The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-17
IN ONE SHORT YEAR.
BY JENNIE II. wUNsCH.

e. SUPPOSE was very pretty, or Dick per-
Ey jured his soul to dreadful extent. know
ES that his one way OF comforting me IN the
NY time OF our greatest trial, when we thought
we should be separated, was TO stroke my hair
and muImur, "My pretty, my pretty I" in con-
selling whisper. 1t sOOtbed me very much aud
made me almost stop crying 10 listen TO him.
If men only knew how much more soothing II
Is TO be told That one is pretty when one Is In
griefthan 10 be exhorted 10 'Be sensible woman
now" they might make more use OF this very
simple device.
Dick and l were standing in a deep bracken-
grown hollow AT tie end OF my fathers great
park. In our passionate young grief we had eyes
and ears for no one but ourselves. l had, how
ever, chosen the very quiet hour OF sunset on
May evening TO meet my poor lover, aud only
few inquisitive but timid rabbits stared with
dark eyes at from the safe vantage of their
own round doors, gently moving their soft brown
ears with sympathetic interest.
Only pretty Nancy, my dearest girl. 1t Is quite
impossible for me not 10 see The force Of your
fathers reasons. lie is perfectly kind and just
| TO you He wants TO make you happy. He calls
me fortune hunter; therefore l Will not accept
one penny of his money with YOU and l cannot
be so selfish to deprive you OF all those COM
forts you have been accustomed to-"
you are the only comfort care about, Dick"
l sobbed out. "And what good Will other COM
| forts do me II | die? For l shall die II l am
| never TO see yOn again. Father says II persist
| in marrying you lie VIII cut me out of his VIII
| and leave every hing 10 Aunt Betty and her six
ugly daughters. Well dearest, let him do ii. 1t
| wont make them one bit prettief, and money
| wont buy them n sweetheart like mine. Do you
| really believe, Dick that II l were sitting in a
room full of gold with sack of soyeregns in
my arms. and saw you outside that 1 wouldn't
| throw The nasty stun down aud rush through the
window into your arms Dick, you don't know
| much about women. f0ull have TO take me as
| 1 am and begin the study at once"
| My lover clasped me 4 little closer; but he
sighed profoundly at the same Time.
| II can offer you so Httle," he said sadly;
"nothlDg but my love and share OF my poverty.
| But can work for you. Will work. My Uncle
| Richard has promised TO help me TO a berth in
one oil The Oriental Mail ships. from which l can
| work my way up. But. Nancy, there Is no rank
| In tie merchant service which would meet with
| your fathers approval"
| II am 81 =" cried dehantly, land IL my IA
| Their chooses 10 call you names aud threaten me
| with the loss OF h0rrld lot Of money-whch
| only makes into mean worldly wielcheS-I
| shall run away from him aud It, / shall certainly
| run away, Dick, quite soon. You may please
| yourself whether You help NE or leave NE 10 do
| II alone"
After This bold speech l was forced to hide my
| shamed face on the shoulder OF Dicks blue uni
| form, and there heard his honest heart beating
| true loves answer To my words. His scIuples
| all vanished, and in lie next two hours we had
! settled the details OF my flight. lie was TO re-
| turn 10 Edinburgh, where he lodged with 4 dear
| old Scotch lady, Of whom lie had often spoken To
me. was TO follow IN few days We could be
| married quietly. ana await DICKS appOlutntus
| In bli,siul poverty. f.s
| / fear bought very little of my lonely father
that evening as l stole home across the wide
park, scattering shadowy deer aud Hurried rab-
| bits from the grassy paths.
My father had always been absorbed in busi-
| ness Till lie made his fortune, and had taken
little notice OF his motherless girls. believe lie
| was fond OF me- in Il certain way but wanted 10
| keep me IN leading strings all my life. was
| only a piece of the very handsome furniture In
| hrs splendid house, and had no more right 10
! have an opinion my own destiny than bis
| easy chair had 10 say vine e II should stand.
| / lett him, therefore, without thinking that 1t
| could cause him much grief; but / knew that in
| tense anger and wounded pride would make him
| very bitter against lie aud my almost pennilesS
| lover.
| / seemed to live In dream for the next two or
| three days. I'LL got Dicks final letter To Say all
was ready for me at Mrs. Nichols. His blight,
manly face, the al dent look III his gray eyes as
we parted that last evening were ever before me.
| j went on, however, making very practical prep
| aratons, sucn rs packing my pIdlueSt gowns,
| ana leaving my finest garments In my huge ward
| robe. knew that the simple little lodgings
| up three flights OF stalrS-would not fit IN with
| liberty and SILK" dinner dresses II was more
| likely / should be cooking our dinner Than dress
| Ing Tor 1t. In view OF such Il charming novelty. 1
! packed up some painting aprons, with very
smart poc,e and 5ibs, which 1 knew DICK
| would think becoming.
| announced my intention OF going TO visit
school friend in Edinburgh. and my father. who
| never denied Inc small pleasures, kissed me at
The door lie SAID good by, told me to BE-
| good girl, and then as the carriage drove rapidly
| Oh lutUeu ~ tHlel HIS Stuuy Will al obvious air
| OF relief.
His utter want of suspicion touched me with
remorse for the first Time, half started up and
| called family, Father! " But the cry was lost
amid the roll OF wheels and was fan TO drown
| my rtmorse In flood OF tears. which only
ceased at The END OF my long drive 10 the station.
| For the last time a tail f00man got my icket
| for me, looked alter my luggage ana stood
| respectfully at the door OF HE compartment
| which he had secured Tor my exclusive use. l
| had recovered my spirits now and laughed when
| / thought that the next journey made would
probably be by thrd-class, but with Dick, my
| husband, 10 protect me.
1t is only a journey Of few hours TO Edinburgh
from my home. There on The platform stood my
handsome, eager. young lover, and by his side Il
| plain but most benevolent lUoklng little Old lady.
| She had Two gtay curls on each side OF her
round cheeks and she nodded ana smiled at me
| In tile most friendly way as soon as Dick identi-
fed me by rushing forward as If 10 take my
lonely compartment by storm.
Conducted "hOme" by these two enthusiastic
| creatures, was shown INTO Il cbaimngy clean,
bright little fiat, perched like bros nest high
| above tile picturesque town. An honest faced
mdde.aged Scotch servant opened The door and
| said rravely:
| "Ye're welcome. men,"
This is my Christie" explained Mrs. Nicholl,
"and Mr. Gordon's great admrer."
smiled AT her Kind though rugged face Were
not all Dicks friends to be my friends now !?
She aiterward conided 10 Mrs. Ncholl that Miss
Bell was cas- bonnie bride as she could ha'
walled for him hersep." This was considered
high praise.
Then came the happy days OF preparation; the
| Vultt uOuSC NCuuIupt III only MIS-. NIcnOlt
and Christie as witnesses, and the bIissful fort.
night IN the small cottage IN Arran, where Dick
and spent our honeymoon. l abjured wealth
| and luxury with light heart. Late dinners and
| foOlmen, silk gowns and ladies' maids, hot-house
flowers and soft-rolling carriages all counted as
nothing when stepped lightly over the heather
with my tall, brave husband beside me-
did not think much about my father [ had
sent him letter from Edinburgh announcing
| my marriage, but he had taken no notice OF IT,
What did we care2 We were absorbed in each
other and in daydreams OF the future How
foolish and how happy we were! We talked
much OF Dicks prospect Of advancement He
called me Mrs. Captain Gordon" and dressed
me In all the imaginable embroidery and jewels
that young sailor might find in India Tor his
sweetheart. AT last we left Elysum (in the form
OF very uncomfortable but most romantic hut
IN the depths OF a glenn and found ourselves one
rooms in Edinburgh by Mrs. NicholI, whose gray
curls fairly biistled with Importance and pleas
ure, as she showed us into or pant OF her tiny
house. Christie. In a gown that cracked with
starch, lowered In the doorway to share In the
pride OF her mistress, as we explained and
praised aud wondered over everything. These
Two devoted women must have spent our whole
honeymoon In grand cleaning and super
fishing. for the furniture almost blinded us by
Its brlancy. They had bought yards Of cheap,
bachelor room into bower for his bride.
That very evening Dick wrote TO his uncle
about the promised appointment, giving his
reasons (me) for desiring TO increase his income
as quickly as possible.
Our favorlte recreation during the summer
was TO stroll in the evening on the outskirts Of
Edinburgh. We studied the exterors OF small
houses, furnishing them from our large stock Of
imagination, and placing ourselves as fiuishln Ing
touch. now In the bow-window OF that little
drawing-rO0m, now sitting on that green bench
In the small garden. But always together, my
| darlng-aiways together.
At last Dick heard that In month he would
be called upon to make the voyage TO Bombay,
as first officer on board one OF the splendid ships
Win which his unce's hrm was connected. He
must 60 alone, aud my heart drooped within me
as thought OF the separation from my dearest
and the peris Of his journey. He only Thought
0fme.
"Ah, how can leave you, my pretty Nancy!,'
he cried; you will grow pale and Ill, and shall
not be there to comfort you. What a selfish