The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-06-14
NEILIE'S SECRET.


"For love VIII fly out Of the window,
When poverty stands at the door.n
sang sweet, clear voice.
Do you mean it, Nellie ~
John Waisingham's handsome face wore
troubled look as he asked the question, paus-
ing, meanwhile, on the threshold of his neat
little home ere he sailed forth 20 his days
work in the dingy little law Office Town
| town
Nellie Walsingham his brown-eyed little
wife, of six months standing, glanced up
into his face as she paused in her work of
removing the breakfast dishes from the
round table and burst into merry, ringing
laugh, which did one good to hear.
:" You foolish boy" she cried, hurrying
to his side to chase away his anxious look
with kiss which she bestowed upon him,
!" do you imagine that could mean it No,
indeed. And l will never sing that song
again, if it distresses you. 1t is cruel I'M
true song, anyway, and certainly not appE-
cable to u.s."
"Heaven forbid" cried the young man,
drawing his pretty wife closer to his heart
for, oh, Nellie DEAR have been troubled
myself greatly for fear you may have regret
ted marrying poor man, and l."
@ Hushl" She laid one little hand upon
her husbands lips g Don't say that, John
Don't even think of such dreadful thing
again, when you know my darling, that You
! are all have in the wide world, and not all
the treasure of this earth could compensate
for yonr loss No, dear, | married you for
| yourself not for wealth or position and
have only one regret that is my estrange-
ment from my family, But Iprefer it to be
as it is rather than give you up. That
never shall do as long as we both shall live."
He stopped and kissed her fondly, his
eyes full of tender tears, tears which were an
honor to his manhood
9 God bless you, my wife !" he murmured
and there was n CLEAN of heart sunshine in
his dark eyes, now, Z" bless you, forever"
He hurried away down the pretty gravel
walk, which led TO the gate passed through,
and was gone.
For few moments Nellie Walsingham
stood, her soft eyes following her husbands
retreating form; then smile nppled over
her lips.
" Dear old john" she said, softly and
tenderly, he does not know how anu try
ing to help him. He does not dream that 1
am turning my musical education to account
and have already secured half dozen music
scholars. My only dread is lest he should
discover my secret in some way, and I do SO
want to surprise him I"
She turned away to her homely task of
washing up the breakfast dishes, humming
softly, meanwhile, the beautiful words of the
Benediction -
MAY God bless thee my beloved
May God bless theeri
When everything was done-the dishes
carefully arranged in the airy, little pantry,
the house swept and busted, all the little
tasks completed and the vases filed with
fresh flowers, Nellie arrayed herself in her
pretty street-suit of gray cashmere, and left
si's IL h1d long been solsssss Of i.es ces.
little money-in secretunknown and un-
suspected by her husband. She wanted to
come to him on his birthday moming-it
was not far distant now-and lay in his
hand a neat roll of bills, and say:
Here, John, is my contribution towards
the general fund. Take it and get the nice
suit of clothes so long coveted; then there
will be enough left to pay the taxes for the
year, and then that burden will be off your
mind!'
With this ambition in her noble heart,
Nellie had decided to apply for few music
scholars, and had met with decided success.
Her marriage with John Walsingham had
furnished subject for nine-days' gossip, a
half year before. Everybody knew that
Nellie had married against her parents wish
es but even they could not deny that John
was noble and upright and honorable, and
only lacked wealth, the little cottage in
which they now resided being the sum of
his possessions. And Nellie loving him with
her whole heart reared as she had been in
the very lap of luxury, had still made her
choice between her fathers mansion and
Johns cottage on retired street and she
had never regretted her decision.
Full of thoughts and plans for the happ-
ness of the one so dear to her, Nellie hasten
ed onward to give music lessons to some lit
tie pupils some distance from her own home.
Preferring to walk rather than to indulge
in car-fare, she made haste; when
Just as she turned the corner of the street
where her pupils resided, she beheld coming
towards her the TALL gaunt form of her old
maid aunt, Miss Marshlands.
so Good gracious !" calculated Nellie, sotto
Uoce, chow very unfortunate Whatever
brings Aunt Marshlands ont here l wonder?
! She will be sure to ask me a hundred ques-
tons; and if l tell her what my errand is
here she win make it her business to tell
John, and that will end all my carefully
planned surprise. Besides, she will never
rest until she has informed papa, and
they will conclude that John is forcing me
to work for livingl Oh, dear, what shall
do ?"
Miss Marshlands was very near. There
was no possible chance to beat a retreat.
! Nellie sighed YEARLY, and nerved herself for
the coming ordeal.
Good morning, Nellie" said her aunt,
pausing before her, her whole form drawn
up like grenadier.
"How do you do? she continued sweetly;
"and where are you going, my dear?"
Nellie thought of the wolf in Little Red
Riding Hood as she paused to answer the
questions.
"Quite well / thank you, aante," she
stammered; land / am going to Mrs.
Hurst's ON q little business"
Now it happened, unfortunately for Nellie
Walsingham, that the husband Of the lady
mentioned was possessed of brother-Iio-
mel Hurst, by name-a tall handsome young
man, who had once simply adored Nellie,
and Aunt Marshlands knew it. She bowed
stiffiy and passed on, leaving Nellie TO pro-
coed to Mrs Hurst's
"Curions," unused the spinster who had
never had love affair In her life and was
always seeming trouble where it did no. ex-
ist. What in the world can Nellie be yis-
lting at Mrs. Hurst's for, and that Lionel