The Princeton union., 1892-02-04

Strangeness OF my position had VAN
ished. went to the factory in my
blazer, and / am afraid that some
times | transacted my business very
much as though | were the inexpe-
rienced boy Of 25 that I looked.
But the Beeches was a large estate
and my aunt and cousin rarely left it
during their visits to the place. So
there was little chance for gossip
connecting mo with my cousin in any
unpleasant way.
The only times when / was bound
to grow old was when wrote to Ju-
liza, and before week was over, and
| was in the full swim of my newly ac-
quired youth, an accident happened
that put me out of that. sprained
my right thumb andcould not hold q
pen. telegraphed and told her and
added that would telegraph every
other day, which / religiously did.
Or rather Mr.. Smith, my bookkeeper,
did it for me.
Nelly and I wandered about
through the old groves, finding here
and there truelovers' knots that we
had cut in the smooth back of the
beeches long ago. We used to carry
a little basket that held our lunch
and a volume of poems or a new
novel. ~
There were a great many clever
little novels that Nellie had notread.
Of course we had to keep magazines
and everything with a date out of her
way. One day in going over the
library shelves l came across an old
book that gave me the shivers. 1t
was; Mallock's ''Is Life Worth Liv-
ing?" 1t was that that had first
started Nellie on the path that had
led her away from me long ago. In
stinctively hid it behind a row of
encyclopedias. And then I knew
that I was playing the part Of trai-
tor. [ had been excusing myself
from my perilously pleasant position
by the assurance that was the only
person who could lead Nellie into her
true lite. And when I saw the door
open before her l ran to close it.
took the book out again and
took it with me when we went on our
morning ramble. When she saw it 7
trembled. But instead Of picking it
up as expected her to, she looked
at it scornfully and flung it down.
''Dick," she said, poutingly, ''yo,l
are too tiresome! What do you sup
pose / want with stuff like that?"
There was agreat guilt OF throb of
joy in my heart.
"-I-It has q red cover;" said,
lamely; II thought it was story"
just then she saw the corner Of an
envelope sticking out of my pocket.
1t was Julia's last letter that l had
received that morning, and had not
even opened She gave it a little
Jerk and pulled it out. Julia writes
the Eastlakey ultra feminine hand of
ten years ago. And the thick letter
lay proclainling itself from lady.
Nelly looked at it and then she
looked at me, and there was the sar-
casm of inexperience in her eye and
voice. ''You have no sisters, I be-
lieve she said icily.
This" said in my quietest tone
Sis from the wife Of friend ofmine.
A lady 80 years old and the mother
of two children. She writes to me
sometimes and gives me good advice
and tells me little anecdotes about
the children. [ will read you some of
it if you like"
Bless her heart! She turned and
kissed me on the cheek and said pity
ingly:
''Poor boy! How you do let your
good nature make a martyr of YOU.
Don't you find them awful bores?"
Eyes, I said candidly. when the
advice is extra good I do.''
And do you answer them?"
"Well," l said, "this is the tenth I
have had since Iansweredone." Which
was the truth. I don't call tele-
gram that is sent by a book-keeper
an answer to letter.
Going home across the fields we
came to a ditch.
II don't seem to remember this
ditch here,' Nelly said. "And how are
we ever going to CROSSE"
"I'n jump it, . I said, "and lift you
'Oh, but Dick, dearest, you can't, y
she said. II am too heavy
n95eaSy pdy SeiSS Sd6nn3Y j Yes soulau zlau d%p asS
this with you in his arms
"Your boy Johnny? Who are you
talking about? You do say some OF
the funniest things!''
"Oh," I.saik, airly, II mean the lit
tie son of the lady whose letter was
showing you. He is a great pet Of
mine.''
| We walked along silently for lit
tie while after tn ditch was jumped
and then Nelly said in dreamy sort
ola way:
'sDick, sometimes you seem differ
ent. You don't laugh as much as
you used last Summer" Dear heart!
Last summer was eleven years old! i
And you seem more brus-
que some way. 1 am afraid
you are working too hard, dear
Dick. And--some way you seem fond
Of me in a different way. You don't''
and the clear red of q sweet young
girls blush went all over her cheeks