South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-05-06


market-basket out OF their own
hands. Still, as they were very ex-
acting as to the largest measure for
the lowest price, that balanced the
matter.
1t was not . very flourishing gro
Gerry 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.
ut would delight my heart"
Nanette once said to her mother,
'sif could once get my two hands
In the linen-closet Of Monsieur Da-
Wis and repair his collars and cuffs.
They are frayed. Oh % with up-
lifted hands-''how they are shah
by r.
| "You had better look at some
thing else than the cuffs of Monsieur
Davis" said Madame Hlllien. Sc
verciy. "tn my country maidens
do not look at young men,"
"But, mamma, when must look
at him every day how can bat see
him Do not buy of him sugar
eat ?'
eff you were wise you would not
be compelled to buy food in little
store like that. Listen. Monsieur,
the Captain, has told me that il he
marries he will buy the whole house.
All, think of Whole house %
"Bnt We are comfortable in three
rooms"
"Bah We live But comfor-
table (? You have no sense, Nanette 7
Twice already has the Captain spoke
to me. You will lose him."
"Let him 60. have my work
and we have five hundred dollars in
the bank. Why should marry an
! old horror like that ?''
CHE is not horrible"
ono, you are right. He is kind
and good, and / am sorry he will
love me when 1 cannot love him."
"But, why"
"Ah, why?" said Nanette, shrug-
ging her pretty shoulders. But she
ran away then and began to concoct
marvellous omelet for supper, sing
ing in a loud, clear voice, 80 that
her mother could not make her hear
from where she sat in an inner room.
Why? Never word of love had
the young grocer spoken, though
his honest eyes told his alteration :;
bnt Nanette knew that she always
had the choice of the market set
aside for her, and there was always
little overweight vf all the choic-
est things in her basket.
But the attention of the Captain
soon became burden, not because
OF his prosecutions, but because
Madame Hillien became fretful and
exacting on the subject. 1t was all
foolishness on Nanette's part, and
no modest girl refused the husband
her mother offered her, she said.
! But Nanette had been too long
in America, though she was but
twenty two, to give up her freedom
of choice for an old French custom.
"Here girls choose their own
husband" she said.
And Madame HlIlien screamed :
"You would Offer yourself to
him p
Not so bad as that, mamma,
though this is leap year." said Ma
nette, for 1883 was but week old.
"Leap year ! All, you are bold
girl !"
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, so very poor, and needed a
wife to help him grow rich. How
she could help him. How she
would save in housekeeping, and
make his clothes last twice as long,
and tidy up the rooms the open
door showed to be 80 forlorn. She
was true woman, this little Ma
nette, longing to give loyal service
where she gave loyal love. But he
would not speak.
cit Is already two years we have
been in the house." Nanette
thought. 'fand know he loves me. -
Something wonderful happened
just at this time. There was an
old Uncle in France, a close-ssted
miser, who had refused often and
often to help his widowed sister by
80 much as pinch Of salt, and he
died, leaving to Nanette sum that
made ten thousand American dol
lars.
1t fairly stunned the little mil.
liner. To be so rich as that, when
and here a choking sob came into
her throat-when the man she 10y
ed had not a good coat to his back.
though he worked faithfully to earn
one. Nanette grieved over her &C
cesses to fortune as much as she re-
joiced. She shrewdly suspected
the cause Of Georges silence, and
knew that this legacy would be an
other bar between them. Already
her mother was talking OF moving
into better neighborhood and more
cOmmodious apartments.
The captain bad offered his con-
gratulatious rather ruefulIv, an
FfpciafinO tho woi0ht of fIsc -,