Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-26

sit is, Dan,' the widow replied, not
unpleasantly, as she bent over her work
"Won It yo' sit deaWn?''
"Just for a minute or two he re-
piled, taking the rocking chair near the
hearth.
"Off on business somewhere?'' she
asked, as she preceived his fine get-up.
"Yes-well, nothing particular
Nancy he muttered. 1.-THE fact is
that I'm come to talk to you a bit. -
"Abeawt what?'' she queried, care
fully refraining from looking at him
and apparently paying great attention
to the morsel OF linen she was ironing.
"Well, it's about you and me and
NellIe-and a lot of things. What a
handsome lass Nellie Is getting.
There's not wench in the whole town
like her.
Dan was well aware of Nancy's fond
ness for her adopted daughter, and he
always made a point of praising her.
Such praise came easily from his lips,
for he was honestly as proud of the girl
as ever he had said he was.
''There's not, Dan, - Mrs. Marsden
assented readily. cam not better
wench in a England!''
"She's TOO good-much too good -
Dan cried warmly, 'to work int fac
tory. -
'But if hoo do esn It work int factory
hoo would ha toe work somewhere else,
Dan, - Nancy responded, laying down
Der iron for moment and looking
straight at him.
ga bonny Nench like her should be a
lady. She too nice, too good to dirty
her fingers with work.
"Heaw is hoo toe live if hoo doesn t
work?' she asked with smile.
easily enough if you will only let
me make you the landlady of the Star. I"
ooh, that's it, is it," she exclaimed
with a hearty laugh. "But if ali marry
yo', Dan, that'n not make a lady o.
Nellie
cit just will - he answered quickly.
"I have been thinking a lot about it
lately-about you and Nellie l mean. If
you will only marry me, Nancy, and 1
don't see why you shouldn't your
adopted daughter could leave the mill
tomorrow -
Nancy shook her head, not so emphat-
icallY, however, as she had done some
months before when Dan last asked her
TO be his wife. She was really thinking
seriously over what he had said; but she
did not want him TO think so. Therefore
she shook ner head ana took fresh iron
from the fire.
"Wen, you must think over it, - Dan
went on, in no ways discouraged by the
widow IS negative headshake. ''It would
be good thing all round, think-good
for me, good for you, and good for Nell
lie. You will think of it, Nanoy?''
"Oh, yes, ali I'll think of it, Dan, -
she answered.
''I know you would like to see Nellie
lady; now wouldn't you?''
"What else?'' emphatically.
Gwen, it will be your fault, Nancy.
if she isn't one. -
"Heaw S that?" The widow had laid
down her iron and was facing him with
open eyes of inquiry.
'Well, it, this way. You know that
IN nicely off and that could afford to
do great deal for the wench if you will
only give me the right to do SO. Do you
see?''
She nodded.
elf she were living under my roof I
could do a lot for her. In the first place
she would leave the mill, and 1 would
have her taught all sorts of things-to
play the piano even. And then she
might make a good match of it some
day!'
''she's coortin ready Nancy
said quietly in response to Dams last
sentence.
"Mark Elliott" he asked laconically.
cay. He's nahce Yung chap, TOO, is
Mark!'
"He's very decent fellow, 1 know,
and 1 wouldn t say a word against him
for all the world, Nancy. Not one man
in hundred-a thousand--wouldh have
done what he did that meet. But-we
mustn't forget that he's only factory
man after all, and Nellie ought to look
higher than h i'm l think. -
She shook her head very emphatically,
and he added
Gwen, it's no business of mine, of
course. The wench will consider her
own liking in that sort of thing
"Hoo will, Dan. Yo' may leead Nell
lie, but yo' cannot 6rahve her. -
''Well, when shall 1 call again?
Won't you give me an answer now,
Nancy? Do, and settle the business.
"Nowe! Novel; she cried. ''Thah
must wait O. bit!'' and she put out her
strong, plump arms TO keep him away.
''If it's only a question of waiting,
my Many - he said, with laugh, "In
do that willingly. -