Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-09-22

When James Moore came to dinner
that day there was new look in his face.
Generally good-natured, it was now
thoughtful, and he watched Maggie
with great longing in his honest brown
eyes, and puzzled look on his wrink-
led forehead.
Maggie did not sing at her work that
afternoon. Her face seemed to have
caught at her lovers thoughtfulness,
and ever and anon, as the night APP
preached and she prepared the supper
for the men, she turned to the open
door with an eager, questioning look
in earnest scrutiny. His brow was all
clear, but it bore new stamp of man
hood, and Maggie turned away with O
great fear tugging at her heart, and
alone in the pantry gave utterance to
one bitter moan.
James Moore was long at his work that
night, and when he en.erad the kitchen
he was surprised to find Maggie at hei
dishes still. He waited for her, watch.
nag her with patient look that had in
it but little hope. When her work was
done, he took her hand without word
and led her out to u scat ia the moon:
light.
7'Maggie," he said tenderly, "son,e.
body has told YOU"
"No," she answered with sob, al
guessed it,
40 ypu blame me, Maggie"
"Oh, no." She answered. 81 kasN
you would 60. When?" '"
Next Tuesday, four days from this y
he replied.
"Only four days! Z" she moaned.
shall we be marrisd, Maggie?"
M, lin. II iS the same"
"oh Jim! But will come to YOU
Just the same.'
The strong man wiped some tear.
away.
Maggie, it is very hard. Iwant yo,
! like Jacob wanted Rachel, and now
s,rteIa 70 get Leah instead"
Ills 1t ddty--sour duty, JIM"
| The woman's heart must utter this
cry In its womanly weakness.
| The farmer answered.
"Joe Clark talked to me about the
war to-day, until it seemed to me wa;
stopping here like q cowardly man
when bis oVp mother yas in danger. -
Then the woman spoke in hel
strength:
GO, James, will not keep YOU" .
The siege before Petersburg went or
and one day some soldiers gathere,
around the dead who had pcrished from
an exploding mine.
"What wreck that isl" said ons
pointing to u mass of mangled human
ity. His own mother wouldn't know
him"
'' "X.ook in his pocket" suggested an
other. "Theres his breast pocket look,
all right"
! Nothing there but a picture, n plair
/ ambrotype. The men looked at it curl
ously. One remarked: ~
/ "She amt got much beauty to boas
| of anyhow; but you'd better aaye il
AMI may be somebody Will want Il
knbW about him sometime"
Oh, Maggie! Pocr Maggie. Thinl
no more of your absent lover and Oh,
cottage on the hi1i. He in whose eye
alone you were beautiful is crushe,
as.t bleeding mass, and you will neve
see him but in Heavenly mansions.
To-day Margaret Cartlwait stood ss
saw her in the low-c5iled, bare-H -Hcored
dark and dr2ary kitchen, and the sniii
Oh iler lip was one of patience, not o
joy. u
! Joe Clark was there, praising he
ilvusS-Wilely skIli AIu quiet ways, uu
asking her to be his wife.
TS,2, gGe, promised James woul
come to him just the same" was her dt
cided answer.
Thus she stood to-day homcly in nc
person and habits, but beautiful in he
truth and faithfulness. Tomorrow ah
will take up her weary way with tn
same strange unearthly patience, an
all the mOrrows that stretch into the fu
ture will be hallowed by great abidin
love, and deep abiding sorrow.
| HAPPY for her when the death ange
opens to her the golden gate, and sh
meets JaInss, "just the same" acros
the deep, dark river.