Year: 1874

tory in Morton, and among the
operatives there Nettie soon found
employment for leasure hours
and avenues for spare dollars. 1t
was in the spring that Mr.. Martin
came to Mortin, and in the summer
q contagious fever broke out in the
settlement where the mill opera
tives dwelt in small cottages and
large, crowded tenement houses.
1t was impossible for Nettie to en-
ter into any undertaking with luke
warm interest, and once engaged
in trying to aid the sufferers, she
devoted time and money with an
unsparing hand. Her own glorious
health bore her through the dan
gers of contagion unframed, and
her cheerful disposition was like
sunlight among the sick children,
who were her especial care. Yet
when death film gathered over
childish eyes, no voice could soften
the dark passage to the grave with
sweeter, more earnest words of
comfort and promise than Nettie's.


Seeing her thus, through the
long weeks of toll and danger, ask
ing her aid where money was urg-
emily needed, finding her at her
post where the air was thick with
fever and the danger frightfully
near, Alfred Martin grew to con-
slider the beautiful dark face as
fairer than his ideal of angels, and
to think there was no music like
Nettie's clear, melodious voice.
BY the magnetism Of his own true,
earnest words, he had led her from
frivolity to the seeking of higher
aims and duties, and by the power
of the strong love wakened in his
own heart he drew hers into his
keeping. She loved, as she follow
ed all other impulses, with fervant
and deep affection, while daily
meeting her lover, and the guide
to all abe nobler persuits of her
life.


Mrs. Wheaton, meek little wild
ow, was only too glad to think Of her
child's future intrusted to the care
of a truly good, as she believed the
Rev. Alfred Martin to be, and gave
glad consent to an engagement
And while autumn winds were
sweeping the fever from Morton,
Nettie was learning the sweet les
son of submission to o stronger
will, was conquering many q life
long selflshness and folly to please
her bethrothed, and believeing she
had lost all frivolities of the past.


Had the marriage followed at
once upon the wooing, think
there would have been happiness
at the parsonage, where the infu-
ence of the earnest minister would
have deepened till Nettie no longer
needed any earthly guide or sup
port. But Mrs. Wheaton decided
that the brides trousseau must
come from B, and when the
new year opened Nettie went to
her Aunt Mary's to remain till
milliners and dressmakers COM
pleted her outfit. The wedding
day was to be in March, and while
Aunt Mary shopped and stitched
Nettie took farewell of the gayeties
of her city home. She did not
mean TO be inconsistent or to break
any of the good resolutions Of the
past few months, but old friends
welcomed her with festive gather
ings, and before she realized it, she
was dancing, flirting and fitting
from party to party with oil her
old zest and enjoyment.


Then, just for amusement, she
allowed the new lion, Count Lodos-
Xxi, to pay her marked attention.
She told herself she was safe in her
happy engagement, and that he
was too much q man of society to
have any serious intentions. 1t
was O mere Irritation for both Of
them, and it served to pass away
time to listen to the stories OF the
Polish exile, to waltz with him,
drive, walk, ride with him, and yet,
with q woman's skill and a CO.
quette's ingenuity, keep him from
any compromising offer that would
end the amusement.


The term of Nettie's visit was
nearly over, when the entertain





ment at Mrs. Hunts called together
large number of her old friends
and now admirers. Count Lodoski
was more ardent than usual in his
expressions Of admiration, and