Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-04-08
nelly, Nelly"

| Noiiys NoIy'
To prevent their leafy place Of
rendezvous being discovered, the
lovers took hasty farewell, Leo pro-
testing that, if Nelly welded other
than himself, she destroyed his happi'
ness forever. Then the young girl
creeping through the bushes, regained
the house undetected.
Mrs. Wentworth was the widow Of
Major Wentworth, who, on his death
had left her no more than her pension
to live on, that would not have enabl'
ed her to keep up the style she did
but for her late fathers nice little for
tune, which society affirmed had been
bequeated to Mrs. Wentworth's child
rem -Gertie, aged thirty, Janet. who
called herself twenty-six, and Nellie
eighteen. and as the widow never
denied the statement, there was no
reason why it should not be true.
Mrs. Wentworth held that the sole
aim and end of a girls existance was
a lucrative marriage.
Gertie already had become Mrs
Archibald Craven, with a dowry Of
four thousand pounds, her grandfath-
er's money. Janet had had suitors,
to which, however, either she did not
incline. or who were not considered
eligible. Nelly's first was Lionel,
simply a bankers clerk, with a salary
of not three hundred year.
He was bright, handsome, open
hearted young fellow, to whom every
body's heart warmed. The Went
worths smiled on him, and relied up.
on him as their right hand when they
gave garden-par.ies. If the widow
perceived his affection for Nelly, she
had not in any way sought to check
it.
But Nell's surmise respecting her
elder sister was sadly near the mark.
Leo was her own age, and her inclina-
ton had been instantly attracted to
him while perhaps love is blind-she
regarded bis attentions to Nelly-"a
mere child" in no serious light.
So stood matters when, the spring
arriving, Mrs. Wentworth selected
Scarborough as the watering place
for their summer outing. There they
had met Captain Brooke, whose fash
ionable exterior, and evident position
in society, made him of no little i'm
portance among the seaside visitors.
His attentions to Nelly soon became
marked, and Mrs. Wentworth, thrill
ed with proud satisfaction at so ex-
cellent match, while Janet had even
expressed pleasure.
The only one dissatisfied and alarm.
ed was Nell herself. Already was she
secretly troth-plighted to Leo; and
no sooner did they return to town than
she acquainted him with the state of
affairs.
"Well, darling" he remarked,
cheerfully, there's but one thing to
be done. / must be before the cap.
tain. know Mrs. Wentworth likes
me, and Janet is my friend"
Whereupon he had proposed and
been rejected and when persisting,
he had sought a second interview,
been forbidden the house, and to see
or write to Nelly again-a prohibition
neither had obeyed.
After that interview on the garden.
wall, Leo despite his cheerfulness be-
fore Nelly, rowed away down the
river very alarmed, wretched, and de-
pressed.
In vain he told himself a hundred
times that Nelly would never consent
to wed any but himself. He owned
it was an unfair fight she would be
subjected to, a child like she was, and
50 devotedly fond of her mother,
whom she held it almost a sacred duty
to obey.
Leo got very little sleep that night.
How could he, when he reflected up
on the trial awaiting her he loved on
the morrow?
IF she refuse the captain, she puts
herself At variance with all her family"
he reflected. IF she accepts him she
ruins my happiness and her own.
She'll never do that. If | could but
help her-save her! 1t seems so
mean letting her fight all alone ~
Having tossed himself almost into
fever, he rose early, and the first
thing he saw on his breakfast Ia BILE
was a note from Nelly. The lines
enclosed we're few, and blotted by
tears.
DEAR, DEAR LEO Forgive me -
forever! Such scere occurred last
evening and / have yielded. Captain
RrOoke cnmea In fOur o'clock ten tn