The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-05-07
ART AND NATURE.


on her spectacles, chow you have
spruced up, to be sure"
II never saw such change in any
one in all my born daysr' said Mrs.
Perry.
They were both right Alfred Perry
had changed marvelously in the brief
two years that he had been New York
lawyer. The rustic sunburn had faded
away from his cheek, q long silky mus
tache graced his upper lip, and his hair.
curled and scented, was brushed away
from his well-developed forehead.
..What will Annette say! calculated
Auut Melissa. 1--WE great mind to
send right up to Squire Dawson's and
let her know you've got homer
But any such proceeding was rend-
cred unnecessary by the opening of the
door and the unexpected apparition of
Miss Annette Dawson's blooming self.
why, here she is now!" said Mrs.
Perry.
Eyes, here she is" sparkled Annetta,
and dropping from her apron tangle
of wild flowers, fern plumes, and feath-
cry grasses, she ran up to the new arri-
val and stood on tip-toe to kiss him.
''Oh, Fred, how glad am to see you
and how funny your new mustache
does feel!'
She was radiantly pretty, with dewy-
hazel eyes, curling silky hair blown
over her temples, and a tiny rosebud
mouth.
Mr.. Perry WINGED little.
''You are so abrupt, Annette"
''Not Annettee, Fred. Have you for
gotten the dear old name 'Nanny'P"
Apparently he paid no heed to what
she said; he was earnestly scrutinizing
the dimpled, rosefiushed face.
Child, how frightfully sunburned
you are-and what an unbecoming
color that lilac is-just exactly the sort
of calico dress that every chambermaid
wears!"
Don't you like it?" said Nancy, a
little discounted. "But, Fred"
mot so loud, it really startles one.
Sit down, Annette-not on the edge of
the table, child-how very different
your manners are from what l have
been accustomed to. Here is a chair"
Nancy Dawson subsidized into the
cushioned seat, pouting. Evidently her
fiancee had come back marvelously
changed, and Nancy wasn't altogether
certain that she liked the transforma-
ton.
She listened to his smooth talk-it
was very attractive, yet it was not the
old Fred. He spoke of operas, soirees,
evening gatherings, and to Nanny it
seemed as if he had passed into another
world since the dayo which, standing
beneath the holly tree in the woods, he
pliohted his troth to her.
81 wish you could have the advan-
tage of season in New York, Annette, !"
he said. You have no idea how much
it would improve you!"
Nanny looked suddenly up, with a red
stain on her check.
Don't you like me as / am, Alfredo"
There! what quick-tempered little
puss it isl" he said, pulling the silken
head. "Of course like you, Nan; but
you see you're diamond in the rough
you need polishing
You never said so in the old times,
Alfred"
Because my dear, my standard has
been raised since those same old
times.'"
Erred, / wish you had never gone
away from Stansdale.''
He laughed in the superior, patroniz-
ing way that she so much disliked.
But Nanny Dawson went home and
cried herself to sleep that night.
The two weeks of her lovers sojourn
among his native hills and dales were
anything but pleasant to the little vii
lage beauty. Everything she did or
said or wore seemed to provoke criti-
cism from Alfred Perry; and one day,
in burst of passionate tears, she cried
out:
"What would you have me do, FredP"
Exactly" said Mr. Perry, daintily
whisking off the head of tall buttercup
with his ivory-headed cane. Nov you
ask me the question, l think few
months with Mrs. Gordon Trevallian in
Philadelphia would give your manners
the finishing touch which they certainly
lack now"
"Well, Fred, will go to this Mrs.
Gordon Trevsllian and try to be-
come"
"A little more like other people"
laughingly interrupted Mr.. Perry
And Nanny bit her lip and mutely ac-
cepted the amendment.
And when he had taken his departure
I'd NEW IOTk AuueJue DdWSOn pdCkcu
the trunk, kissed her father and mother
good-by, and started for Philadelphia to
be civilized according to rule and plum
met of the far-famed Mrs. Gordon Ire
vallian.
Almost before they began to note the
progress of time the year rolled round
again to the June roses, and the sunny
meadow slopes were all crimsoned with
the fragrant flush of the wild strawber-
ries.
''Nanny's letters grow rather stiff Of
late, it seems to me-" pondered Mr..
Perry, the evening before he started for
home on his annual vacation, "and l
don't know that like so many French
phrases and hackneyed quotations
sprinkled through them. Heigho! One
gets very tired of the monotony and for
mality Of city society. I'm not sorry, on
the whole, that l am going back to
Stansdale and little, unsophisticated
NANNY Dawson"