Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-04-11


beat against the flap Of the envelope.
In moment or SO, it hung loose and
limp and vet in her hands"
'IlI go and put my bonnet away,
she said, II an unnatural sort Of tone,
and hurried upstairs.
II am his mother" she said again as
she sat dova ii her rocking-chair and
drew tLe Ies-. Z .ce.t.4 a'e engssopes.s It's
right should know"
Then she cast her eve over the writ
ing. There was not much Of it. Just
this:
'DEAB JAMES: [ know, after my con
duct. 1t is my place to write first wa
naughty. Please forgive me. Isn't that
humble enough? And if you do, come
and take ne to the picnic tomorrow.
"Your own
"NELLY."
"It is from that GIRL" said Mrs.
Wadswor!h. cts from her. And
things have gone so far, and he hasn't
told his mother word Oh, how hard
it is to bear ! That girl | don't want
jim to marry; but of all girls, that one y
and she rocked herself to and fro.
There's been quarrel, she said at
last, land she's written this to make up.
II he never got it, he'd inever speak.
know his pride. She come of poor
lot. / hate her; she's bad wife for
jim. I think it's my duty not to give it
to him I'll think it over" Then she
opened the drawer of her bureau in
which she kept valuables and money
and thrust the letter in and locked it up
She had time to think the matter over
before Jim came in. for he was late, and
chat girl" grew more distasteful to her
every moment.
"Going to the picnic, Jim ?" she
asked, as they sat over their tea And
Jim answered that he hadn't thought of
#.
I'D go if I was you, and take your
Cousin Miranda" said the old lady.
"She expects it, L guess" And Jim,
only moved by the remembrance of Mel
lie Barlow, and wish to make her jeal
| ols, agreed to The prcI osition He took
Miranda to the picnic next day, and Mel
lie was there, and saw them together;
and remembering her note, written in a
moment of softness, when the wish to re-
call certain angry words she had said to
jim, was strong upon her, she grew sick
with shame. She had held out her hand
In reconciliation, and he had not taken
it. Could anything make woman more
indignant? After that she never eveD
Looked at him.
Old Mrs. Wadsworth having KEEP:
Jim's letter few days, felt that toe
much explanation would be necessary
were she to Rive it to him after so long
q delay Besides It would be we'll for
her son that he should not see it. He
would, of course, marry his cousin Mi
randa-ouly second cousin-a girl she
liked and who would never set herself
up above her motner-in-law-a girl who
did not, like poor Nellie, look aggrava-
tingly stylish.
But Jim did not marry Miranda. NJ
one will ever know now whether Mirand
would have accepted Him or not Afte,
awhile she married Mr.. Wiseman, who
was better of than jim, and old enough
to be his father; and Nelly, 100, mar
ried While her heart burnt with re
sentiment against her old lover, sh'
H.. 2or IL Ixy t1o,,
sort of man, who carried her away t
the city, whence there came rumors nov
and then, that she was not happy, tina
her husband led wild life. One
some one declared that he was a YER,
mailman in his Jealousy, and locked he
IN her room at times. But no on
knew whether it was frue or not. He
parents would never say anything abou
her.
AS for James Wadsworth, he ha
gone to church to see her married an
mad gone home with headache. Tn
next day he was deirious; brain feve
heads over him. What he said i'll hi
dellrium only his mother understood
out if she could have undone the dee
that she had done, she would har
thanked Heaven. For weeks he lav a
g deaths door, and then a pale shade
crept about the house-the wreck {
bright, handsome Jim Wadsworth. Hi
beauty was gone, and no one felt quit
sure about his mind. He answere
, sensibly enough when he was spoken tc
but voluntarily he never spoke
After awhile he grew strong enough
10 farm work, and did what his mothe
! suggested, and she grew used to his al
tered ways. And so matters reste
when, ten years from her wedding day
Nelly came back TO her fathers home
! a widows cap. And the people c
Korahill learnt that her husband va
dead, and began to wonder whether h
had left her money.
: jim, blowing in the adjoining fel,