The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-24
A NEW YEARS CHOICE.


One might think, who saw her
life, that few people led lonelier
life than Nina Prentice did. An
orphan with narrow means, keeping
up her dead fathers house, there
was little visible excitement in such
an existence.
Yet hers was a temperament that
did not require excitement, and that
found happiness where others would
not dream of looking for it. Her
garden and her flowers was like a
household to her the poor all over
the little hill town afforded her oc-
cupation she visited somewhat
,nong IA few wealthy acquaintance,
and for the rest, if she had such day
dreams as other young ladies are
wont to indulge, no one was any
wiser for them.
Nobody knew that her friends
t,ther, the wealthy MIR. Barnes, had
made her Il standing offer oi mar
riage any time within the last three
,tars nobody knew from her that
BrS CT Han>eom went out to a Mex
can ranch because she had nu
.uiles to give him, nobody knew
s neither Harold Hartlev's face ever
-lauced out ot the windows of her
casilts in the air; nobody knew
whether one New Years day she
look,-d forward la the next with any
wonder as 10 what 1t might brlTg
.,er of SORROW or joy. She was 80
-w.et. 80 silent, 80 gentle, that pto
pie IN general knew no more OF her
emotions than of those of the statue
ui some saint in its churchiy niche.
Yet it was only on the last New
Years evening that, if anv one had
been able to lsok behind her cur
tains, they would have seen her on
her knees before the low blaze of her
fire, crying as if her heart would
break, burying her face III her hands
and longing for the night when this
fever called living" should be over
al last.
Perhaps Mrs. Hartley, her moth
er's old intimate, had some idea OF
the fire that burned under this crust
of snow. But Mrs. Hartley was not
entirely impartial in her Judgment
of the girl, and it was her morning
and evening prayer that Nina should
some day stand in a closer relation
to her than she did at present. But
as that would be impossible with
out her son Harold's intervention,
-he left no stone unturned to that
end.
Mrs. Hartley thought she knew "a
great deal better what was good for
her son than he did /; and when sh.
had made up her mind that he had
hetter marry Nina Prentice, it was
because she consulted his beet wei
fare-possibly without complete re-
gard 10 Nina's 3. She knew that Har-
old, although SO affectionate, was CT
high temper and that Nina had
inexhaustable stores of still patience,
aud that that still patience would
await the time when he should come
back to her. nv longer the knight
errant, spurned by a restless nature,
hut a quiet and dlgnified gentleman,
ready To take his fathers honored
place in the community. Her APP
proaches in .he question We're ex
ceedingly gentle; yet not so gentle
that they did not put Harold on his
guard, so that he was like the hunt
ed deer, snufiilig the gale afar of.
We'll, mother, | thank good
ness," he said, with a light laugh. on
detecting her meaning. THAT We do
not live in France, aud that you
can t go and inquire Nina's dot and
settle the"
Its very good dot, Harold.
Just snug little income to keep the
wolf from the door and satisfy reas-
enable wants and it would be vast
ly better for any husband than
launching out on the tremendous
fortune of Miss Barnes, with pala
ces, SO to say, and yachts and racing
horses"
Just give me the chance to see j!
if it is. Go to Miss Barnes, mother,
cried Harold, gayly. ASK the
amount of her dot, and if your
scapegrace of son is worth it.
Yachts and racing horses ! like the
idea
"Oh, Haroldl =
But Miss Barnes is beauty, too
mother, and very sweet and gay.
The man that marries her needn',
marry for her money at all. She
would have lovers if she hadn't a
penny in her own right. Don't et
marry for money, but go wheel
money be-" quoted Harold. "Ex.
cellent advice, that old northern
farmers. And I'll go where money
be- tonight, as he drew on his
gloves.
Don't talk 80, Harold. Don't
talk SO, even in jest Miss Barnes
may be well enough, tor all know,
but her money would destroy you
who were not born to money. You
would do nothing and come to noth.
ing. But as for Nina Prentice, as
said, she's a saint"
Wouldn't do at all for wife then
Wives mustn't be too good for hu-
man natures daily food Think o.
repfoving saint because the buck
wheats were fiat, or the buttons of.
Adios, you managing mamma" and
he VAS gone.
1t was misty summer night, sc
thick one cIuld hardly see q star
But those ringing steps needed nc