Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-03-18

"She is so pretty!" the poor young
fellow thought, With sigh; ''no Won
der she likes to ride with the captain in
the Park, while l am tied to the counter
and cannot even afford to hire boy to
roll in the barrels. | could not send
basket home il customer asked it."
But fortunately the customers were of
that class that never trust market-bas-
ket out of their own hands. Still, as they
were very exacting as to the largest
measure for the lowest price, that bal
anced the matter.
1t was not very fiourishing grocery
store, for the goods were of the cheapest
description, and the profits were very
small; and often when the stock had to
be replenished, George Davis wore patched
shoes and the shabbiest of clothes.
SIT would delight my heart" Nanette
said once to her mother, ''if could once
get my two hands in the linen closet of
Monsieur Davis aud repair his collars
and cuffs. They are frayed. Oh"-
with uplifted hands-"how they are
shabby"
| "You had better look at something
| else than the cuffs of Monsieur Davis,
said Madame Hillien, severely. "In my
| country maidens do not look at young
men,"
"But, mamma, when I must look at
him every day how can l but see him?
Do not buy of him sugar and tea and
all that we have to eat9"
'sIf you were wise you would not be
compelled to buy food in a little store
| like that. Listen: Monsieur, the cap
tain, has told me that if he marries he
will buy the whole house. All, think of
a whole housew
"But we are comfortable in three
rooms"
ssBah! We livei But comfortable2
You have no sense, Nanettel Twice
already has the captain spoken to me-
You will lose him."
"Let him go 1 have my work and
we have five hundred dollars in bank.
Why should marry an old horror like
that?"
''He is not horrible"
.sNo, you are right. He is kind and
good, and am sorry he will love me
when Cannot love him."
''But, why9"
"Ah, why9" saidlNan ette, Struggling
her pretty shoulders. But she ran away
then and began to concoct a marvellous
omeet for supper, singing in a loud,
clear voice, so that her mother could not
make her hear from where she sat in an
inner room. Why! Never a word OF
love had the young grocer spoken, though
his honest eyes told his alteration; but
| Nanette knew that she always had the
choice of the market set aside for her,
and there was always little overweight
of all the choicest things in her basket.
But the attentions of the captain soon
became a burden; not because of his
prosecutions, but because Madame Hill
| lien became fretful and exacting on the
subject. 1t was all fooishness on
Nanette's part, and no modest girl re-
fused the husband her mother offered her,
| she said.
But Nanettc had been too long in
America, though she was but twenty
two, to give up her freedom OF choice
| for any old French custom.
"Here girls choose their own hus-
| bands" she said.
And Madame Hillen screamed:
"You would offer yourself to him."
'sNot SO bad as that, mamma, though
this is leap-year," said Nanette, for 1855
was but week old.
"Leap-year! Ah, you are a bold
girlm
But Nanette was not bold, and her
tender heart was sore over her lovers
silence. He was her lover. of that she was
sure but he was poor, Sc very poor, and
| needed wife to help him grow rich.
How she could help him! How she
| would save in house keeping, and make his
clothes last twice as long, and tidy up
the rooms the open door showed to be
so forlorn. She was true woman, this
little Nanette, longing to give loyal SER
vice where she gave loyal love. But he
would not speak.
''It is already two years we have been
in the house," Nanette thought, "and l
know he loves me-"
Something wonderful happened just at
this time. There was an old uncle in
France, closc-isted miser, who had re-
fused often and often to help his
widowed sister by SO much as pinch of
salt, and he died, leaving to Nanette
sum that made ten thousand American
dollars.
1t fairly stunned the little milliner.
To be so rich as that, when-and here a
choking SOB came into her throat-wheu
the man she loved had not a good coat
to his back, though he worked faithfully
to earn one. Nanette grieved over her
access of fortune as much as she rejoiced
She shrewdly suspected the cause of
Georges silence, and knew that this
legacy would be another bar between
them. Already her mother was talking
of moving into a better neighborhood
and more commodious apartments.
The captain had offered his congratu-
lations rather ruefully appreciating the
weight of this new phase of affairs.
az was sure of the MOTHER" he
thought, "but now l am not so sure
II was dusk when he ratified the KEY