The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-02-08

cd Nelly. 81 want to write valentine;
Icouldn't put in either"
''To Laura Lamb; bet cent said
the exasperating Samuel
"Now, Sam, if you tell, III
1000! What?" asked Sam, affecting
terror
81 don't know yet; but something
really dreadful"
Then Nelly, rejecting she had be-
trayed herself unconsciously-for Sam
was behind the window-curtain when
she first spoke, SO she did not see him
thought it was the part of wisdom to
take that bad boy into her confidence,
and put him ION honor" Besides, Sam
wrote a beautiful, copper-plate, ''busi-
ness hand;" such as plenty of other peo-
pie write, quite uncharacteristic, legi-
BILE, and calculated to defy any detec-
ton, simply because it was like so
many other peoples.
snow, SAM" she went on, 81 should
like to have you help me, and I'm sure
you won't betray secret; so I'll tell
you. do want to write valentine to
Laura, and particularly don't want her
to know where it comes from. She
hoaxed me awfully two years ago, and l
want to pay her off"
"Just like girl, exactly! But what
did you want to wait two years for?"
"Nelly has got little Yorkshire
blood in her veins, l suppose, said Mrs.
Damon, dryly.
"What's that, mammal"
"'Keep stun in tina peck six year,
turnin' ont; then heave it at UNI"
Sam roared.
'Now you've got it, Nell. Mother,
you're awful sharp when you set out to
be-
SIT isn't that at ALL! said aggrieved
Nelly. Its because l hadn't good
chance; and, besides, if I'd done it the
next year she would have guessed right
away"
swell, supposing that's all square,
why upon earth do you want to write it
now, just at New Years, when you can't
send it for six weeks?"
''Why, you see I'm going to send it to
Jenny Dauvray-she's gone to Italy for
tho wintor--and have her post it there,
for then Laura will never guess it came
from me; and want to have you copy
1t, Sam. I've got some foreign post
paper and envelopes, and you write such
lovely hand"
Sam was flattered; consented to copy
the missive, and promised TO keep the
secret.
But Nelly had not told him or her
mother every thing. She had been
Laura Lambs intimate friend in their
sohool-days. and though they had not
seen SO much OF each other since Mr..
Damon died and his family went back to
Traverse to the old Damon homestead,
yet there was still an intimacy, an ex-
change of visits and etters, and, Of
course, much mutual confidence. Now,
Nelly knew very we'll that Laura had
taken great deal of interest during the
last year in a certain youth who had
come to Swanfield to study law in Judge
Lambs office. '...1
Jack Davenport was manly, hand
some fellow, with a great dislike to his
intended profession, and an equally
great desire to become an artist. But
his father, Judge Davenport, was dis
tinguishcd lawyer, and Jack his only
son, so he peremptorily insisted on that
sons following in his footsteps, for the
judge mad no opinion of painters or
paintings. Jacks taste coming from tho
other side OF the house.
However, this was case of imam pro
poses," for Jack had not been six
months in Swanfield pretending to
study, but really flirting, fishing and
idling, when his father died suddenly,
he was recalled to New York, and, find
ing himself heir to large fortune and
an orphan-his mother having died
youngLhe settled the estate as soon as
possible and took himself off to Rome to
follow his hobby, to Judge Lambs dis