The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-09-02
MY LITTLE NELLIE.

mer house, doing with my eyes open,
/ overheard her, In company with a
chatty girl friend OF hers (Sue Deane
her name was). indulging in rather a
confidential conversation.
How long is it since Charley Ham
mond proposed?"
An indistinct murmur and little
laugh was all that l caught Of the re-
ply.
Henry Chat was my name) hasn't
offered himself as yet, has he?"
Henry" What a pretty womanly
affectation that soft, surprised excla-
nation was! why no, goosie; l hope
you don't think Henry Burnett has any
serious intentions. La, he's my cousin
didn't you know it?-and it isn't
pretty or proper for cousins to marry"
Now that was a fib and the flirt
knew it. If to be the adopted son of
her stepmother's cousins widows
brother was to bear any blood relation
ship to her why then we were cousins,
not otherwise.
And as for serious intentions, had
not l kissed her every time l caught
her in the hall after dark for the pre-
vtous six weeks? And had not l
squeezed her hand till l dared not
squeeze any harder for fear Of crush
ing the white, beringed, tremulous bit
of thing?
And hadn't shaved off my beard to
please her, and played the unconquer-
able hero to every other young lady
in the neighborhood. that she might
have no cause for jealousy?
Serious intentions, indeed! In my
modification at being so poorly ap-
preciated l came near groaning aloud.
l prudently restrained the impulse,
however.
What a pity! But, o, Nellie!"
heard distinct ciasping OF hands. II
can have him, now. can l? Strange l
never thought of it before! Say Nellie,
May II"
You are welcome to him for aught
l care. l am very sure Of that"
wasn't so sure Of 1t IL she was. She
liked me, Nellie did, and liked her
aye, loved her to Ustraction-the red
Tipped, blue-eyed, brown-curled little
dirt.
Now, amt that delightful, dear?
The most relentless coquette In all
Christendom yielding up the hand
her admirers voluntarily!"
II anything will make bashful man
feel peculiar, it is to hear himself
praised. l modestly shut one eye and
locked up at the clouds. Somehow
they made me think of Nellies hair,
they were so soft. so lustrous, so ten
derly goldenly brown!
II shall set my cap Immediately.
And o, shan't be proud of my hand
some beau, when I've caught him?
Mind you don't come poking that saucy
little nose OF yours in the way, to
spoil my fun. But what's your motive
in giving him up so readily? He's a
deal more agreeable than Charley, and,
beside, you've rejected him already"
you speak as IL there were only
those two men in the world-the con-
ceited creature! I'd die an old maid
for all Of either OF them.
came near swearing that she should
die an old maid In good earnest, be-
fore any interference of mine should
prevent her. There had been consid-
cradle uncalled for pique and irritation
in Nellie's voice, which betrayed
What? Well, as said before, hope
/ am not vain man.
/ rose up, threw away nv cigar.
whistled bar of Hail Columbia" by
way OF rousing my courage, and then
followed them into the house. Going
directly to my room, l made myself
generally fascinating Il am not a vain
man, remember), and then marched
straight down to the parlor, and seat
ed myself on the sofa beside Sue Deane.
Whap | fnnk H.
tonhole OF my vest ct was beautiful
wild flower that Nellie had gathered
the day before and placed on the ia
ble), and begged leave to arrange It in
her hair, telling her with my most
winning smile how beautiful the white.
waxen blossoms contrasted with the
purplish blackness Of her magnificent
braids, she looked absolutely bewiider-
ed, and glanced toward Nellie in the
most puzzled air imaginable.
AS for Nellie herself, the only reward
I got from her for my premeditated
hatefulness was one surprised, indig-
nant, wide open fash of her superb
eyes.
All that afternoon I was devoted to
Sue. threw admiration into my eyes,
passion into my gestures, tenderness
ana ueVOtiOn into the tones or my
voice. If played a deceptive and con-
seQuently wicked part. have the salts
faction OF knowing that played 1t glo-
riously and with complete success
Through my lashes / watched her
ace (Nellie's) s.cuously-detecting
every change that passed over 1t. 1t
was rare sport to see the angry Grim
son rise and waver and die away, only
to rise again in her cheek; to watch
the toss of the small. proud head, the
convulsive locking together of tho
dainty hands. the quivering OF the
grieved mouth. like a rose-leaf stirred
by the wind. Rare sport, | say! 1t
might have been had not loved her!
That night. after had escorted Sue
home. walked back and forth in the
street for an hour to make little Miss
Indifference think something that
wasn't exactly true-i. O., that l had
been spending my time In said Sues
company.
When l re-entered the parlor II was
dark and apparently deserted; but as