Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-09-05

the best claim upon her; and there would
be no outside considerations or interest TO
interfere.
II must have been mistaken, though. I"
she thought, "in fancying her SO attached
to Philip, If she had been, she could
not have given him up SO readily. never
/ could have done it but then, Margaret
/ isn't like me. Well, these cold hearted
/ people have one most comfortable time of
/ it, after all. -"
81 hope mamma, you do not disap-
| prove what | have dOney" said Margaret,
| anxiOusly.
"Dsapprove9 Oh, no, dearl I think
| it was all for the best, if you could do it.
| | am sure we shall be glad to have you to
ourselves again. But you might have left
him a little hope Maggie, you might
have said that in case of any fortunate
| circumstance occurring or some unlock
ed for turn in our affairs you would re-
new the engagement"
| But don't you see, mamma, that it
would he only another way of binding
him. He would have been very glad of
such an opportunity, and would have
considered himself still pledged and wait
ing for better times
Very well, dear; you know best what
suits you. | must speak TO the doctor
about my drops the neyt time he comes.
They arc affecting nay appetite; and yet
don't know how | am to rest without
them, There is the difficulty what helps
in one direction, hurts in another Be
thankful, Margaret, that you keep your
health, at any rate
Il am, mamma, she answered, kissing
the pale, pretty cheek.
Mrs Leighton had been beautiful in
youth, and still retained many traces of
her charms. Perhaps she had never
fOnder admirer than her daughter.
Il believe | could sleep nov, she said
| Draw down the blind, please, and throw
shawl over my feet I'll not keep you
any longer; and cont trouble yourself to
come up, l will ring if | need any
| thing"
Margaret went down. She had told her
story, and received her sympathy all She
! was likely to receive, if not all sha longed
! for Perhaps it was for the best, she
/ told herself; perhaps any warmer expires.
sion might have overcome her-untitted
| her for all she had to do, Poor mamma,
| She had been i'll SO long that anything
! outside her own room seemed strange
and foreign to her; probably to any one
who suffered much bodily pain, mere
matters of FEELING ala moi look vorv i'm.
nortgnt Her thpjaht. flew hark.hevr
tadlv how fondlv-tn that last banpv
evening win, the dear fatbpr-ihr cyenin-
! before that dreadful dav which had som
! him emf down in the midst of health and
1 STRENGTH Could If he that All love bad
/ vanished utterly from the world? That
! he, safe in the serene heavens, cared no
/ lonCer for the sorrows of those he b4d
/ left bchindy Oh, to see him lust once
1 more, To feel once more the rest and
protection of his presepcel
/ Narrarrt's life soon assumed its routine
/ With fhp aid Of her little sister, she uer-
/ formed the laborS Of the household. and
! fonnd or took time 10 rive lessons in
music to a few pupils With the means
1 thus saved and earned she honpd to oct
through the wear without ir, ,cAinc ON
thrir Slender canital
The invalid's room WAS in the center
Of the family. pvcrythinr was ARRANGED
with reference to it, that mamma might
not feel the discomforts of their altered
fortunes Margaret could no longer de,
vote her time TO the work of nursing. but
/ Grace and Helen were trained to hll her
place.
Fr,m her brothers SHE hoard often
! Robert had aiken kindly 10 thp chance in
his nrosnects and wrote in buoyan, Strain
I Of all he meant TO do ere Ionp 10 advance
/ his own and the family fortunes I'd.
mind. less confident. still hopcd. another