The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-11-20

nad used Tor lumber into bedroom
Then / taught her what had learned
of housework and while she insisted
upon paying third of our expenses
she took care of mother and shared il
every detail of cooking and cleaning
With some difficulty / procured EN-
broidery for her, and she went out only
after dark, heavily veiled, to carry
home her work and bring back fresh
supply.
''But it gave her a pleasure that, al
though she would not go out except a
/ have said, her being with mother gave
me greater..freedom. Especially on Sun
day, when Frank came, / could go will
him to church, and, after din ner for :
walk.
"Yes it was not long before saw
that the day time passed more slowly
for my brother than the evening wher
Nettie Mitchell, with her low, swee
voice, her merry jests, her bright ami
nation, made the hours fly past, anC
gave to our quiet room an added charm
for Frank. He told her more than hs
had ever told us of his hope to one day
take up his profession, and of the
study he crowded into all his leisure
time. She had that rare sympathetic
interest, as far removed from curiosity
as it is from indifference, that won con-
fidence from every one with whom she
came in contact. And with his conf.
dence she won his love.
81, who loved him so dearly, soon
read that secret, and the hopeless, long.
ing pain it caused. Paupers, all, as he
once bitterly exclaimed, working cease
lessly for mere food and shelter, what
had we to do with love and hope, and
bright dreams of marriage!
at gave ME keen pain to see that
Nettie did not discourage Franks love,
though she must have known its utter
hopelessness. Ever her sweetest smile
was for his greeting, her merriest jest
to win his smile, her closest attention
given to his confidence. And when l
timidly spoke to her she closed my lips
with kiss.
"'May not love him ?" she whis-
pered. "Will you not trust your broth
er to me ?'
"And | fearing she read some doubt
in my hesitation, earnestly assured her
that | could not imagine a brighter fate
for my brother than to win such love
as hers.
"'Only,' said, tearfully," it seems so
hopeless. How can Frank marry, bur-
dened as he is?'
"'Hope, Jessie?' she said brightly"
am a fortune teller, though not a
gypsy. / forsee that when Frank mar
ries his burdens will be lifted.
"'But how?'
"'Oracles never answered second
she said, laughing merrily.
"And so, when the words that could
not be restrained, broke from Franks
lips, and in spite of his poverty he told
his love, she gave him softly the answer
his heart craved.
allow could deny my love Jessie?
she said to me think, dear, of his low
ing me, knowing am penniless and
hiding. He does not know but / have
fled from the consequences of some
crime And he loves me. So true
son, so fond a brother must be a good
man. Some day, when he is great
and we live in grandeur,
we will laugh to recollect rice pudding
eggs, and rye coffee, in the
little rooms over the store
''Then she told me that the wedding
day was set, and on the twentieth of
June she would be my sister.
"Trust me, Jessie. All will be well
dear"
GAS the time drew near she became
gay as she had never been before, max
ing the hours fly for mother, working
with restless fingers, breaking into
of song.
"On the morning ofthe wedding day
she left us, promising to return at the
appointed hour. For several days she
had gone out for hours together closely
yelled, always coming in with her face
full of soft sweet happiness. Not a
fear or doubt crossed my mind, for no
guilty eyes could have held always the
brightness of Nettie MitchelPs.
The fear and grief that had driven her
to me for shelter had left her long be-
fore the June day when she drove up
to my door in the carriage | recognized
at once, and walked into the store,
richly dressed as Of old.
Franks eyes spoke his amazement,
but she gave him no opportunity to
speak, chatting in quiet pleasure rs we
drove to church. There were no crowd
of friends to meet us, but after the cere-
mony an elderly lady leaning on the
arm of much younger man, advanced
to meet us.
"'You have chosen your own wilful
way she said, coldly ''and l nave no
power to check you"
"'None,' Nettie said gently; so l
thank you, mother, for coming here.
"Then she introduced them-her
mother and her step father-and at the
door they left her. From the church
we drove to a large brown stone house
on a wide street. My first gasp of
was for the sign under the
Frank Donaldson"
Then, in large, beautiful room, sat
and Nettie opening a door,
said:
"'And this T. your bedroom and hers
Jessie. All your treasures are here,
dear, dear, little sister. Welcome
home.
"Then turning to Frank, she told us
her story. Her father had left her
wealthy, but she could no. control her
money until she was of age. Her
mother had married a man who had
determined to win Nettie's money for
his brother, and had compelled her
mother to commence a system of perse-
cution to gain the girls consent, trying
to force her into marriage. She had
escaped, to come to us, and the rest We