The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-05-07
THE EXPECTED LETTER.

Ior Roger To-Day, ana you are at tne door
all the day long"
"Nay, only when the work is all done
up, father. can see Roger so much
sooner, and my heart is heavy waiting for
news"
.You heard last month"
"Last month Yes, early in May, and
tbs now the last of June. 0, father, the
days are long, when the ocean rolls be-
tween Martin and me !"
"You think he viii send for you soon,
lass !"
"If it were not for leaving you, [ should
say, / hope so. But when l think OF you,
and Annie here" And Maggie's voice
/ faltercd az she bent over the babe In her
arms.
"Well, well, we mus. get on as best we
can. There, my iron is hot, and l must
stop chatting"
The heavy clang of the falling hammer
filled the blacksmith's shop; but Maggie,
who had been hushed to sleep by such
music from her 5abyhood, mused, unheed-
ing the clear, ringing sound.
She was very pretty, this lowly heroine
Of mine, of the true English type, with
rosy cheeks, and a complexion pure and
white as ivory. She had dainty rows of
white even teeth, which, with a pretty
winsome mouth, made her smile very
beautiful. Her brown, waving hair was
the true chestnut, throwing back in the
sunlight rays of golden threads as bright
as those of the invader who brought them
into sight. She was the eldest child of
Mark Lee, the blacksmith of the pretty
hamlet Of Landsdale, and one of the bellies
of the village. Yet, with the beaux of
the whole neighborhood at her feet, Mag
gie's constant heart had clung to the first
love of her child hood the wooer of her
girlhood, Martin Hayes. Martin was her
cousin by courtesy, and as handsome an
English boy as ever drove plough, or
made his bow at beauty's shrine. 1t
would have been difficult matter for
either Of these young lovers to tell when
they FIRST loved. From the time when
Martin, some five years old, was first per-
mitted to hold his baby cousin in his
arms, his life's devotion was hers, and she
gave him sincere, earnest love in return.
So as they grew to msturity, they learned
how sad life must be to either were they
parted, and with the. same trusting love
that had submitted her baby steps to his
sturdy little arm, Maggie gave her wo
mans heart to his honest, manly care
They were very young when the black
smith opened his large eyes wide at their
love story; but he gave them his hearty
consent, only stipulating that Martin
should have something wherewith to sup
port IA family before he took wife. Now,
as Martin was the eldest of nine children,
and the son Of a farmer not very well to
DO in life, this condition cost him many
an anxious hour His time was valuable
to his father, so like dutiful son he
worked away, hoping for turn of For
tunes wheel, until he came of age then,
leaving two brothers to his place, he bade
adieu to Maggie, and enligrated to Amer
lea to win the right to claim his wife.
Poor Maggie! 1t was the beginning
of sorrow for her when Martin pressed the
farewell kiss upon her lips, with prom
ise to send for her as soon as the New
World had given him niche to place her
In. The winter which followed his depars
ture was hard one, and the blacksmith's
wife died, leaving baby only week old
to Maggie's care. She had never had
brother nor sister before, aud this wee
DuTQ6u OeCauio 10 ncF tCHueF HcdTt sore
weight. She loved it passionately, but
this very love added to her fear lest thro'
her ignorance it should sicken, perhaps
die. Mark watched with fathers love
both, worried, too. lest Maggie should tire
of her charge, or the babe suffer in such
young, inexperienced hands. Yet, as the
child grew older, and every steamer
brought good news from Martin, the old
light came back to Maggie's eyes, the
smiles to her lips, the roses to her checks.
Martin was in pleasant situation In the
large wholesale store of Symmes & Bro,
New York. He had entered into their
employ as porter but his honesty, intel
ligcnce, and good parts had made his
services more valuable till he was admit
ted confidential messenger of the coun-
ting house, respected and trusted, with a
salary that would soon warrant his sending
fer Maggie to join him in America. This
was the news in his last letter, written
just two years after his departure from
En- ngland, and Maggie sat in the doorway
of the blacksmith's shop musing over it
all, thinking proudly Of her Martin, ten
derly of his love, regretfully of her father,
and oh SO aLxiously of the little sister
on her knee.
Sometimes raising her soft, dark eyes
from Annie's laughing face, she looked