Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-01-21
BY CLYDE RAYMOND.

And you have really met no ons
here who can induce you to change
your views of matr imony? Well,
am truly sorry, for l had hoped thai
some one OF our Western gentlemen
would conquer that stubborn heart o
yours and keep you here for all time
You can't imagine what hopes hav.
hutlt upon that possibility, ma chere. 4"
But Nina Hayward shook her pretty
brown head and laughed provokingly
No, indeed; have seen no ons
who could make me wish for nom eui
to give up my sweet liberty. Ugh the
very thought of settling down as-well
II you will pardon a little plain speak
ing, ~ you have, Allie, and devoting
my whole existence to studying the
whims and caprices of one particular
lord Of creation il simply horrible No
no, my dear, | shall 90 on laughing
flirting and. enjoying life In my presen
butterfly fashion just AZ long as can
then, when ! become old and passee, II
will be- time enough TO think of marry.
ing"
"But, supposing that when that un-
desirable time arrives nobody should
ask you ?" suggested Alice, warningly,
All, well, then, with nonchRlent
shrug OF her graceful shoulders, ali
nobody will have me can turn strong
minded, ,ou know, and take up with a
mission;' OF, perhaps, 20 upon the
stage A one OF those superannuated
fairies Of the ballet who nightly charm
an admiring public. Say, what do you
think of that plan, Alice"
" think it the very fate you will
richly deserve II you go on trifiing
with masculine hearts AZ you have
always done. But have PRESENT.
inent that you will do nothing Of the
klnd-in fact, that you will meet your
destiny before you leave this very
town"
"And leave 1t the day after to.
morrow Preposterous - exclaimed
Nina, with gay, hooking laugh.
Come, now, Allie, ! think you will
acknow ledge yourself a complete fail
ure az fortune eller when you kiss
me good -bye-unless this charming
little town contains some wondrous
hero whom ] have not yet seen. BY
the way" she added, springing from
the sofa where sbe had been lazily re
clinin9, 81 think III run over and
spend an hour or 10 with Mollie Spen'
Ger. may meet my hero there, dom,
you soe ?" with sparkles of mischief
dancing in her brown eyes and dim.
pied cheeks, "for hero he must bt
who expects to win my heart"
And, caroling a gay, coque'tish love
song, Nina ran up stairs for heI
hat, and moment later looked in upon
A lice again with asmiling Eau revoirr
then the hall door CLOSED behind her
and the pretty little butterfly had gone
QUITO meet her fate.
Alice Dean sat in the bright little
parlor, busy with some dainty needle
work Tor baby" who lay sleeping II
her prett crib In the adjoining room
musing, with a smile half matronly
half Rirlish, over The willfulness of bel
dear-yes, very dearest-friend, Nina
who seemed in the greatest danger Of
| missing that crowning glory Of &
woman's lite, a husband am merely
| giving You A Iice's view OF the subject
'emem ber), all through her uncopquer
abe aversion to settling down ~ al
| old married WOMAN" az she ex
| pressed IL.
| bueom friends, and, now that Alice wa
married and COZ ly settled in a prett,
Western home, her greatest desire wa
To induce Nina TO do likewise. Ye
here was the little witch, at the clos
of a long and delightful visit, just a
heart whole and incorrigible AZ ever.
"To think OF the fine offers that cir
has refused" sighed Alice, disconso
lately. Pm afraid she'll regret 1
some day. l was 80 in hopes that sh
/ irl, TO II In, Iowa NTH ~ al Ia
here, and I'm sure she would if-ah
how unfortunate that Fred Nane should
have been absent from town this SUN
mer, of all times. Ii any one in thu
world could bring that little witch I,
her senses, 1t Is he for, next to VIII
lac Ii certainly the most attractive MAJ
ever saw"
Meanw while, Nina, who had only TIVE
or three blocks TO traverse before
reaching Moilie Spsncer's residence,
was crossing the last street that inter
veued, when a fearful sound, like tb'
rumbliug OF an earthquake, caused he
to stop short and look about her In won
DIR. The next instant her woude
| changed to terror, for there, believing
and laundering inward in genuine
stampede from some careless herder
and rushing straight down upoi
her, came a drove OF wild Texas cattle
1t v as u sight TO strike terror to tn
stoutest heart, ~ all will admit win
have ever seen those dangerous cres
lures, with their wild, fiery eyes an,
Immense dreadfnl-lookiug horns, all,
Nina was literally paralyzsd with sor
row.
There she stood, rooted to the spot
helplessly waiting for those iiery-eye
demons Of the prairie to trample he
under foot, when suddenly she felt hel
self snatched up into pair OF stron
arms, horne on ward a few steps wit
the swii,ness of tn wind, and then st
down again in safety upon the pave
ment.
was all over in a second and sh
had not had time TO think, but now sh
l,lted her eyes and saw, in her preser'
er, one of the handsomest men she ha
ever met.
But Nina thought nothing of tn,
ju-G now. For once IN her life, she We
shocked into actual seriousness.
"Oh, sir, how can | thank you
You saved me from such an awf'
death r. she falIerod, just like the her
4 ine OF any yeilow-co covered romano
, Aud then, overcome by the rocollectit
. OF her irighttul danger, she put bol
e hands up TO ner face and sank bacl
' faint and shuddering, right into u
l. handsome strangers arms.
Alice wickedly told her, long afte
ward, that she believed 1t was done
: purpose, but Nina stoutly protested b
!. innocence, and we know, reader, th
X she told the truth.
OF course he could not leave her no'
+ for she was too weak and unnerved
!; walk home without assistance 70