Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-07-28
NELLY'S LOVER.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

IL wish ] could go to the seashore, "
said Nelly Green, softly.
She sat like little pale shadow in
themo wing CLEANS of the Madeira vines
which Marian had twined back and
forth over the tenement-house window,
her eyes fixed ON the one bit of blue
sky which was visible between factory
walls and clustering chimney pots.
% To the seashorol !" said Aunt PEN
elope, grimly. Marian, them vests
amt pressed yet, and they'rN to be
called for at noon, you know
"But the seashore" went on Nell,
as if she had not heard the Grabbed
old woman's words. 1.-The great, cool
waves, full of green and violet lights
the wet crinkly sands; the sweet wind
and the fringes of white foam Oh,
Marian, I know I should sc 6effer i
1 could go to the sea,
Nelly Green had been the flower of
all the family = the beauty, the young
est, the pet. But when Nelly fell sick
and was obliged to give up school -
when she continued to droop, day by
day, Aunt Penelope began to question
the justice of Providence.
Marian had listened wistfully to her
sisters piteous words. She looked at
Aunt Penelope.
Aunt Pen, said she, there's that
money have been saving for button
hole machine; it would Just take us
all to the seashore for week
"And what's to become of the button
hole machine? said Aunt Pen. work
ing her jaws in unison with the motion
of the scissors with which she was cut
ting out several layers of white Mar
seilles.
eve must do without it, said Mar
ian
No, dear, no said Nelly, looking
up with faint smile i am not yet
selfish enough to allow such sacrifice
es that You have been saving up for
the button-hole machine whole year
- you could work deal faster with
il.
Marian kissed her sister aud said
nothing. But the next evening when
she came in from delivering her latest
batch of work at the vest factory, she
held up three slips Of paper.
Tickets for Long Branch said
she, "Get ready, Nell and Aunt Pene-
LOPEZ We are to go on Thursday for
week
Goodness gracious me " "ejcaulated
Aunt Pen. And me without dress
cap and not yard of ruffling done
up!"
You can make up the dress-cap to-
night, said Marian, " and as for the
rufiling, we must do without it, for
once.
But the button-hole machine, said
Nell, drawing her sisters fece down
close to hers. "Oh, Marian - Marian
what have you done?
Darling whispered Marian, Il
would make button-holes by hand all
my life, to see the color back in your
cheeks "
And Marian felt that she was indeed
rewarded when Nelly's cheeks Redeemed
and something like the old light came
back TO her eyes as the Long Branch
boat steamed past the Narrows and the
cool salt breeze futtered her veil and
lifted the little fringes of golden hair
from her forehead. Marian and Aunt
Pen, in her well-worn black alpaca,
sat beside her; and Miss Cynthia Cul-
pepper, who boarded in the same
house, and was "saleslady" out for
her two weeks vacation, was opposite
in dress hat, imitation gold bracelets
and pea-green kid gloves.
Presently a tall, handsome young
man, who sat on the other side of the
boat, rose and approached the party.
Il beg your pardon, said he cour-
teouslv, to Marian, "but see that
the young lady is an invalid. Would
she not prefer a seat ON the shady side?
Mine is quite at her disposal.