West-Jersey pioneer., 1884-01-03
A NEW YEAR CHOICE.


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 were like a household
to her; the poor all over the little hill
town afforded her occupation; she Wis
tied somewhat among a few wealthy
acquaintances; and, for the rest, if
she had such day dreams as other
young girls are won't to indulge, no
one was any wiser for them.
Nobody knew that her friends father
the wealthy Mr.. Barnes, had made her
a standing offer of marriage any time
within the last three years; nobody
knew from her that Bryce Hanscom
went out to Mexican ranch because
she had no smiles to give him; nobody
knew whether Harold Hartley's face
ever cleaned out of the windows of
her castle in the air; nobody knew
whether one New Years day she
looked forward to the next with any
wonder as to what it might bring her
of sorrow or joy. She was so sweet,
so silent, so gentle, that people in gen
eral knew no more of her emotions
than of those of the statue of some
saint in it's churchly niche.
Yet it was. only on the last New
Years evening that, if any one had
been able to look behind her curtains,
they would have seen her on her knees
before the blaze of her fire, crying as
if her heart wonld break, burying her
face in her hands and longing for the
night when ''this fever called living"
should be over at last.
''New Years and New Years." she
sobbed. "Ah! how can l bear another
so long!"
Perhaps Mrs. Hartley, her mothers
old intimate, had some faint idea of
the fire that burned under the crust of
snow. But Mrs. Hartley was not en-
tirely impartial in her judgment of the
girl, and it was her morning and even
ing prayer that Nina should stand in
a closer relation to her than she did at
present. But, as that would be impos-
sible without her son Harold's inter
vention, she 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 she had made up her mind that
he had better marry Nina Prentice, it
was because she consulted his best
welfare-possibly without complete
regard to Nina's. She knew that
Harold, although so affectionate, had
high temper; and that Nina's mex
haustible stores of still patience, and
that that still patience would await
the time when he should come back to
her, no longer the knight errant,
spurred by a restles nature, but a
quiet and dignified gentleman, ready
to take his fathers honored place in
the community. Her approaches on
the question were exceedingly gentle,
yet not so gentle that they did not put
Harold on his guard, SO that he was
like the hunted deer, snuffing the gale
afar off.
swell, mother, 1 thank goodness,
he said, with a laugh, on detecting hel
meaning, that we do not live in France
and that you can't go and inquire
Nina'S dot and settle the-n
''It's very good dot, Harold. Just
snug little income to keep the vol
from the door and satisfy reasonable
wants; and it would be vastly better
for any husband than launching out
on the tremendous fortune of Miss
Barnes, with palaces, so to say, and
yachts and racing horses"
Just give me the chance to see it il
it is. Go to Miss Barnes, mother,
criek Harold, gayly. "Ask the amount
of her dot, and if your scapegrace of E
son is worth it. Yachts and racing
horses! I like the idea"
''Oh, Harold!"
''But Miss Barnes is a beauty, too
mother, and very sweet and gay. Inc
man that marries her needn't marry
for her money at all. She would have
lovers if she hand't penny in hel
own right. Don't eemarry fur money
but go wheer money be-" quoted
Harold. Excellent advice, that ole
northern farmers. And I'll go where
money be- tonight" as he drew on his
gloves.
''Don't talk so, Harold. Don't talk
so, even in jest. Miss Barnes may be
we'll enough, for all l know, but hel
money would destroy you, who were
not born to money. You would dc
nothing and come to nothing. But as
for Nina Prentice, as l said, she's E
saint"
''Wouldn't do at all for wife then
N.Y.. ,t,,it lNa too nv