The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-12-26

to chop such things for his mother.
IF Nellie were here now" he
thought, regretfully, "she would
have had everything ready for our
first holiday dinner together, and
New Year is such a suitable day
upon which to begin married life
With this thought, the cheerful
tune Jack was whistling came to an
abrupt close, and an expression of
sadness crept into his face; then
the chopping bowl was pushed aside,
and he buried his face in his hands.
at is useless" he groaned, 81
can never get over it; l cannot be
brave. Oh, Nellie, Nellie, 1 cannot
live my life without you, and-I
WON'T"
Jack had decided to be farmer
without consulting the girl he loved
principally because he had never told
her he loved her, and so had no
claim upon her. He had believed
that man had no right to propose
marriage to girl until he had a
home to offer her, and so he had
gone alone into the prairie wilder
ness and taken up his battle against
poverty single-handed. He had been
unusually successful, and in three
years he had secured the little home
in which we find him, and he owed
no man penny. Then he had gone
back to the old home, to find Nellie
Rogers and ask her to be his wife.
He had thought of her so long as
mistress of that little sod house on
the prairie that he could not believe
her answer would be disappointing.
and when it came it almost crushed
him.
81 do care for you, Jack, but not
enough to live on a farm, and in
such wilderness. l want to live in
the city. If you loved me, why did
you not ask me where | want to
live? Should a woman not have a
choice in the matter? If you still
love me, Jack, why not sell the farm
now?"
ct is my home, Nellie. I have
worked three years to get it. l
could not sell it now for what it is
worth to me, and 1 have nothing
else. Do you understand, dear? 1t
is all the home 1 have to offer YOU"
1t seemed to Jack that such an ex-
PLANTATION ought to satisfy any girl,
and when Nellie persistently refused
to live on farm, he could only con-
clude that she did not love him well
enough to be his wife. He babe her
formal farewell and went back to
his farm, angrily telling himself that
the girl was not worth a second
thought, and that any self-respect-
ing man could make himself happy
without her. That was in November,
and Jack had kept himself very busy
ever since, in order to forget what
he called his folly, and this was the
first time he had broken down. But
he had built so many air castles
about this first day of the new year
the first holiday which he and Mel
lie would spend in their new home
that it was rather difficult to cele-
brate the day alone, and as cheer
fully as if nothing had happened to
disturb his plans.
eff there were any hope that it
might be different next year." he
moaned; but Nellie's answer had
been final. Next year, and all the
years to come must be spent with
out her if he remained on the farm.
"And it may be years before l can
sell, and even then l must begin at
the beginning and make another
home. A girl would have to love
man very dearly to wait so long, and
if she loved him like that she would
go to the home he had provided"
The clock on the pretty little man.
tel chimed the midnight hour, and
Jack raised his head YEARLY.
Il won't be coward" he said. 81
don't feel, just now, as if 1 cared
much about a swell dinner, but /
may have more courage a few hours
later, and then 1 can make that pie"