Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-02-16
5rlette0 nlisfrIla,lp.
In Twenty Years.

"And so you really think there is nothing
serious in Margarel's naughtiness my dear sir
| said II hshionab!y dressed lady of five and
forty summers TO II gentleman fifteen years her
junior, who stood behind the open library
window, regarding her with IN amused smile.
Nothing NJ all serious, my dear Mrs. Gray, ;
said the gentleman quietly.
"And what do YOU think | had better do
| with her ~
Send her 10 me if you like was the neg
| ligent answer.
The lady's anxious face cleared and bright
eued al once.
| "Wonld you really tnke her ?"
III II will give you pleasure will be happy
| to do So
cob, it Will he such weight Off my mind
Mr. Strong. | cannot tell YOU what | have
suffered from the girls peculiar ways since |
came into tins house To live. Fond as | was
Of Judge Gray, doubt il ever could have
made up my mind TO take him had known as
much of his only child us know now. And
since her fathers DEATH she hns run wild =
positively wild, Mr.. Strong. have not the
slightest control over her. In fact she sets
| every one ut defiance, and what
'Aes my dear madam" said Mr. Strong,
howing politely, MS i he thought she had com
plcied her sentence. 81 can easily understand
il all. But send her to me and we will scr
what can be done. | have had some wild ma
lures in my time, Good afternoon madam. -
With these words IL human destiny was de-
cided
The next day saw Margaret, the only daupl-
Ter and helrcss Of the late Judge Gray, sitting
quietly at II desk in the village academy among
n group Of girls, who eyed her over their
school hooks as siealthily and curously rs if
she had been newly imported kangaroo.
First because with her clear bright. bru-
netie complexion, her large dark eyes, and her
curling, brown hnir, she was by far the hand
soonest girl in the whole school,
Secondly, because she was an beircss.
Thirdly and lastly, because they bad heard
many tale Of her naughty and capricous
temper, aud were in daily and hourly expecta-
lon Of strife for the mastery between her
and their grave and handsome teacher. whose
authority no one within those walls would
ever dream Of dispuiing, unless, indeed, il
would be her.
But much TO the wonder, and very possibly
TO the disappointment, of the school girls, no
such outbreak had occurred Margaret, perch
ed in the library gallery nj home among her
well-beloved books. had heard her slep-Inotl,-
er snccusation, and the teachers laughing re-
ply. Neither of the Speakers had been aware
OF her presence, and she did not mike it mimi
fest by word, or look, or sign But when ther
were gone She cenched her little white hand
VOWED pnssionateiy 10 herself that she would
surprise them both, and make her stepmother
appear 10 Others the harsh, censorious. and
unjust womnn she herself in her own secret
heart had always been willing TO believe her
Accordingly, when informed of the existing
arrangement, she uttered no word of opposi- |
ton much 10 the establishment of Mrs. Gray, |
who could scarcely believe her own eyes when |
she saw Margare, obedicnuy leave the house |
each morning with her salchel of school books |
he Mr.
puzzled His deep blue eyes often met those
brown ones with look Of wondering inquiry |
that made Margaret long 10 laugh But the
one asked no questions; the other answered
none. And so The days went on and Marga-
ret passed her first examination triumphantly,
and WAS proclaimed the best aud most promis-
ing scholar in the school
She ought therefore, to have been happy
But il was with very sad face that she went
mp into the familiar hall, just at dusk on the
evening Of the great examination day, TO col
ect her books. and take one last secret look M
a place which she would never again see ten
anied rs it had been tenanted OF late-ihe
masters chair.
There it stood upon the raised platform,
Empty and desolaie. The stately figure that
Tiled u like throne was absent and yet, to
ler dreaming eye, present and plainly as eyer
tic saw the high white brow, aud the curls
II sunny brown hair, and The deer blue eyes,
md the beautifully chiseled lips that closed so
truly in spite Of their beauty. She heard tffe
iccp, swect tones of that beloved voice-be-
owed She started at the thought
"Oh my dear muster r she said aloud.
md huri ing her head in her hands, she sank
Town npon the empty chair and wept
step crossed the hall hastily an arm was
brown around her waist; that voice all hur-
led and agitated, was speaking in her ear
Ny pupil Oh, i'll were younger or You
older if were richer or you poorer, I wonld
iare 10 say my Margaret and do my best to
arm this girish liking intoa woman's love
Bot an poor man. darling, and am fifteen
gears older than you. Remember me- when
iou remember me 10 after DAYS. and say TO
f1nrself that these we're the barriers that rose
letween US. Ny darling, nothing else should
seep me from you If | were your equal in
hese Two things. Heaven bless you. dear
iare not kiss your lips. You will keep them
or the man you love and marry one day when
am far away. But yonr hand -"
lie raised it TO bis lips, and a hot tear fell
with the long lingering kiss, and seemed to
,nrn in the soft, white flesh
Before she coaId speak or stop him, he hnr-
led from ihe room. The pleasant Summer
erm' WAS over. and the handsome stately
master was gone to return no more.
And twenty years passed by.
To Margaret they seemed to bring littls Of
rial OF change.