LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1088, 24 December 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

NELL'S SUCCESS. ' Nell, do for mercy's sake stop that everlasting scratch, scratch ; it sets me nearly crazy !' And Sue Lorn twisted her smooth forehead into the most impatient frown, and tossing her sewing from her, came to the table where her sister sat writing. Nell raised her tired eyes to her sister's face and smilingly answered — 'lt does not seem much use, to be sure, but perseverance must conquer, and this is all I can do -and that not very well.' And Nell turned again to her writing. Sue's face softened, and, stooping down, she kissed the bowed head lovingly and went back to her sewing. 'lt can't last always, Nell, dear. The tide must turn,' she said as she took up the little lace dress she had been making. It was the same sad story read in so many lives. The sisters had been nurtured in luxury and ease, and then on the death of their bankrupt father were thrown upon the world to shift for themselves.

Nell, the elder, a tall, stately brunette, who, after the death of her mother, had ruled her father's elegant home with a dignity beyond her years, of course held the leadingstrings, and poor little confiding blue-eyed Sue followed her guidance. Always -witty and bright, a good student and writer, Nell had at first tried to obtain a position as governess or companion ; but finding the market in that line already overstocked, and thinking, too, that it would leave her sister to a lonely battle, one obtained a few scholars in music, and then turned her attention to writing, and Sue, always an adept with her needle, did what she could toward assisting to the support in that way. But poor Nell! —it was a hard battle with her. Many and many a manuscript had she carefully prepared and posted with trembling hand to the editors of the many periodicals in the busy city ; and many a weary hour had she looked in vain for an answer of some kind to the labors of so many days.

Once in a while she received a few dollars from some paper whose stock at that time had been short, but never a commending word or a request that they might hear from her again. Scratch, scratch, went the pen. Back, rack, to her weary brain and tired eyes. ' Perseverance must win,' she would say to herself over and over again, and then would picture as the result a quiet little cottage with Sue and herself living together in com fort again, and then her hopes would be dashed to the ground by the receipt of a carefully-written manuscript in her own fair hand, marked 'Returned.' Poor Nell? It was disheartening, indeed, but nevertheless scratch, scratch, went the persevering pen until Sue burst forth with the remark with which we opened. That day Nell had been more than ever disheartened, but true to her character had worked all the harder, and at last when Sue rose to prepare their frugal meal, she threw down ber pen, exclaiming j ' There, done at last I I noticed an offer of 7, prize for the best story in the G Magazine, and I have tried for it, and shall

take it to the editor myself this afternoon. It ia different from my other writings, anil there is a faint chance of its success,' with a rueful glance at the table st,rewn with re jected efforts. 'Anyway, I shall try,'and hurrying down her dinner, she kissed bei sister and, with a prayer for success, started into the street. About three o'clock one afternoon Will NTewbold, editor and proprietor cf the G - Magazine, was seated tilted back in his comfortable office, slowly reading from a pile of manuscripts on the table before hi <v and curling up his handsome aristocratic nose as he did so. ' All trash—worse than trash—what do people write such stuff for and poke it upon us poor editors to read ?' and knocking the ashes from his cigar he came down from his pearch with a thump to reach another. ' Humph ! worse still!' he added, as " The Parted Lovers " met his eye. ' Not worth the paper it is written on,' he soliloquised. I—how do you do, madame?' he said, rising immediately, as a tall, graceful form entered the door ' Jove ! what handsome eyes she has !' as he met the dark, tired one of his visitor.

' I beg your pardon, sir, but I have an article I wish to add to the list of prize stories advertised for by your magazine,' said Nell Lorn, for it was she who had so startled the would-be editor; then, with a pleading look, ' Please do all you can for me, sir ; I need it so much.'

' Certainly, certainly,' said the embarrassed editor, and with that she left him, and Will sat down in his chair with the manuscript in his hand. ' By Jove ! Did I ever see such a beauty ? And yet how tired her eyes looked; she has worked herself blue! What has she given me I wonder, and what is her name V and opening the manuscript, ''Perseverance" met his eyes. ' Sounds solid !' he said, and the name "E.L.," that is very unsatisfactory, "E.L." 'Hum!'and handsome Will leaned back and tried to continue his reading, but the tired eyes were before him, and the initials "E.L " still tantalised him, so that, thrusting aside other articles, he dived into "Perseverance."

Meanwhile Nell wandered home slowly, for she -poor girl!—was tired out. • First prize, 200dol.; second, £loodol. ; third, 50dol. Even 50dol. would make me happy, and oh ! how comfortable we could make ourselves to start the comirig winter ! Sue needs a drees and so do I, and fuel and light, &c.; but I must not be like the milkmaid in the fable,' and she smiled wearily. And then she thought what a handsome man the editor was, ' and how embarrassed he seemed for a moment, and how funny he looked at me !'

Nell smiled this time not quite so wearily, and blushed just a little, and then returned to her castle-building. A few days passed, during which Nell had been on pins and needles with anxiety—so much so that not a word could she write, so dropping her pen she devoted herself to rest.

' A terrible waste of time,' she would say : ' but what can Ido ? Those disconnected things would never be accepted, and if I rest I shall only be the better able to work again,' and she waited.

The day at last arrived when the magazine was issued, and hurrying to the nearest news-store, Nell broke her last five-dollar bill to buy it. Afraid to open it, she rushed home.

'Sue, look; I cannot —I am afraid to!' she said, her eyes bright and her face flushed with exciment.

Sue smiled to see her dignified sister so off her guard, and opened the magazine. The first page a picture, the second! Sue dropped the book and flew to her sister.

' Nell, dear ! oh, Nell ! I can't believe

Nell jumped and picked up the magazine. "Perseverance, 5 by "B. L." "First prize awarded," headed the page. Nell lost her dignity then, and dragging little Sue down into her lap she cried and cried. But joy can be borne by any one, and soon she was able to pick up the magazine and read it through, then laughed, and with her eyes glistening through her tears, said :

'Sue, just think of it, it was the very scratch, scratch that nearly drove you crazy, and look what it brings.' Then she jumped up again—Nell had lost herself completely. ' I must go to the office and see for the money,' and suiting the action to the words, she donned her hat and coat and started.

Again handsome Will was in his chair, but this time the room was in better order, and he was not tilted back, nor was he smoking, but he sat as though waiting for something, and so he was. "E.L." would surely be in that afternoon, and 'he would make those dark eyes dance if he could,' and then Will's quick ear heard a footstep, and straightening his already straight tie, he rose to meet the tall, graceful form just entering the door. No need to make the dark eyes dance, they are dancing already, and if Will had thought the face handsome the last time he saw it, what was it now ? ' Good morning, miss. Allow me to congratulate you,' he said, interrupting her hurried thanks * I ftake great pleasure in presenting to you the amount of the first prize,' laying a crisp bill in her small gloved hand, and adding, ' I should be pleased to have you as a regular writer, if you are not already too much engaged ' Oh, Nell, your good star has appeared again. Almost too overcome to speak, she faltered out her thanks and started for the door.

' I beg your pardon, miss,' said Will—'if you will leave me your name and address.'

' Certainly, sir,' she said, finding her voice at last, ' most willingly. How can I ever thank you ? • Thank yourself, my dear miss,' said Will, then blushed at his audacity. ' I did not write the piece.' Nell smiled brightly, and after handing him a neatly-written card, bid him ' good afternoon.' Poor Will ! now it was his turn. He turned the little card over and over. ' Eleanor Lorn,' he said to himself. 1 Nellie—no, Nell would suit her better. 1 would publish her pieces and pay her for them, if she wrote vowing the moon was made of green cheese ! Jove! but she is handsome! And how her eyes sparkled co-day ! Eleanor Lorn—Eleanor Newbold ahem !' and then he blushed. 'lam a fool !' he said.

Meanwhile Noll was in ecstacies. How happy she waß, and what a happy future ehe

promised herself. And Sue should not spoil her pretty blue eyes over such hard work. \. permanent engagement ! Bliss ! Could it ib herself! and she laughed again at the thought of the rejected manuscripts at iinme, and when she reached there she lit the fire for supper with then. Such happy days followed! Her works ifter that seemed to be better appreciated, though why she could not tell, and after a few month" the little apartments slowly assumed a more home-like look, as the many little comforts that flowed trom the persevering pen were added to them And Nell's eye lost the tired look as she gained fame ? Who tires so quickly when praise is given their labors ? Often she would think of her first entree into the editor's office, and would blush to think how '' funny" he looked at her. ' How handsome and kind he is,' she would think, ' and how pleasantly he meets me when I take my articles to him !' And Will would think, 'How reserved that girl is ? How I would like to walk home with her sometime, if I dared ! What power she has in those dark eyes—they are fairly magnetic. lam afraid my doom is sealed I' The last very tragically. One afternoon Nell went into the editor's office with her weekly article, and Will was not there. She left it with the clerk, but when doing so inquired for Mr Newbold. ' He is ill,' said the clerk, and Nell went home. Why did she feel so sorry ? Nell, lam afraid you are tasting the " forbidden fruit." What is it to you if the handsome smiling face of Mr Newbold is not there to meet you ? What is it 10 you if he is sick ? Ah, Nell, show your good sense ! And after a little arguing with herself, she does, for she discovers she thinks entirely to much of the handsome face and genial manner of her employer, and ' What good will it do ?' she asks herself. After that the mail carriers delivered the neatly written pages, and Will looks in vain for the tall, graceful form and bright eyes he thinks so much of. ' It is better, I guess,' he think, ' for what good will it do ?' Three weeks pass, and Nell's monthly payment is due, and one evening she is sitting by the bright .;fire thinking that tomorrow she will have to go, and she is not sorry, I regret to say. Sue is not well tonight, and has retired, and Nell is alone. She makes a very striking picture, leaning her stately head against the old-fashioned fire-plane, her dark hair braided in a thick coronet about her head, her dark eyes covered byjher whitejlids,that droop until the long lashes sweep her cheek, her hands clasped in her lap, and the fire casting fantastic shadows over her dark dress, and throwing a mellow light on her oval face A knock sounds twice on the door before she hears it, then starting up, she opens it. ' Good evening, walk in sir,' she said to the supposed stranger. ' Good evening. Miss Lorn,' said the familiar voice of Will Newbold. She starts, and hopes the dimness of the light will hide her blushes, as murmuring a few words she lights the lamp on the table, and pushes a chair towards him. But Will saw the blush, and inwardly gloated over it; perhaps it was ' some good ' after all !

' I called, Miss Lorn, to deliver this little package,' handing her an envelope, ' which was due a few days ago, and as yoa did not call, and have not for some time, I feared you were ill, though you were still prompt with your articles.' * Oh, no,'she said, 'I am perfectly well, only I 1 had not time enough to come to 1 ,' (.and there, blushing painfully, she broke down, and tried to turn the conversation. But Will saw it all, and quietly but with twinking eyes, said—- ' Well Miss Lorn, I do not need you as a writer any longer,' then seeing the pained look in the quickly raised eyes, ' but, Nell, I want you for a wife ! Nell, I know why you did not come. Oh ! Nell, do you not love me ? Is it really so ?'

And Sue looking through the partly open door at the pretty tableau saw ' Nell's

success '