The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-05-08


friends looked upon it as a,great, nay W.
impossible undertaking. I only enooufas
ed him. We had been engaged two yeaf'
then. At that time had been working o.
my trado as tailorsss. went from houss
to house, with my goose and my thimOis'
and earned thus great deal more than wa'
sufficient for my simple wants.
slow we'll remember telling him 80, one
summer evening, as we walked beneath 'ne
orchard trees. and talked Of his going 70
college. l had a proposal to make on when
I rentured timidly, for Harry was very
proud. Looking up after I told him how
much money l could earn, ! said-l tried 70
say it in quiet, matter.of:fact way.
so you see, Harry, I can help you lit
tie. Besides my clothes shall have, every
year, moro than hundred dollars, that I
shan't know what to do with. You shall
have that, and pay 1t back to mo in gowns
and bonnets, ty.and-byc.' f.
'Ae drew mo to his heart. Old woman
a, am, ! thank God that oncc in my life
have been embodied in clasp Of such strong
tenderness. He looked in my eyes, and the
tears his manly pride would not lot him shed
gathered heavily in bis own.
you are a good GIRL he said, "a good
girl, Margery-too good for mo, but you
must never say this to me again. True
heart, pure heart! much as had loved you,
il needed this to help mo sound the depths
of your nature. Thank you that you have
SAID it, but as you love me you must never
say it over again. Food that your poor,
little earnings bought would choke me. !
would saw wood from door to door before !
would use money for which your weak
woman's hands had toiled. But I know
how we'll you love me now, and that will
be the best help Of oil. God bless you,
Margery.'
Il saw how determined he was, and that
it was ofno use for me to try to help him in
that way, but l resolved then and there
what would do with my money. 1t docs
not take much to buy and furnish little
cottage and a patch of garden ground in the
country, and there rose up, for my comfort,
II mental picture of the snug home which
should await him when he cnmo from col.
lcgc; which l would earn for my marriage
dowry. l had lour years to do tim.
During the next three years IIariy's life
was q great deal harder than mine. l saw
him only once In year, during the shortest
vacations. In the Others he taught school.
In term time, besides keeping at the bead oi
his class, he toiled perseveringly in every
possible opening for his support, lie was
literally newer Of wood and drawer OF
water. Every time l saw him the change
from his fresh youth startled mo moro and
more. But ho laughed at my fears. He
was only tired, ho sid-a little overwork-
cd. When he was through college be
should get rested and be well again, and ]
tried to believe him. At the end Of the
third year he seemed more than ever weak
and exhausted, and he was obliged to con.
fess that his labors were almost too severe.
At that time wo settled it that as soon as he
graduated we should be married, and he
should open select school which ho had
been encouraged to think would succeed in
our native village. l remember when we
parted, though we had been discussing these
things hopefully and cheerfully, there was
great weigh. at my heart,-a shadow Of
coming sorrow. lie looked 50 frail, 30 spir-
itual, with the cleaning light in his eyes
and the glow ON his transparent forehead.
But tried to cast aside my fears.
Il was in high health then myself. My
three years had been passed SO quictly-my
toll had been Frightened by such blessed
..,. A. .,.
nopc'' i'''a Uay "N"y ".1 ".'N ".o"
lngs, until now, had nearly four hundred
dollars; enough to purchase this little
house and garden patch, for the house was
not new OF even ID, n'0,a',' '".n' ""u 'A"u
was not 30 h'sn IN Hyenc'u Us !" 10 now
The next year Snouia earn enous" 70 tut
nl'h IL simp'y anu humo'y' III a'c0'uance
with our mooeS' ""nS'
"lIarry's college life closed in july and
by the spring before, had the little brown
cottage oil FURNISHED 10 my m'no' In A.
p'il l hired neiehoor 70 help me make inc
garden. We set out sooseocrry and cur
rent bushes; we grated trees; We trans
planted roses and flower roots and when oil
was done, ii seemed the iairest OF homes to
my love and !ancy. My needle aew very
nimbly in those days, for my heart was glad,
and quickest fingers could scarcely keep
time 10 its joyous beatings. Sundays used