The Penn's Grove record., 1884-03-15
LOVE n

What do you love me for2" said she.
Because you are so pretty" saidhe.
She I'D net know whether she liked
the answer or not. Admiration is
always r4m9I kablY sweet to a woman.
She put her head down on his shoulder
"Oh, Cbartei'' she SAID. ''If l were
ugly-yoI mink me ever so much
prettier tfGu. / really am, you know
but if l were really ugly, wouldn't you
love me? should you. Oh, if any
thing hurt that dear face, or made you
less strong or graceful than you are, l
should love you even more, l know"
Men have no tact. They can't help it,
poor thingsl
The husband of a week laughed as
he kissed the sweet upturned face, and
said-"Don't imagine all sorts of
things. Why don't you fall in love
with that excellent gentleman who
was all mouth and cheek-bones? Or
with crooked little Jones? You like a
big fellow. and me who was not abso-
lutely hideous, instead; and II ap-
preciate virtue and learning, but did
not love Minerva Bobble in spite of
that. L loved the prettiest little girl in
the world, because she was the prettlest
and sweetest. Kiss me-"
She kissed him, but afterwards she
said slowly and in a half whisper-"I
hope God will let me die before He
makes me ugly. l could not bear to
1--we if you did not love me-"
They had not been married a month.
They were on their honeymoon trip
even then, and they were very much in
love-he as a man is, she as a woman
is-and that is quite in a different way.
Not that l find fault with that. 1t is
but natural. Men and women always
do everything dif~ferent-work, play,
idle mdifferently. Why should they
love alike? But the knowledge Of this
fart dooa-aAaonna Tn q woman until bar
first love has been ''wintered and
summered," and the knowledge is
seldom agreeable. But to return to
our pretty heroine. Nellie was loved.
1t should have c%onteDted her, and she
told herself so, but she would have
been happier if Charlie had said just
what she wanted him to say. 1t made
no difference to that honeymoon, how
ever. They walked, and chatted, and
sat together in the moonlight. They
rowed on the river and wandered
through the woodland, and had such a
summer as people never have but once,
and then they came back to the city,
and to their everyday life. All, the
sweet commonplaceness Of home life,
when it is the home of married lovers.
And there was no cloud to mark their
days for many happy months. AT last,
however, the time came when they
must be parted for a little while.
Charles found it necessary to go to
o., on business, and Nellie could
not accompany him. Charles did not
like the parting, but he took it philoso-
phIcally, as mar must, but Nellie nearly
cried herself blind.
Only a few weeks. he said-it vas to
be two months.
Nellie gave the time its whole value.
When he had kissed her, she chung to
him almost convulsively.
eff l should never see you again.
she sobbed.
"My little one, don't be foolish, =" he
said, and held her more closely to him
then, and was off. But he thought of
her as the train flew away. H~ethought
of her as he trod the streets of astrange
city. and sat alone at strange tables,
and he dreamt of her all night.
But she wore his letter in her bosom.
Once his letter was delayed, and she
was sure something terrible had happen
ed, and was inst saved from nervous
fever by the tardy arrival.
Once hers did not come; he took it
coolly at first. "That COMPOUNDED
postman has made a mistake" he said.
But after several days, he concluded to
make sure that all was right, and tele-
graphed-''If well, answer at once"
Just then, if he could have sent his
spirit home ON the telegraph wires, he
would have seen this picture. His
Nellie lying on her bed, listening to the
doctor.
81 am sorry to say it is the small
pox, madam sand the gentleman; ''but
after all, under good treatment, it is
no worse to have that than many other
things. There is no danger in this
case"
THAT cruel disease" murmured
Nellie, to herself. "Oh, Heaven, and
Charlie loves me because | am pretty.
| dare not tell him the truth. The
answer that came to Charles telegram
was GAN right" Nellie sent it by the
nurse, who agreed with her that there
was no need of frightening the poor
man. "And | would not have him
return now for any consideration" she
said. HE might take the disorder"
But that was not all her reason. Then
there was a tiLe when Nellie knew
nothing. Then-ah, what then?
Charlie only knew that as he was
packing his portmanteau to return
home; a letter was brought to him.
He thought it his wife's handwriting,
and he had had no letter for many
days. He tore it open. 1t began "Sir."