Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-07-21

uouSe- MY oWu pifeuS pIoDdptf
agreed with them, for they sent me
to boarding school for little boys
Before went home for my first
vacation our family had changed our
residence. so that the childish asso-
citation between Nellie and myself was
ended.
forgot all the children with whom
had played at that early age except
Nellie. 1t is a mistake to suppose that
children have no love affairs. I did
not know when l suggested to Nellie
that we go up In tree and build 0
nest like the birds that was obeyins
law of nature. That somethina
which draws the birds to mate and
provide for their young was In me.
At any rate, l considered Nellie nay
sweetheart, and my sweetheart she
remained
l will admit that fifteen years later
whatever remained of this childish
affection lay dormant. Nevertheless
it was in me and, like spark, needed
to be famed into a fame. I had
prospered for youngster Of twenty.
four and. though l was far from
Nellie. | longed to see her. at last
business called me to city near which
she had lived. and l determined to 60
and discover If she was still there.
Upon inquiry on my arrival l
learned that she had not yet left the
parental home-the home she had oc.
cupied when | had seen her last. Il
was bright summer morning, and
strolled up familiar street and stood
before the house | sought | did not
wish to make formal call, so
loitered In the neighborhood till q
young lady came out into the front
yard to water some plants. Approach.
ing her, l asked:
IL believe family of Ashursts once
lived opposite you in that house over
there. Do you remember them?'
"Indistincty. | was very young
when they lived here"
II think there was boy-an incor,
| rigible young rascal. | suppose you
were too young to remember himT'
II remember him. There was a cir
cumstance that fixed him in my child's-
brain. was with him one day In that
wood back yonder, or in what is now
! left of 1t, and we climbed a tree to-,
gether. fell and was severely hurt" (
| THAT must have been Jack Ashurst.
He was always trying to break bis
neck or inducing his playmates to
break theirs. What became of him7"
| 81 don't know. never saw him aft.
er my fall. May I ask if you are
connection of the AshurstsT'
"a very near connection. Jack told
me about this escapade you mention.
He said be cut your name on a beech
| tree out in the wood. Is that tree still
standing?'
"It is. The letters are barely distin.
guishable."
I'm going out to see it"
"I'll show you where 1t Is" she re-
| piled. and opening the gate for me.
we passed through the yard and over
open ground to the wood. She led me
TO a tree and showed me the name
Nellie" on its trunk. The y and the
two Is were the only letters dlstin.
guishable.
$50 Jack Ashurst cut those letters!
! Well, well. we'll! He must have been
between eight and nine years old, and
! you, / suppose, were"-
about seven. l believe"
| 'T understood Jack to say that be
had cut only the letter N on the day
you fell" - =,
when l was recovering he came out
here and cut the others. They told me
he was broken hearted at having sug.
kol o1ir bn
"Why did he wish you to climb iti"
HE suggested that we play we were
birds and build a nest. He found a
place for one and called me TO go up
where he was and see it In doing so,
I FELL"
II think Jack never recovered from
the shock of that fall. As he grew
, older he realized his responsibility in
the case. He should not even have
permitted you to do that climbing,
much less to persuade you."
Nonsense! | did 1t of my own ac.
cord"
There WAS silence between Us for
awhile, at the end of which said:
"You have not built Il nest yetf"
She looked at me with Il puzzled ex'
preston. repeated the remark In
another form. Il mean you have not
married and made home of your
own"
She still kept her eyes fixed on me, a
bit of surprise following her want Of
comprehension Why did you express
It the other way she asked.
"It has seemed 10 me that boy
and a girl playing they are birds and
building a nest rather prettily typifes
their marrying and making a home.
Did It never occur to you in that
lightT
She was silent. took her silence
for admission.
Nellie" said. permitting the feel
ing l had been keeping back to intlu'
ence the tone in which | spoke, you
don't know me-"
"You are Jack Ashurst?"
81 am"
81 half suspected as much
"I have come back and brought you
out here to ask you if we may not
build that nest"
And we did