Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-11-15

too much so; ! think. should not
have given her up,
she did, though, and for two years
would not trust himself to return
home. But, having at last won his
diploma, he came back to see his
mother. and also to decide upon n
professional location for himself.
But, once back amid the old scenes,
countless memories he had been
striving to outlive returned upon
him. Though he struggled against
them, he chafed under his resolution
not to think of Nellie again. do
not know how all this might have
ended had not his inward strivings
been checked from an outward and
unexpected source.
''He had heard rumors OF Nellie's
engagement to the son OF a Sich and
influential man. Indeed he soon saw
this young gentleman passing in
and out at her fathers house almost
daily. They were not really engag-
ed, however, but her relatives favor
ed his suit. She haG several times
refused him, yet he perseverPd, and
in time this persistence might have
ITS effect. She also knew that Adam
had been home Tor some time, yet he
had not called upon her, and she
had been told that he WAS soon to
leave. How was she to know that
he vet cared for her?
"0ut of pique, perhaps, she en-
eouraged the rich mans son. But
in his self conceit the latter spoiled
it all; for finding himself so well re-
ceived he fell to tlattering himself by
grossly disparaging his less fortu.
nate rival.
Many others, he said to her,
would aspire to your hand did they
feel themselves worthy ofyou. Why,
there's a student overthe way whom
they say used to be devoted to you.
| have actually seen the fool looking
alter you on the street. Only the
other night he sat at his window by
moonlight and stared over here.
and am told he makes n practice
OF it. / daresay the poor devil is
Yet in love. with you. It's quite
ridiculous, considering his position,
for they say he is as poor as Jobs
turkey and OF no family to speak Of
Such presumption would be insolent
if it were not laughable.'
Poor Nellie That night she pae-
ed the floor of her room for hours.
Her heart went out to her old sweet
heart, for she began to comprehend
what he had endured. and to realize
something of the nature of his long
I self denial. And now he was to leave.
! II she let him go thus he would drift
away from him forever. What could
she do but cast him line Of some
kind? And yet | think even you,
sir. with all your advanced opinions
of women and their duties, would
hardly justify her in such n course
"Wel. George, replied the old gem
tleman, Il believe | would. What
else could she do?"
True; but how should she let him
know? Then she remembered that It
was leap year While fumbling un.
decidedly in secretary for paper
she came across aquaint, hand made
envelope, inclosing a pink pager
heart, with these wordsprinted there
on in crnmped boyish hand:
This was mine, but now its yures.
ADAM
'She recollected that he had given
this to her years before, when spell
ing was a greater mystery to them
both than now.
with a brush she wrote under
meath:
'''And mine is yours
''She sealed it up, addressed it to
him and hurried with it to the post
Office. No SPECTATOR, risking his
last dollar upon hourly fluctuations
of the money market, ever trembIed
more for the results OF lis venture
than did Nellie now. 1t was leap
year, but he might not think OF it,
or remember his childish valentine.
Perhaps he would think her OVERLOAD,
or fail to understand. Yet she saw
no other more maidenly way to let
him know that she was still true.
'She sat by the window that day
until she saw Adam 20 by upon his
way to the postoffice. A few mo.
ments later she saw him come bnck,
evidently in a state of much excite
ment. AS he passed he glanced up
at her window. with eyes that told
her he had read her missive and that
he understood. She rewarded him
with an angelic smile, then hid her
face blushingly, while he walked
home as il treading on air
THAT night great opera troupe
was to give a single performance in
town, and everybody that was any
body would undoubtedly be there.
Adam knew that Nellie loved such
entertainments, and lie went early to
get sight of her there. Somehow,
under the daze CT hope revived, he
did not think of going to her house
as yet. Knowing that his suit would
be opposed by her father he thought
great caution would be necessary in
his approaches. After the opera be-
gan he saw that Nellie was not there,
though the rest of her family were
conspicuously present. Slowly the
truth 6oxuna1 rn4,, 1.sx., CI.n