Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-03-04

his eyes, and wondered vaguely how
long two could live upon profits that
| were half starvation for one.
''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 am tied to the counter
and cannot even afford to hire boy to
| roll in the barrels. | could not send
basket home if a customer asked it"
But fortunately the customers were OF
| that class that never trust a 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 fourishing grocery
store, for the goods were Of the cheapest
description, and the profits were very
| small; and often when the stock had to
| be repIenished, George Davis wore patched
shoes and the shabbiest OF clothes.
at would delight my heart" Nanette
said once to her mother, eff could once
get my two hands in the linen closet Of
Monsieur Davis and repair his collars
and cuffs. They are frayed. Ohn'-
with uplifted h&ads-''how they are
shabby!"
"You had better look at something
| else than the cults of Monsieur Davis"
said Madame Hillien, severely. ''In my
| country maidens do not look at young
men"
''But, mamma, when must look at
| him every day how can but see him?
! Do not buy of him sugar and tea and
all that we have to eat?"
eff 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"
''Bah! We live! But comfortable?
You have no sense, Nanette! 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 l marry an old horror like
| that?'
''He is not horrible"
"No, you are right. He is kind and
good, and am sorry he will love me
when cannot love him."
"But, why?"
''Ah, why2" said Nan cite, struggling
her pretty shoulders. But she ran away
then and began to concoct marvellous
omelet 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 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. It was all foolishness on
Nanette's part, and no modest girl re-
fused 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 any old French custom.
ssHere girls choose their own hus-
bands" she said.
And Madame Hillen screamed:
''You would offer yourself to him2"
''Not SO bad as that, mamma, though
this is leap year," said Nanette, for 1883
was but week old.
''Leap-year! All, you are a bold
grill"
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 a 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, land [
know he loves me-"
Something wonderful happened just at
this time. There was an old uncle in
France, a close listed miser, who mad 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.
It fairly stunned the little milliner.
To be so rich as that, when-and here
obolEior cob oa,,o into her thrOat-wh hen