The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-08-16

We were engaged. Old Simon joked
us coarsely, and seemed to exult over
the affair l Iinight even have doubted
the existence of the 1--WE thousand
pounds, but that Maggie had told me of
them herself.
"Gncle was keeping them for inc when
was an old maid," she said. "But you
shall do what you please with the money
when | belong TO you. We shall buy a
pretty house, shan't we dear, first of all /,
and live there all our lives; somewhere
where we can have nice garden"
SO after that L never doubted, but
clung to the idea as / could not if | had
loved the girl.
We were married in fortnight-Un-
Gle Simon and his old housekeeper alone
were present. 1t had touched me good
deal when Margaret had whispered that
she would much rather not have we'd
ding party
"Fancy a bride limping up the aisle on
crutcll,'' she said "Let me be married
with none to stare at me. You love me,
SO don't care about being lame any
more, but I'd rather not be stared at
took her in my arms and kissed her
then.
"Tll be very good to her." said, as
the minister uttered his prayer, "Very
good" And l was saying it again, when
| sat with my wife in old Simon's par
lor, in tile twilight, and he coming in, lit
the gas, and he stood twinkling his eyes
at us maliciously.
$50 It's over" he said, with his fiend
ish chuckle. "She's yours; now for her
five thousand pounds. I'm going to
hand it over to night; l shall then sleep
better"
| blushed with shame. "Not yet" l
said; "don't talk of money"
"No," said Simon. 'sBut will, though.
I've got it here" And he unlocked
sideboard which stood in the room, and
brought out small roll, done up oddly
enough in brown paper. "Thcre it
is" said he; "there 1t is. Look at it.
Count it. Five thousand pounds plump
count it."
He fairly grinned as he spoke. She
smiled.
/ saw something in his laugh that
made me shudder Without a word more
l walked to the table, opened the parcel,
and spread out the notes. There were
five thousand pounds worth of them,
reading the value on their faces, but they
were the notes of the Diddleton and
Bilkem Bank, which had failed years
ago.
l had been deceived The girl / had
married was ponniless. PISS
''Impostor ! yelled. Old Simon an.
swered with a chuckling roar of laugh
ter.
"Good joke" he said. "Tte done
what l promised. You've got the five
thousand-I didn't tell you what it was
in. or course such motley is no use to
you, but can't help that"
/ think | should have given HIM a.
blow, but just then l heard Margaret
scream, / looked at her. saw as l
had known before, that she had no hand
in the deception. / saw an awful look
in her eyes-a doubt of my love treni-
bling on her lips. saw her rise and
falter on her poor feet, and stretch out
her hands towards me- l heard her cry,
Thomas, | did not know" and then
oh, thank God for 1.-THE love l had
never felt before rushed into my heart
a great, all conquering love.
/ ran TO her ! took her in my arms.
l gave her the first kiss of passionate
and new born love, and said:
"Margaret, try to bear poverty with
ME, for love you better than my own
soul.s
And all Margaret's money-the mon
ey that had faded before me like fairy
gold-tuuld never have given me half
the JOY that the wealth Of love, given to
and received from her, gave me on our
bridal day-gave ME in all the first strug-
Cling years of our welded life, and will
give me, God grant 1t, until tile end