Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-02-22

| heaven Is 1lOC TCuclleQ ny dSliiSlc pOuuu,
But we build the ladder by which we
Il rise -. -te Y
From the lowly earth to the vaulted
And we mount to the summit round by
round.
| --~-Gst- ---
In TWENTY YEARS.
n" And so you really think there is moth
ing serious in Margaret's naughtiness, my
dear sir" said a fashionably dressed lady
of five and forty summers to a gentleman
fifteen years her junior, who stood behind
the open library window. regarding her
with an amused smile
Nothing, at all serious, my dear Mrs.
Gray" said the gentleman quietly.
ri And what do YOU think I had better
do with hcr?"
"Send her to me if you like" Was the
negligent answer.
The ladys anxious face cleared and
frightened al once.
s @Would;you really take herr
/ +" Ii it VIII give pleasure will be hap
py 70 do so.
Oh, it will be such a weight of my
mind, Mr.. Strong. | cannot tell you
what have suffered from the girls pecu-
liar ways since l came into this house 10
live. Fond as | was OF Judge Gray, |
doubtit~I-cver could have made up my
mind to take him hadI known as much
Eof his only child as / know now And,
since her fathers death, she has run wild
positively wild Mr.. Strong. | have not
the slightest control over her. In fact. she
sets every one at defiance,
"Yes, my dear madam,
bowling politely, as ii he5tl
completed her sentence.
understand it ALL But Sc
and we :wilbseewhat can be =.
had some wild natures in my
afternoon, madam"
With these words humal
decided.
The next day saw Margare.,
daughter and heiress of the late j.
Gray, sitting quietly at desk in the VII
lage academy among a group OF girls, who
eyed her over their school books asstealthi-
~ and curiously as if she had been Il new
ly imported kangaroo.
First, because, with her clear, bright,
brunette complexion, her large, dark eyes,
and her curling, brown hair, she was by
far the h4ndsomest girl in the w!o.e
school
Secondly, because she was an heiless.
Third and lastly, because they had heard
many tale of her naughty and capricious
temper, and were in daily and hourly ex-
pectation of strife for the mastery be-
tween her and their grave and handsome
teacher, whose authority no one within
those walls would ever dream OF dispu-
ting, unless, indeed, it would be her.
But much to the wonder, and very pos
sibly TO the disappointment of the school
girls, no such outbreak had occurred. Mar
garet, perched in the library gallery at
home, among her well-beloved books, had
heard her step-mother's accusation, and
the teachers laughing reply. Neither Of
the speakers had been aware Of her pres
ence, and she did not make it manifest by
word or look, or sign But when they
were gone, she clenched her little white
hand, vowed passionately to herself, that
she would surprise them both, and make
her stepmother appear to others the harsh,
censorious, and unjust woman she herself,
in her own secret heart, had always been
willing to believe her.
Accordingly, when Informed Of the eX-
isting arrangement she uttered ne word
of opposition, much 10 the astonsh-
mcnt of Mrs. Gray, who could scarcely
believe her own eyes when she saw Mar
garet o5edicntly leave the house each
| morning, with her satchel Of boois swing
ing from hcr arm. Mr. Strong Was also
puzzled His deep blue eyes olten met
hose brown ones with look Of wonder
ing inquiry that made Margaret long TO
laugh. But the one asked no questions
the other answered none And so the
DAYS went on, and Margaret passed
her first examination triumphantlr, and
was proclaimed the best and most pronls-
ing scholar in the school.
She ought, therefore, TO have been hap
py. But it was with Il very sad face that
she went up into the familiar Hall, just
at dusk, on the evening of the great eX,
animation day. to collecy her books. and
take enc last secret look al place she
would never again sec tenanted US 1t had
been tcnanted of latc-the masters chair.
There il stood upon the raised platform,
empty and desolate. The stately figure
that filled it like throne was absent;
and yet, to ner dreaming eye, present rs
plainly us ever. She saw the high, white
brow and the curls Of sunny brown halr,
and the deep blue eyes, and the beautiful
ly chisclcd lips that closed so firmly III
spite Of her beauty. She heard the deep,
sweet tones of that beloved voice-be-
i loved! She started at the thonght.
"Oh! my dear masler" she said
aloud, and burying her head in her hands,
she sank down upon the empty chair and
wept
4 was thrown around her waist; that voice,
| all hurried and agitated, was speaking in
her very ear
Ny pupil Oh, if I were younger OF
YOU older if I were richer or you poorer,
| / would dare to say My Margaret, and
do my best to turn this girlish liking into
woman's love But | am poor man,
and | am fifteen years older than you
Remember me in after days, and say to
yourself that these were the barriers that
rose between us. Heaven bless you, dear
l dare not kiss your lips You must keep
them for the man you will love and marry
one day when l am far away. But youryou
hand ----.---.----, -----e
i He raised it to his lips and a hot tear
fell with the long, lingering kiss and
seemed to burn into the soft, white flesh
Before she could speak or stop him. he
= hurried from the room. The, pleasant
summer term was over, and the hand
some, stately master" was gone to return
Z no mo. ~
And twenty years passed by
4 To Margaret they seemed to bring little