Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-03-20
SrIrtt Storp.
IN TWENTY YEARS.

'.And so you really think there is moth
ing serious in Margaret naughtniuess,
my dear sir" said ia<hionably dressed
lady of FIVE and forty summers to gent
Ieman fifteen years her junior, who stood
behind the open library window, regard
ing her with an amused smile.
Nothing at all serious, my dear Mrs.
gray oa;a 40 gentleman quietly.
And what do you think had better
do with her ?"
Send her to me if you like, was the
negligent answer,
The lady's anxious face cleared aud
frightened at once.
"Would you really take her ~
"If it will give you pleasure will be
happy to do 500
.'Oh, it will be such weight off my
mind, Mr.. Strong l cannot tell you
what | have suffered from the girls pc
cular ways since came into this house
to live Fond as was of Judge Gray.
doubt if ever could have made up
nv mind to take lin had | known as
much of bis only ch Id as l know now.
And, since l,r falLer's death, she has
run wild-positively wild, Mr.. Strong =
| have not the slightest control over her.
In fact, she sets every one at drfiance,
aud what
"Yes, my dear madam said Mr..
Strong, bowing politely, as if he thought
she had completed her sentence. Il can
easily understand it all. But send her
to me and we will zee what can be done.
| have had some wild natures in my
time. Good afternoon, madam -
With these words human destiny
was decided
The next day saw Margaret, the only
daughter and heiress of the late Judge
Gray, sitting quietly at desk in the vi
lage academy among group of girls,
who eyed her over their school books as
9 ealihily and curiously as if she had
been a newly imported kangaroo
First. because with her clear bright
brunette complexion, her large dark eyes,
and her curling, brown hair, she was by
far the handsomcst gill in the VIII hOle
school,
Secondly, because she was an hsircss.
Thi dly and lastly, because they had
heard many tale of her naughty and
capricious temper, and were in daily and
hourly expectation of strife for the
4nastery between her and their grave and
handsome teacher, whose authority no
one within those walls would ever dream
of dispu;ing, unless, indeed, it would be
her.
But much to the wonder, and very
possibly to the disappointment of the
school girls, no such outbreak had oc
Cured, Margaret, perched in the library
gallery at home, among her well-beloved
books, and heard her stepmother's accusa-
ton, and the teachers laughing reply :
Neither of the speakers had been aware
of her presence, and she did not make it
manifest By word, or look, or sign. But
when they had gone, she clenched her
little hand, vowed passionately to her
self that she would surprise them both,
and make her stepm5ther 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
listing arrangement, she uttered no word
of opposition, much to the astonishment
of Mrs. Gray. who could scarcely be-
lieve her own eyes when she saw Mar
gaiet obediently leave the house each
morning with her satchel of school books
swinging from her arm. Mr.. Strong
was also puzzled. His deep blue eyes
often met those brown ones with a look
of wondering inquiry that made Margaret