Nevada County picayune., 1890-02-26
WON AT TIE ALTAR.

as she looked innocently into Charli, Alton's grave face, feeling just trinc guilty as she saw the despair creep over him.
 He had always been a dear frient to her-nothing more. He had fought her battles at school in child hood; he had found the plumpest ripest berries and brownest nuts for her especial eating, but now-now ht had actually made her a proposition of marriage.
 A very mafter-of-fa affair he had imagined that an offer of marriage would come to her.
 It may be that that was the chiei reason of prompt refusal.
 "Why not, Nettie, darling? l have always loved you," he pleaded.
 That's just it." she exclaimed, pettishly. Il have always known you-always since remember. We have fought over mud pies"
 No, never. We never quarreled We always defended each other, , he interrupted.
 "There 1t is again,' she cried, impatiently. If we never did it is no sign that we never would. No, Charlie, l like you as friend, of course; but when 1 do marry-well, my husband won't be one who has hauled me to school upon his hand sled.
 "Who will it be-" he asked, bit terly.
 "Oh, l don't know yet. My prince has not come to me-" she answered, softly "IIe must be handsome you look quite well, Charlie, but you are not dark enough. He must be taller than l am at least four inches you are two, Charlie, exactly two. He must have lovely mustache, black and heavy; yours inclines to- ward red, Charlie, you cant deny that"
 That's enough!" ejaculated the tortured young man. You need not sing your unknown hero's praises further. see plainly that l can never hope to rival him. Good-by." '"
 And without another word or glance he bounded over a stone wall and walked rapidly down the road, leaving the girl by the maple trees sorely perplexed and uneasy.
 II declare l didn't think Charlie would getmad so easily" she unused, stopping absently to gather the crim- son and gold leaves which iluttered to her feet. "It was real mean of him, sure. Why cant we go on as we always have been? Pm sure it is so. l don't know what l will do without Charlie, but l cant marry him, and won't. So! How ab- surd. He must see it so, too. Of course he will when he comes to think It over. .''
 But he didn't, and the days passed swiftly.
 The crimson and gold faded into the dreary brown of late autumn, but still Charlie did not come back to her.
 II don't know what ails the chlld. She is strangely unlike herself, said her fond father, anXiously, one even- ing when Nettie listlessly left the room, after gazing silently into the ire for full two hours.
 "She is losing flesh, too, and grow ing pale. She eats scarcely any thing not enough to keep a canary alive" sighed her mother,
 "She used to sing songs and play chess with me all the evening. You never could play chess, my dear, grumbled the father.
 ''I think 1 will send her to her aunt Mary in Boston at once.
 "perhaps that would be best. II it is change that she needs, that will be change enough. I'll get hel ready as soon as possible. "
 Mrs. Travers instantly left the room to look after Nettie's wardrobe and inform that young lady Of the good fortune in store for her.
 'If you wish it l will go, mama. That was all the thanks she go' for the offer.
 II we wish it Something does