The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1913-02-13
NELLIE'S AUDIENCE.

NELlI1E'S AUDIENCE.
Was there any mail for me this
morning?" called Nellie Spencer, as
Sue, her older sister, appeared from
beyond the bend in the woodland
road.
mo, nor for any of u.s." was the
morose answer. Il think the worlds
forgotten all about us, since we bu-
ried ourselves in this backwoods
place"
Didn't you see anybody down at
the post-office?" inquired the young
er sister, for whom any event was of
interest in her remote world.
mo, not a soul, unless you count
that laxative store-keeper woman"
Sue answered sullenly.
20. yes, Mrs. Stem, and what did
she have to say?" the interested ques-
toner continued.
20, she was telling me about a
grand affair they're going to have
over at the new hotel on the ridge
Breeze Hill Hotel, they call it, l be-
leve. There are a lot Of city folk
spending the summer over there, you
know, and there're getting up sort
of concert" Sue explained.
"Wouldn't it be splendid If we
could go!" Nellie exclaimed, visit
fully.
"Well, the people over there are
not from our part OF the world, and
1 don't know what sort of entertain
RI
would be treat to break the dull
monotony of this inactive life of ours
here in this remote backwoods abode
by going anywhere and seeing any
body" Sue replied, with little bitter
laugh. But, of course, we can't go,
for it's ten miles across rough
country, and we've no conveyance,
and no one to take us. 0, declare,
sometimes 1 think I'll go crazy before
this year is out. / get so tired Of
this primeval, out-of-the-world sort
of existence"
but father seems so much better.
Why, this mountain air and this quiet
and rest are improving him every
day, so we oughtn't to complain"
Eyes, / know" Sue replied, feel
ingly; "but / wish we might have
gone somewhere else for rest and i'm
provement It's like being buried
alive here in this remote highland
wood. But where've you started with
those books?"
80 L am going down to my study
to give a reading" Nellie answered
quickly.
"Your study to give a reading?"
Sue echoed, curiously.
why, yes; I've the dearest little
study down in the glade. It's carpet
ed in green, velvety moss. It's COW
cred by leafy canopy, and it has a
nice, smooth, fiat stone rostrum for
me to stand upon. Then, too, l al
ways have the wise old trees for my
audience. Sometimes they nod their
boughs in approval when I've done
my work we'll, and sometimes they
shake them in the wind when I'm
lazy, and ont recite a goo dlesson.' y
Nellie spoke earnestly, but her Sis
ter interrupted her with hooking
little laugh.
"Why, Nell, you little goose, are
you going crazy? Why in the world
should you keep up your work away
out here where there's nobody to hear
you, and no chance to recite? What
difference does it make about your
lessons now? l don't see what incen-
tive you can find. Why, I've put my
guitar away in the attic, and I've lost
my music, for there's no one to sing
for here, and no occasion for practice
Seems to me you'd feel very foolish
reciting to trees and wild flowers"
80, no, don't feel foolish. Indeed,
the trees and flowers are an inspira-
ton to me, and find it easy to prac-
tice in the quiet of the wods. May
be there isn't any occasion for giving
a reading here, but there's nothing
lost in working for improvement, and
who knows what opportunities might
arise where least expected? Any
how, I love my work, and l don't
mean to give it up merely because
there's no real live audience"
So saying, the younger sister con-
tinued her way toward the glade.
Standing upon the fat rock in the
shade of the overhanging boughs,
Nellie was courtesying to her imagi-
nary audience, after having given,
with as much spirit and expression as
she would have used behind the foot
lights of the chapel stage at the semi