Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-04-14

But Nell only grew winter, ana
went slowly to her own room.
After that, in all the family lamen
tations for Chris, so many years a
sort of adopted brother in our midst,
Nell never spoke Of him.
The next winter, Meg, our eldest,
was married; and, as if matrimony
was contagion, Janey followed her
example; then Maude, Lizzie, and
ever Kate, our baby.
Nell, the prettiest, smartest, sweet
est of all, had offers in abundance,
spent two winters visiting Meg, and,
by all account, captivating hearts by
scores, but coming back to be the
life and brightness of our home.
"There must be one old maid in
every family she said; and when l
suggested my eminent fitness for the
position, she smiled loftily, and said,
'Mr. Brooks says you are the house
hold angel, SC please let us hear no
more nonsense"
"There is Aunt Jane, too" l said,
mildly.
Belle" she said severely, "will you
stop talking nonsense? Aunt Jane.
indeed!"
1t really did seem as if Nell was in
earnest about single life; but, after
all, she was only twenty four. and
looked about seventeen, when, one
day, who should walk into the Parson-
age parlor, as coolly as if he had left
it the day before, but Chris
We were all there as he came in,
but before he had spoken to Aunt
Jane l saw that Nell had vanished.
Did Chris see her run out of the
door as he entered the front window?
1 think he did
There was subdued twinkle in
his eyes as he inquired for my infirmi
ties, not at all consistent with his
words of sympathy.
Presently Nell came in, with quiet
smile of greeting, and perfect com
posure of manner, but Chris was a
match for her.
1t was as good as play to watch
those two, so completely did they ig
more the fact that he was discarded
lover who had been sent away by her
cruelty.
They conversed easily and grace
fully Christopher's African expert
ences. varied by descriptions of the
family weddings, the new homes, the
brothers-ia law, tho children, and a
thousand other details, in which our
caller expressed the greatest interest.
After that he dropped in as of old,
making himself agreeable and useful
to everyone in the house, especially
tender, as he over had been, to me.
Indeed. found myself wondering,
sometimes, if he was going to take
Nell's mocking advice, and all the
others being appropriated, offer him
self to me.
He took me for long drives in his
mothers pony-carriage. and was al
ways ready to hear of Nell's con
quests. showing no jealousy, but
crest deal of amusement, over her
coquetries.
"She was born coquette" he said,
once; land yet nobody can call Nell
vain 1t has been matter OF course
with her to be admired ever since she
could run alone"
''She is our beauty, as Of old" / an
swered; and Chris assented cordially.
81 have seen no face so winsome
since ! left home," he said; but he
spoke with the frank admiration OF
brother, and gave no token OF love
sick swain.
Had he outlived his love, / won
dered, and come home to prove to
Nell that her days of tyranny were
overs "a
l think Nell suspected that he had.
Always even-tempered, Nell be-
came titful and capriciurs; bright
and laughing when Chris was with us,
often silent and sometimes gloomy
when she thought herself unnoticed.
She lost her color, and l caught
her more than once rubbing her
cheeks when going down stairs to see
Chris, and she was snappish and
deeply repentant therefore dozen
times day.
What ails Nell~ Aunt Jane
asked me, anxious for her darling
"She eats nothing, Belle, and I am
sure does not sleep well. / wonder if
it would do her any good to spend a
few weeks with Kate?'
Nell. on being consulted, caught
eagerly at the suggestion, and hur-
ried her wardrobe into a trunk, as if
answering n sudden life or death
She made no farewells, but fitted
off SO abruptly that it made us all
stare with surprise.
"Elinor was always impulsive,"
papa said.
And Aunt Jane only answered,
"But bless me, 1 didn't mean to drive
the child out of the house!''
Chris said nothing, but l was cer-
tainly convinced of the reality of his
whiskers, SO ferociously were they
pulled all the evening
But the next day Mrs. Gilmore
sent over a wee note of dire distress.
Chris had been thrown from his
horse, and the doctors feared some
spinal injury.
Aunt Jane went over at once, and
came back with grave face.
HE is badly entirely uncon-
scious," she said
If Nell's departure was sudden, her
return was not less SO.
did you take off your hat at
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