South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-03-30
a Chance or Providence.
By ADA F. STRICKLAND


hard carriage road, aud Douglass
Moore sprang from his seat, holding
lightly the reins of his chatting black
ponies. and called imperiously, vel
tenderly,-
! Nellie! Nellie /! come 2
TLen inside Of the old farm house
there was the slam of distant door
swift little feet OF the stairway, a
rustic OF ribbons and muslin ir the hall
Way, and Nellie Arden, rs fair u Wis.
ion as ever glaJdened lovers ewes
came ont OH the old-tashioned veran,
da. still drawing on her white mits
and settling the great straw hat on
her sunny braids. She was bonny
little creature, Nellie, round aud ROSY
and dimpled, with great blue eyes and
the conventional complexion of roses
aud cream; but inst now the blue
eyes bore traces OF recent tears. and
the roses were slightly faded. Moth.
ing OF his escaped the deep gray earn.
est eyes OF the young man, to whose
heart this little girl was 80 dear
though he gave no sign as he lifted
her into the buggy. Neither did il
escape another pair of eyes, strangel,
IKE the others, gazing sternly at the
pair from the sitting room window.
This once together will not matter.
and Douglass Moore's mother turned
from the window to walk swiftly Up
and down the long. low room. Doug
lass starts on his voyage in il week,
and before he returns that su,,cy Girl
must lind another home. The plans
and hopes OF IL lifetime are not 10 be
overtGrowu IN an instant by a girls
tears and bushes, or boys VOWS
and foolish promises.
Prudence Moore, stern Puritan
that she WAS. bad forgotten the time
wien she had deiied tltl;er and moth.
er and gone out from her home with
her hand III that of the lad she loved
had forgotten, too, how much of
her own Lature her only son had in
! hcr!tcd.
For few moments after starting
the black ponies had needed all the
young man 5 attention. aud but few
words were spoken by The loves ,
but presently, Bess and Belle found
whose hand WAS on the rcius, and set
Tied down into their Usual swift stea-
dy trot.
Then one arm stole around the
slender Waist, ANA the gray eyes look
ed down deep into the blue ones.
You have been crying. Nellie,
said The manly voice Who In:
grieved my little girl this norningi
Has the mother been saying anything
more?'
There was struggle between
smiles and tears on the sweet npturn-
ed face, then i: went down, hiding it.
self on tie broad shoulder, while q
storm OF sobs shooi the slender form
: Douglass said nothing while the storm
lasted, only held her close to his heart
in way that spoke more OF the great
love that filed that heart than any
words he could have found.
! Douglass she said at last, withouI
lifting her face, 1T is hard to give
each otter up when We love so
but
just so hard, little girl he inter
rupted brisklv, that it can't be done
at all, so don't hint at such II thing
any more. Iou are mine, NY owo
ever since can remember, and nc
hand bnt Deaths can part u.s.
sI,ut vnur plntbar'
'Oh, yes, | know what my mothe,
says. She has had her heart set OF
my marrying Anna Carson, ever
since | wore aprons aud dresses. bu
mother must remember that hearts
) can't be decided away like acres o
, land, and houses and lots. thint
she ought 10 know it now from he
own experience. don't want Ann:
Carson, aud do want Nellie Arden
and ] am going TO have her, aud he
only. SO look mp and let us enjol
tbs long, bright day together. anC
before we come home tonight III tel
you my plans tor the future
Nelii"'s was a buuyant, sunny ma
tu.e. sud under the influence of he
lovers bright. CHEEKY views, she wa
soon her own bright self again. laugh
ing gayly, and bowling right and lef
to the merry crowds they passed, 70
: they were on their way to the Coun
2 try Fair ten miles distant, 4 Bess 4
] Belle passed scores OF slower team
IN the broad Highway. All dav long
Nellie was happy with only feetinl
thoughts of the stormy scene Their
had been the night before, when Dong
lass bad announced 60 his mother hi
intention TO take for his wife. on hi
return rom his next voyage, his dis
tart cousin. Nellie Arden, instead o
the younS heircss whose lands adjoin
r ed bis own. Nellie had been takel
, by Mrs. Moore when only a chill,
z and raised rs one Of her own, an,
+, deep down IL the sto~u woman's hear
was still dearly loved, but PrGdenc,
Moore could not brook the thwartinl