Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-06-07

'Tm goin' to he very good now, since
I've got you home. I'll do just every
thing TO please you. I'm all the sister
you've got.'
Eyes! you're all the sister I've got! Oh,
Missy, how wish YOU were older!'
"H'm.' said Missy, not at all compli-
mented. "Then Id be young lady at
the pianner, like my cousin Flora, al.
ways afraid of spelling my clothes.
Bound you wouldn't get her to ride
double, this er way"
"I shouldn't think of asking her."
laughed Nicholas.
"No," Missy asserted, comfortably,
am nicer than her." She was bitterly
jealous Of Flora.
The family were at tea when the broth
er and sister came i'm, Missy clinging to
Nicholas arm.
"How you do spoil that child" said
Mrs. Leonard Tborne. She disapproved
OF Missy's ways" with Nicholas; in fact,
disapproved of Missy altogether.
NO" said Missy, with a motherly air,
"it's me what spoils him."
The colonel frowned. Flora" he
said, 81 wish you would undertake to
smooth my little daughter"
as she a Hat from said Missy, pertly,
stufling her handkerchief into her mouth.
Nicholas and Flora exchanged glances
and frankly smiled.
"Winifred!' expost,llated Miss Elvira;
but Missy had seen her brother smile and
she cared naught for her Aunt Elvira.
In the privacy of her own room that
night Mrs. Leonard Thorne expressed the
opinion that Winifred Thorne was born
to be modification to her family. "She
makes herself perfect nuisance to Mich
olas"
"Oh, mar Flora demonstrated; and,
seeing that her mother was bent upon
talking about Nicholas. she began to
comb her beautiful luxuriant hair over
her eyes.
"Not but that it's very admirable in
| Nicholas to be so indulgcnt toward her.
! 1 always did justice to Nicholas good
! qualities. He may have been little
wild, but what Of that? All young men
| Of spirit are restive under restraint. My
brotber-in-law, the colonel, demands per-
| fection in his son and heir-as IL he were
anywhere near perfection himself"
"Oh, mar said Flora again. You know
Uncle Jasper never was-like Nicholas"
mo, he never was," repeated Mrs.
Thorne, with emphasis. "Catch Col.
Thorne confessing his follies and short
comings, as Nicholas has to me. That is
what / call honorable in the highest de-
gree. It's what most young men wouldn't
do-under the circumstances. i always
knew he would come out right in time.
And what property he will have, Flora!
/ Three fine plantations, besides the Fern
dale place to be divided between him and
that little monkey of Missy. Then your
Aunt Elvira will probably leave all she
has to Nicholas; he always was her fa-
vorite. And Nick is so pleasant he hasn't
lost any of his bright spirits"
81 don't know about that, ma, said the
more observant Flora, behind her brown
tresses MY Cousin Nicholas hasn't such
bright spirits as he'd like to have body
believe. They are too bright; and he is
moody enough when he thinks nobody is
noticing. And them
"And them repeated Mrs. Thorne, all
attention.
"IIe is in another scrape, l fancy" said
Flora, slowly. ''Therc is certainly some.
thing weighing on his mind"
"Or his heartl" suggested Mrs. Thorne.
II afforded Miss Flora's mamma ex.
quiste enjoyment to watch the progress
of affairs between Nicholas and her
daughter Ii was like vivified novel
and upon no account would she have
been willing to see this romance hurried
to precipitate conclusion with the music
of marriage bells. 1t was quite the proper
thing that the young lady should be coy
and disdainful, denying her true feelings
and flirting with rival, while the young
gentleman distrusted his own desert
counterfeited gayety, and was a prey t.
gloom; all this was too delicious to bt
marred by inconsiderate haste.
Never had Mrs. Thorne seen devotion
SO delicate as that displayed by Nicholas
Every morning, immediately after break
fast, he FASTENED away to see about tn,
work on his aunt's house; every noon h,
returned with suggestions for improve
ments and conveniences that he detailed
, to Mrs. Thorne, with an interest and en-
, thusiasm that took her vanity captive
, Devotion to Flora's mamma was sure t,
be appreciated by Mrs. Thorne; it wa
the dream of her heart that her son-in
law should be in love with herself. Fur
, nival was now at work upon the house
, and it pleased Mrs, Thorne to fancy tina
, the impetuous Nicholas must worry tn
life out of that dilatory mechanic.
Not that am in haste to have yo
leave us, aunt, you understand" sal,
Nicholas, blushing, when rallied upo
his energy in pushing on the work.
Mrs. Thorne thought she did under
stand perfectly. 1t was out of the ques
ton that Flora should be married in an
other house than her mothers. Furniya
had been heard to say to Nicholas: "Whe
boy lax you takes a inarryin' notion h
stands fair to make burned fool of hin
self" That Furnival, the carpenter
should presume to make such speec
to Col. Thorne's son was immensel
amusing to Mrs. Leonard Thorne. Sh
tried to persuade Nicholas to tell ht
what had provoked it, but Nicholas onl
turned scarlet and quickly changed tn
subject.
When he was not with Furniv al Mel
olas devoted himself to Flora, doing a
that young man may TO win maiden
favor; for he did ardently desire to wi
his cousins favor that he might cour
upon her womanly sympathy.
;, Missy ragged over this state of thing
n "Brer Nicholas amt no mo use to II
r than settin' hen," she declared. 1t r
d quired Glory AIMS strictest vigilance
:, keep the child from dogging the steps I
e the two young people.
As for Flora, she WAS sorely perplexe,
n Nicholas had never been so attractive
o her as now. Alone with his pretty cousi
d he abandoned all pretence TO gayety, ar
il gave himself up TO a sadness that was n