The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-01-02
RoMANcE OF A DEAD LRrrRR.
It Turned Up in the Postoaice Exhibit At
the Pair and Surprised Two People.

- O4 O44-AIGG4O4OA lGCUIREMm
and the big wood fire had died down
until the little blue flames could onIv
chase one another slowly along the
ember- covered sticks. Now and then
there would be q fitfuI, Pickering flash
that threw the shadows Of two people
against the wall, says the Atlanta
Constitution.
What's the use Of all this nonsenseF''
inquired a masculine voice, finally,
with just the least touch of worry In
it. 'If. you don't want to marry me,
Nellie" continued the same voice.
sternly, why don't you say cot
Haven't told you that I loved you
how / loved youG Isn't that SUM-
Gent, without any condition.
Lucien Holman looked looked int
the fire, apparently trying to stare il
out of countenaAce. 1t is possible that
he began to think.
The young lady addressed sat up
right In q big wooden rocker and
caught hold of the top of the chair
with both hands, letting her head rest
on her arm. She was following the
programme that Lucien seemed to
have mapped out for himself and gaEed
into the fire also.
Both we're silent until the siler ce be-
came monOtonOus, and then suddenly
both became laxative. The young
man left his sweetheart's home in q
happy mood, determined to fulfil the
conditions she had placed upon him.
A few minutes later he stepped aboard
the accommodation train for Atlanta,
and Marietta was quickly left behind.
In less than two weeks Lucien wrote
to the young lady and informed her
that nothing now stood between them
and a speedy marriage. AS he sealed
the letter he began to sing my Nellie's
Blue Eyes" regardless-happily so--of
either melody or music.
Then he sat down to wait for en-
answer.
Two days passed and no reply came.
Another day went by, and no answer;
and then a week had slipped by. The
days spread into weeks-no answer.
= =
ut was just like Lucien," n of
them was saying. He always was
awful high-strung. They say that that
Marietta girl threw him over, and I
suppose he left on her account; more
fool he, though"
YES" replied the second, hes In
Australia, farming, I understand from
what he has written back. Doing
well, too"
Running q rabbit farm, suggested
the first, laughing. well, here's where
I turn of. Goodnight.
=
Fifteen years had fallen under Times
scythe before Lucien Holman thought
of returning to the United States.
Probably he would not have visited
his native county even now had it not
been for the great Worlds Fair In
progress at Chicago.
He stood at the forward end of the
ocean steamer as it neared New York,
and his thoughts ran back fifteen years
to the time when he had stood On
the dock waiting for the steamer to
depart for Australia. He thought Of
Atlanta and wondered if it were still
the same. From Atlanta his thoughts
wandered to Marietta, and to Nellie
Merriwether. He found it difficult to
imagine her as a pretty, sweet faced
girl of eighteen; but fifteen years make
such differences. He knew that he
was changed considerably, and was
even better looking than he had been.
As for Nellie, well-and he shrugged
his shoulders-she always had a ten
dency toward stoutness. He began -
picture her as a fat, rsd faced woman
of thirty three with hardly fewer than
six children. He threw up his hands
in disgust and told himself that his had
been a narrow escape.
The fair surpassed all his expecta-
lions. and instead of remaining q week.
as had been his first intention, he de-
cided to make his stay a month at the
least He had been in Chicago nearly
ten days before he went to the govern
ment building. While strolling through
the postal dep srtment his attention
was suddenly attracted by a handsome
woman, neatly dressed, who uttered
an exclamation of surprise and stood
supporting herself, just the least bit
dramatically, by the railing In front OF
a portion of the dead letter exhibit.
a pretty little girl Of twelve years
stood beside her.
Too bad that women will get fright.
ened at such little things; must have
been that skull or q horned toad .
thought Lucien Holman.
Nellie" called 3 nervous looking