The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-08-03
tCopyright. 1906. by W. r. Hearst.

AhSa a Il AAA - oh6a r. pea 1874
where, she lived there were probably
hundred girls prettier than she, Bat q
bright, unse:ssh nature will make ever
a plain face attractive: and there We're
times when you would have said that
little Nellie Graham was more than
comelg.
Each weekday morning. p~unctually
at a quarter to 8, o might see her set
ting off tor a two-mile walk to the
board school in Hirst street, where. as
head teacher, she received a salary
which enabled her to provide for the
wants of the household.
OF a sunny disposition, she always en-
deayored to look on the bright side of
things. But the dark side Would persist
in showing itself, especially when, as
1t often happened.her father-a con-
frmed beer drlnker-with foul oaths
would demand non from her; While
her mother-a confirmed inyalld-Would
signal her from the horse-hair couch,
to obey him.
AT length, however. the time came
when eve her darkest days had a
CLEAN Of sunshine. Love entering her
life, had glorified it.
Her s~Weetheart's name was Marston.
He was a draughtsman at Cranston's
big works; and, with a salary of El40
per annuln, had dreams for future
greatness.
H ~ " " IN y n
young man, with a fair amount OF good
locks; but to Nellie he was a hero, n
well-nigh as handsome as Apollo Bel
vedere.
Six months had now elapsed since the
day of their engagement, and SO FAR
he saw no reason to doubt his sweet
hearts fidelity.
But the course of true love, hitherto
running smoothly, received a sudden
check. In this wise. Having been in
formed by his chief that his salary
would shortly be substantially in
creased, Tom on leaving h office went
straight to town and there invested
his sweetheart, to be given to her upon
her birthday. And that same evening,
we'll pleased with himself and the
world, he set off for 8 Ventnor Road.
Nellie was not at home, and the news
momentarily damped his spirits.
The twilight was deepening, but Toms
eyes We're keen. and presently he saw
Nellie's trim little figure on the opposite
pavement. She was walking quickly,
her gaze straight in front of her, and
not until she heard his voice was she
aware OF her sweetheart's presence.
His greeting vas anything but lover
like-nine women out of ten would as
suredly have resented it. Wher have
you been"?' he said, a note of irrita-
tion in his voice.
II have been,' she began faltering-
ly. and then stopped, her head aVerted,
her eyes upon the ground.
Instantly the demon OF jealousy
awoke within him. You've been ak,
ing With some one," he exclaimed
hoarsely. WHO was it? Some man, l
%suppose!"
With that she raised her head, and
looking straight into his eyes: Yes"
she said firmly, almost, it seemed to
him d~eliantly, 1T was a man, and l
have been walking with HIN for an
hour or more"
For a moment he was d~umfounded.
Then, "Oh, indeed!" he said, striving to
control his voice. "I-we'N talk about it
later on--perhaps. Good EVENING"" And
off he swung, chin III air, twirling his
cane between his fingers
That evening and the day following
Tom sulked like a spoilt child. Nellie
must be taught a lesson! His wounded
self esteem demanded as much. But
it was far from his thoughts to al
low this parting to be final.
Ee did not doubt he had a rival.
Probably the fellow was good look
ing and glib tongued; and SO Nellie,
woman like, was fattered by his at
tentions. But her heart-ah, that be-
loneed entirely to him, Tom Marston!
and he did not intend to lose it! But
Nellie he repeated must be taught a
lesson. She would be expecting him to
call today or tomorrow or the day
following; aud then she would write,
begging him to come n see her.
But as the days went by (the longest
four he had ever known without
bringing the looked for letter, Tom be-
came decidedly unhappy,
On the following day his pride was
~perilously near capitulatiOn. Yes, he
would see Nellie-perhaps this very
evening-and if her explanation of her
conduct should prove satisfactory, all
might yet be We'll.
He had changed his collar, and was
adjusting a brand new necktle, when
he heard the whirring Of the electric
bell. The p%ostlnan! His heart beat
faster at the thought; and, full of
eager expectancy, he hurried to the
front door.
"ChrOnicle, sir?"
With a sense of keen disappointment
Tom took the local weekly newspaper
from the neWsboy, and re-entering his
sitting room, sat down, n mechanic
ally opened the sheet.
For q moment or two he glanced in
differently across the columns, and
then, suddenly, his eye caught the fol-
lowing paragraph:
"HEROlSM OF A HANDSWORTH
LADY"
yesterday evening a horse, stand
ing between the shafts of a trap in
Claremont avenue, took fright at a
passing steam roller, and suddenly bolt
ed. A little boy who happened to be
playing in the road at the time was in
imminent danger of being run over,
when a young lady, Miss Ellen Graham,
of Nentnor road, seeing his peril, IAN
into the roadway aneTescued him. Miss
Graham, we regret to state, was
knocked over, the wheel passing over
her body, and now lies at her home in
u p~recariOuS condition
In a flash a numbness fell upon his
brain. This, however, lasted but a mo-
ment and was followed by a curious
sense Of unreality; and for a a he
sat staring at the paragraph, his face
the color of cigar ash. Miss Ellen Gra-
nam" 1t was a mistake! 1t could not
be his Nellie, his little girl! She, who
was SO healthy and strong when he last
saw her, to be suddenly struck down.
The door was opened by q tall. good
looking man of 80 or thereabouts, whose
deeply AIMED complexion seemed in
dicative of u recent residence in a trOp-
teal climate.