Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-18

| for her. Yes, after all, it would be a
noble thing for Nellie to do.
| just then she entered the room with
her father. caught sight Of her face
she knew it all. / had never seen her
look like that before. am sure uncle
did not realize the extent of the sacri-
fee his daughter was about to make.
would not wrong him by suppoSlnG
that he did.
s'She is here to affirm that she is will
ing" uncle said. The stranger looked
up in bewildered perplexity. Mr..
| Wells came forward to meet Nellie,
saying:
"You have been made aware of the
importance OF this step. I suppose
there is no time for needless harangue
about the matter; if Joe is saved your
father must go tomorrow morning
with the money. OF course / have no
need of the place and do not want it;
| but if you will consent to an early mar
riage-and here the old man WINGED a
little, perhaps because he couldn't en-
| tirely forget the strangers presence
am willing to make you a dowry OF the
amount. in cash. the value of the farm;
understand, however, mat the weddln
shall take place Immediately,
II am ready was all Nellie an
swered. Oh how her white. wretched
face and hollow voice smote upon my
heart. thought could scarcely wait
until the stranger, who had now ac-
complished his mission. was ready to
depart. Then Nellie, with both hands
up to her face. ran out of the room. A
| few minutes later uncle went out, fol-
lowed by Mr.. Wells. the latter saying
something about returning with min
| lister.
My blood fairly boiled. rushed out
of the room into the yard-I wanted to
! breathe the fresh air; / was almost
Scarcely conscious of where / was 60
ing, wandered among the trees some
distance down toward the gate. When
coming suddenly out upon the drive L
| found myself directly in front of Mr..
Wells, who was slowly driving out. Po-
litely lifting his hat, he stopped his
horse for me to pass. but l found it ut
| terly impossible to move step without
first giving vent to some of my angry
feelings.
l.
age and endeavoring to appear undis-
mayed. sis it indeed possible that you
are so lost to every manly sentiment of
regard for the esteem and respect of
your fellow beings as to compel wom-
an to marry you, and that when you
know she abhors the very ground you
walk upon? You know as well as |
can tell you that Nellie and John love
each other dearly, and if she were
married to you a thousand times she
will always love him Just the same"
With that i was satisfied. and with
out waiting for reply [ rushed back
INTO the house. Uncle and Nellie were
bending oyer Aunt Margaret, who had
swooned away. When at last she re-
turned to consciousness, it seemed as if
she would break her heart with weep
ing, first about Joe then about Nellie.
But Nellie kept up so bravelv and tried
hard to appear as if she didn't think it
would be much of sacrifice after all.
that gradually we all grew calm and
began to make ready for the wedding.
What a mockery it was, I thought. but
something must be done to make
things look little cheerful. /
gathered some fresh flowers for
the vases and arranged things about
the house with as much neatness and
care as my dropping spirits would per-
NIT of. Promptly at eight o'clock
there came knock at the door. We
were all standing around in Aunt Mar
garet's room looking as wretched as
possible, Nellie, dressed in aplain white
muslin, trying to look cheerful, but
making miserable failure-when, to
our great surprise, Mr.. Wells. unan-
nounced, walked into the room, ac-
companied by his nephew, John Ather-
leigh.
Miss Nellie" he began, without
waiting to be spoken to, my feelings
have undergone great change since [
saw you this afternoon, partly owing
to certain little affair. You can ask
your Cousin Margie here about it some
time. But my feelings have been so
greatly changed that l should not even
be willing to marry. you now. Of course
1 haven't been blind to the fact that
you and John have loved each other all
along; and now. if you are willing to
exchange grooms it will be all right. I
couldn't bear to think of having wife
who would be in love with a young
scape-grace like this as long as she
lived. l have made over a deed of the
DldCc eQutl1N ulN DtbN cen YOU anu
John. 1t shall be bridal present from
the old uncle. l am able to give it.
you know. Now. are you willing to
make the exchanged" And the poor
old man actually SIN led as if in scorn
of himself.
care you willing, Nellie?' John
asked. holding out both hands to her.
How she slipped her hands into them
and cried as If her heart would break;
but we all knew they were tears of Joy.
Very quietly stole over to Aunt Mar
garet's side and whispered, Nellie is
saved; the old miser has surely turned
to saint.
ut is my dream, my dream!'' Aunt
Margaret said; ''has not the little black
dwarf indeed become an angelP'
81 guess we had as we'll have it all
over and be done with it." Mr.. Wells
continued. rubbing his hands as If well
pleased with himself and everybody
else. I've been with John and got
the license; the deed is all made out,
and the preacher is already in the par
Ior."
You may be sure the sorrowful faces
of few minutes ago frightened up at
this strange turn of affairs, and joyful
" enough we all repaired to the parlor,