The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-08-14
SOMERSET PA, WEDNESDAY. AUGUST IA. 1889.

ltne Alc5 WAS prODOuuceu We'll enough
TO sit up for few hours, she had school
ed herself into the patient endurance of
her wrongs
She had not acquired fort;tude enough
TO read the notes from Merfic that were
brought to her daily, but slipped them
under her pillow, and took the first op-
I,ortunity ,of lburning them unopened
neither could she help shuddering and
closing her eyes to shut out the sight Of
Nellie Jarves pretty face when first it
bent over her, beaming with the most af-
fectionate solicitude.
But she resolutely conquered this feel
ing. Was it far to blame Nellie for be-
ing ilesistibly bewitching? Her own at
fractions were SO few, that how could
Merric help loving this charming little
creature far better than he had once fan
eied he loved her?
Once admitted into the sick room, ii
would heve been difficult to exclude Nell
lie again. She made herself too useful
to Mrs. Edney, who suspecting nothing
amiss, gladly gave over the task Of anus
ing and waiting on Alice to her willing
visitor And Nellie was indefatigable in
her efforts till the evening, when she
seated herself on stool beside the inva-
lids easy chair and sank into long rev.
erie.
DO you feel able to listen to confes-
sion, dear2' she said, presently, when
the blaze of the fire had sunk into
ruddy glow, and the room was almost in
darkness. May / tell you what has
happened, and will you promise not to
blame me too much is--"
But Alice could not bear this yet.
Not now," she gasped ~give me
time to get stronger, and then"
" you are tired" said Nellie, tenderly. |
have let you sit up too long. Let me
help you back to bed. You must try and !
sleep soundly, for we want to have you
down stairs tomorrow. 1t is your moth
er's birthday, remember, and the home
circle will not be complete without Alice
to grace it."
Yes" Alice mentally said 81 will |
be brave, and take my old place without
further delay My dearest mother shall
never know what | have suffered in los |
ing Merrie's affections For her dear
sake | will overcome my regrets, and |
appear happy, if / do not feel so.y
And Alice kept her word. She came |
to the breakfast table on the morrow,
paler and more hollow-eyed than her
parents liked to see her but with a
smile on her lips even for Merric Gran
ard, who had ridden over to bring fruit
and flowers from his fathers hot-house
in honor of this anniversary.
In spite Of her efforts to avoid him, he
drew her aside as soon as the meal was
over.
my dearest, how you tremblew he
cried. Has the effort to come among us
been made too soon p
No. she replied, as firmly as her fall
tering'voice permitted, you have some-
thing TO tell me. Let me hear it at once"
All, yesl You mean with regard TO
this" and opening a case he drew from
his pocket, he displayed a very neat
bracelet made OF hair set in silver, with
exquisitely-wrought clasps of the same
precious metal.
Did you miss one Of your bonny
chestnut LOCKS" he asked. 4" Nellie
stole it for me, that we might have it
made into this bracelet for your mother.
We knew we could not give her birth
day gift that would please her more than
this By-the-by, Miss Nellie has made
hasn't she? But here she
comes, anxious, | can see, to receive your
congratulations. She isn't bad sort of
girl when one comes to know her. I'll
give her half an hour, and then you
must let me take you for drive"
Darling Alice whispered Nellie,
gliding into his place beside her startled,
bewldered friend, don't say shall do
wrong in accepting Mr.. Ellington
know | am not half good enongh for
such an excellent man, and could hard
ly believe him when he said he wanted
me TO be his wife"
Mr.. Ellington, of the Grange? lie is
nearly twenty years your senior !"
And twice twenty my superior in
mental gifts and goodness of heart. /
knew Pris Relton and every one who
thinks with her would say was mercen-
airy, and only welded him for his mon-
ey. But oh, Alice, he is so good, so gen.
erous, he has won my heart entirely.
If l were not so poor, 50 utterly unwor-
thy such noble affection as he prof
fers-"
Here Nellie broke down, and laid her
head on her friends shoulder.
Ilnd so tins was your secret, and the
bracelet was Merric's. How foolish /
have been, calculated Alice.
You are never foolish" averred Nell
lie, and / mean to be guided entirely
by your advic ice"
Whether she was or not, it is certain
that, to the horror and astonishment of
Priscilla Relton, Squire Ellington led to
the altar that flirting Nellie" who has
proved a pattern wife, and numbers
among her most faithful friends, Merric
Granard and his fair wife AIica