The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-12-17
LA MARGUERITE.

Margaret BellisIe stood at the vim
dow, looking out upon the wet foliage
in the garden, The Autumn rain ieil
with dfeary dip, beating the fallen
petals OF the chrysantheDu,ns into the
dank earth. s.r. - -,....o.-. --..
The room in which. she stood was
poor and bally-furnished, yet signs Of
refined taste were visible. Margaret
herself WIS beautiful eMer beauty lay
not so much in tho regularity of her
features. IS in their expression. Her
face was pale and sad, and those deep
blue eyes, now filed with dreamy SD
ness, would at times fash or sparkle,
transfiguring her, countenance. "a sas7v
p Her fatl er---a thin,, nervous docking
! lold man--sat near the fire. pretending G
to read, hut eyeing her uneaslly .o's,et
Nv H." he said. qgeFnlously, "you
have heard what Mr.. Almayne had to
say-now- speak" . a.A ss.5..r
Margaret seemed not to hear him.
| "Don't you hear. Margaret Mr.
Almayne saiG that John Sherwood has
married a South American lady, and
Almayne ought to know, for he has just
come from Lima" l...s 4f.
Il hear, father" responded the girl
in stifed voice, as if she were sup
lpressing rising cob. ,-.-s.--V
Old Bellisle idgeted with the leaves
of his book. .e-..tl r...i a.g ..et
"Of course, Margaret, that ends your
engagement with John. Sherwood.
knew he wasn't to be trusted. Two
years ago when he asked for you he
was poor clerk Make some money,
said 1, 'and you shall have her. and sc
he went to Lima for the firm of Almagne
& Co. But remember said l, there's
to be no corresponding. or nonsense, OF
that sort between you and her. When
you bring the cash, We'll close the bar.
gain l saw through the fellow Aud
old Mi. Bellisle chuckled ty way ot
congratuIatng himself on his own prd.
denee. .s s.,;.~ eli. ..--
Margaret went slowly up to her room.
At that time existence seemed a, weight
almost too heavy to bear. A bright
star had fallesi from her life Mr., AL.
mayne had just reached home from
South America, bringing the news OF
John .Sherwood's faithlessness laz
81 have loved, have waited. groan.
ed Margaret, land both loving and
waiting have failed.";i 3at 5sa .4,gy-.
Taking dainty box-the repository
of her choicest 9treaspres-she,5 drew
from it John Sherwoods only gift--a
withered daisy that had once been pink
and white, and two long years ago had
bathedrin Spring sunshine. Around ii
was wrapped paper, on which was
written by hand she. loved well, the
line .7-f s,,-.. s.s .,..yr.s.
'r,H "sidouce est la Margserite"
"Ah," sighed Margaret bitterly, t''ii
he thought me so sweet,why did he cast
me aside? will burn the words aud
the flowers, and tear all care for then
donor from nv heart. But no, / wI
send them back TO him, and they. re
jeeted, will tell him that Margaret Bell
isle seorns traitor! as d.. ..t-s ~
With flushed cheeks Margaret placed
the poor little flower in an envelope, ,and
Edireetng it to Mr.. John Sherwood, care
of Scnor Calmo, Lima, dropped it into
the post. .s...
Returning home, she saw at once
from her fathers excited manner that
something unusual had happened, ,.
daisy" he called out, Mr.. Almayne
wants to marry yeu!' rsu
Margaret was silent from surprise
Mr.. Bellisle took her Silence for disap.
proya. - ,t...,.y..,'. ..---,t -
"Beggars CAM, be choosers," he broke
out, roughly. '.Now that Sherwood has
thrown you on my hands, l don't know
what's going to become of us. I'm an
invalid, and we're getting poorer every
day, Your teaching don't amount to
much"
Poverty had not improved Mr.. Bell
isle. II had made him selfish and un.
feeling. Before he ruined himself by
speculation, he had been. diametrically
otherwise. =. ., .4.,...g. --....
"Almayne sent me a note requesting
permission to ask you to be his wife
have dispatched my answer,whiGh was
in the affirmative, telling him to call to-
morrow"
"Very well,"' returned Margaret, a
will marry him the sooner it is over
the better.
Her father looked up in astonishnent
''By George he muttered, "thats
cool. I expected thunder, lightning,
tears, Mysteries; but there's no use in
trying to understand women" .-....
The next day Mr.. Almayne called
and was accepted. He begged that the
wedding day might be soon-within
two weeks, and Margaret assented.
The morning of the marriage came
The bridal party started from Mr.. Bell
isles residence. The bridegroom was
faultless in his attire aud manner, bnt {
. physiognomist, looking at bis fair, plac
id face and those shafp,light eyes.woul6
have framed the words "talse and sen
sual' .r.,.... -.
Margaret was very pale beneath he;
veil and oranse-fowers, but in he
breast she carried throbbing, anxious
heart. g, .....,..,.
On the same morning young man
bronzed by, the Southern sun, sprans
eagerly up the steps of Mr.. Bellisle
house He rang tue bell loudly seyera
times, but in vain. No one answeret
it. A lady happeaed to be gain.
through the halfopen shutters of til
next house. He applied to her.
They have gone-you are too late,
she answered.
"How? Does Mr.. Bellisle and hi
daughter, Miss Margaret, no longe
live here ?" 49,
by this time Miss Margaret Bellisl
lis, no more" answered the ncighbo
smiling, ,L -.
) "De2d? That cannot be-" erie,
John Sherwood, starting back,
"Eo-married. / took you for on,
Of the guests, They jus, started 70
, fthe church in Laurent street Mr., Al
mayne, a wealthy Young merchant, i
, tie happy. man .e ag.
Hastily thanking his informant, Johl