Year: 1875

piers; and l am. not sure now tha


they we're always perfect.


Waiting and watching. hoping ant


fearing, I let the time slip by; ant


winter came with its frost and snow


and old Mr.. Brodie told his stories BY


the fire, instead of in the porch; ant
the lamplight fell on Nellie's yellow
hair, as she sat knitting making. th.
prettiest picture you ever saw; and
made up my mind to put my fate to the
test before Christmas. and didn't. You
see when a young fellow is in love he
loses courage. But one thing I vowed
Nellie should take sleigh ride with
me-


Tom Armstrong had said had
heard him-that he meant to drive the
prettiest cutter, the prettiest pair Of
horses, and the prettiest girl in New
Bridge. He meant Nellie by the pref
tiest girl. His turnout might be what
he chose, but Nellie should never go
with him. She should 60 with me.


The snow fell fast; and by morning
you could see nothing for miles around
but great white drifts, though the sky
had grown as clear as though it had
been summer. I called for Nellie in
the afternoon, aud she was ready, and
away we went. She looked charming,
with her rosy cheeks and bright eyes
and sunny hair; and / was happier
than ever had been in my life.


Going out Of the village, we met Tom
Armstrong, with his splendid cutter.
He looked daggers at us both-or at
least I thought SO; and he went as l
heard afterwards to invite Sue Nichol
to ride with him. As he drove out Of
sight, made up my mind to ask the
question that would settle everything
on our way home.


Man proposes and Heaven disposes.
Things happened that evening that /
had not thought Of. We were going
back, in the moonlight, when 1 put my
hand on Nellie's and made her turn her
eyes toward me.


4 had been trying to say something
to you for long while,' said. Per
haps you guess what it is


But before / could utter another
word, my horses became frightened at
something, and away they went like
mad things. Nellie clung to me and
screamed. I did my best to stop them.
They left the road entirely and took
their road across field, and striking
against stump the snow had hidden,
the sleigh was overturned, and we were
thrown out together.


1 was not hurt, but Nellie lay insen-
sible. I lifted her in my arms and
clasped her to my bosom, and begged
her to open her eyes and to speak one
word to me. But she was like one
dead; and in my terror I dared not
take her home I carried her, instead,
to my sister, who frightened half out of
her senses, came to meet me. She
took Nellie into an inner room and
bade me bring doctor; and he was
there soon.


I spent an hour Of agony, such as
had never felt before; but at last Jen-
ME came to me, all smiles.


There is no DANGER she said. She
has come to herself; she only tainted
from fright. You havn't killed her, or |
even hurt her much, you foolish boy


And I burst into tears. Jennie bent
over me.


But to think that she should be so
sly she said. "A gentleman's portrait
in her bosom all this while, and not
word to me Of it! I'll punish her for
it now


And away she ran back to Nellie,
but my tears were all dried up, and
my heart was gall. She was engaged
to some one else, this girl who was SO
dear to me. Some one had been before |
me, and she wore his portrait next to
her heart. Fool that / was not to
guess it.


I never asked whose portrait it was
TEN Armstrong; or Jack Mayden's,
I did not care. When Nellie was well
enough to 60, in the course Of an hour
or two, drove her home and bade her
goodbye.


l said 81 regret that should have
been the means Of alarming you 50,
Miss Rrodie.


And she looked up into my face with
her great blue eyes, and said: 1t was
not your fault; you could not help it.
It was so foolish to faint away


And I thought to myself, what de-
ceitful creatures women arep for the
look she gave me was as sweet as if she
had not worn another mans portrait in
her bosom.


A week from that day I went to New
-