked after
him. That was q new order of things, to be
sure
Only yesterday Dick Lynchield would
have considered sail down the river alone
with her the seventh Heaven of delight
She must teach him better manners. He
would surely claim that sail tomorrow !;
then she would punish him.
But on the morrow Dick had apparently
quite forgotten the matter Nell watched
him with increasing exasperation. He treat.
ed her with gay gallantry that was very
unlike his usual earnest Difference.
He did not try to gain single tete tett
with her. and ha Airted outrageonsly with
Helen Durfnr He seemed suddenly TO
have acquired a pew power and fascination.
Nell wondered that she had never before
noticed how handsome Dick was, and how
pleased the other girls were with his atten-
tons. He had been her humble slave for
so long that she had ceased to put any spe-
cial value on his delicate attentions out she
missed them sadly to-day, with surprise and
anger at first, then gradual sense of pain
and fear lest through her own willfulness
she had lost him
They were standing together upon the
veranda late in the afternoon, watching a
group who were prTlcticing archery upon the
lawn.
"Dick," she said, reproachfully, "you
were to take me down the river to-day"
81 declare, SO 1 was !" exclaimed Dick
in well simulated dismay. Better lat
than never, ma'm'selle !" and then leaning
over the veranda railing, he called the 9th.
ers: "Judson, Simmons, Fiske. and ladies.
what do you say to sail down the river 2
The moon will be up by tae time we re-
turn"
His proposal was hailed with acclama-
tons of approval, and ten minutes later they
all went trooping down to the shore.
AS for Nell, she was ready to cry with
disappointment, for she had expected to re-
gain the lost ground in quiet sail with Dick,
but it was very evident that he thought
nothing at all of being alone with Der.
She had lost him now, all though her OWE
foolshness. And worst of all, she must
keep up brave front for it would never do
for her to nope in the presence of her guests
Not one of the party was SO gay and bright
as Dick he laughed, and sang, and told
stories, and Nell looked, and listened, and
smiled, with growing pain and dreariness
in her heart
They came home through the moonlight
Nell walking silently with downcast eyes at
Dicks side. He looked at her pale cheek
and said tenderly, yet with certain light
undertone
"Tired little girl ?"
Nell laughed and did not look up lest he
should see the tears in her eyes.
" No indeed |" she said.
After that he hardly spoke to her all the
evening.
As the summer deepened, Nell and Dick
seemed to have changed places. OF all tho
lordly, cavaler-like lovers, he was the great
est and of all the meek, deprecating maid
ems, she was the meekest and most depre.
eating.
And strangest Of all, Mother Oakley made
no attempt to bring matters to climax, al
though she could hardly help seeing that
Nells capricious heart had fixed itself upon
this handsome young fellow, who seemed in
no haste to make known his intentions. How
was Nell or anyone else to know that Dick
had already made confident of Mother
Oakley and won her over to his side?
1t was lovely day in August; SO near to
September that some of the richness and
Cleanliness of autumn seemed to have fla
vored it.
Nell, on the way home from the village in
her pony carriage, had overtaken Dick, and
he was beside her now, watching the little,
gray-gloved hands that held the reins.
Presently he told her in a cool, indiffer-
ent sort of way that the firm of which he
was a silent partner, would send him to
South America next month that he would
probably spend two or three years there.
Poor little Fell. Her pretty face was Like
white rose. She tried to meet Dicks keen