The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-04-01
MARGARET MERLYN.

MARGARET .MERLYN
WRITTEN FOR THE ST. CLOUD JOURNAL.
i BY MRS. JANE G. sW1ssHELM.
| CHAPTER XVIII.
JUDGE KNox's OPINION OF TIE STU
! ALTON, AND WHAT CAME OF IT.
| As Margaret. walked homeward, F.,
brisk firm step overlook her and Judg,
Knox was at her side. She had seer
him for the first time at the meeting
she had just left. His voice and man.
ner was that of a man who knows he i.
acting an important part in the world
and is fully resolved to make both him.
self and it the better for his having
been here. His face could best be de-
scribed by the one word "shrewd."
His hair was grey, and he walked with
a stout gold-headed cane, a gift from q
Sunday School association. AS he
came up he said: d. .. =
"Excuse me, Miss hesitated,
"Merlyn" she supplied. eyes, yes,
Miss Merlyn, I believe I do not remem-
Der names quite so we'll as / did twenty
years ago; but my friends Mr.. and
Mrs. Granger, have told me of you,
and know you quite we'll. I intend
ed getting an introduction at the meet.
ing, but you saw I was engaged every
minute;" he had been Secretary; "and
so l have been left to introduce myself;
but We western people do not stand on
ceremonies"
Margaret received his advances cor
daily, and noticed that in talking he
frequently threw back his head, or
rather raised it quickly Is though his
lower jaw did not fall readily and he
j must lift the upper to open his mouth
| wide enough for an interjectional ex-
preston to get freely ont. In doing so
he usually passed his fingers under his
cravat as though to relieve the pressure
| on his threat. When he closed his
mouth he shut in all the red portion Of
the lips which gave it the appearance
Of a crack across his face, with a dent
at each end. He was evidently char
acter; odd and interesting. After 60
ing through the motion described he
continued: e.
"You are Miss Mcrlyn, Margaret
Merlyn, and I am John Knox-good
old name, but the mantle did not fall
with the name. They call me Judge
Knox because they elected me once TO
a Probateship in a new country where
I was then living. The title sticks
when the Office is gone; I am nothing
but lawyer now, been in practice for
th'rty:fve years; and got pretty we'll
used to the ropes. What do you think
of our meeting to.day?"
"Oh, I am rejoiccd at the result"
she replied.
"Hem!' said he, closing his lips to
a crack, and striking the pavement
with his cane, then throwing up his
head, and passing his fingers uader his
cravat he added eve must wait for
the results"
| ''Thcre needs no waiting to know
Miss Ironton is dismissed" sold Mar.
garet. II n"
"But will she goT' he said, looking
straight before him and vigorously
swinging his cane.
II was afraid she would disregard
any action Of the meeting; but this
was SO emphatic, and Mr.. Baxter taking
such stand, how can she remain"
"simply, by remaiuingv' was the
reply; and he continued, "Baxter's q
good fellow, gave a hundred dollars t.
make his wife and sister Honorary
Members of the Association, allow,
them to use his name in their public
appeals for funds, and all donations arr
sent to his care. The loss of bis sup
port would be quite blow, but he il
no match for Miss Ironton. Miss Au
gustus Ironton, niece of the Hon. Au
gusta 1ronton--not a bit Of i'll" ant
throwing up his hand he snapped hi
fingers, saying: "she doesn't caro- tina
for his resolution" and he settled hi
; chin in his cravat. 80. ~ = . :. ia,
"But," said Margaret, "it is the res
olution Of the society"
"All ono! all one r. he exclaimed
"if it were the resolution Of two socie
/ ties, aud the general assembly Of tn,
saints, or sinners either. Societies d
mot. amountto arrow Of pins in . clos
. fight, or id fact in any way except rails
ing funds Some individual Away
controls the society Or ruas the ma
chine. Miss 1rontou runs this one
and has an object IN il. The societ
meets, passes its resolutions and the
its managers 60, the one 10 his farm
!, the other to his merchandise; as
!. said to my little congregation last Sun
day evening, tor you arc perhaps avar
that I add to the profession q the "a,