Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-01
MY SISTER mARGIE,s SECRET,

i have never seen more beautiful
face than my sister Margies when
she was eighteen. l cannot describe
her TO you, for | do not like to pick
a sweet flower, leaf by leaf. / can
only say q rich, warm color dyed
her cheek, a brilliant light danced
in her eye, and her lips, red as the
ripest strawberry she found in the
pastures, ever curved with smile.
Father named her Margaret after
his mother, but she called herself
Margie. When a baby, Margaret,
second child OF Charles and Martha
Wilson" was written in the Bible,
but MArgie became the household
name. | was ten years old when
Margie was born. Mother took the
baby's pink hand and laying it in
mine, said solemnly, 81 must leave
her faith; leave my sweet babe. l
give her to you, and never forget
that she is yours, my daughter"
| never did forget the importance Of
the charge committed to me. Faith
er never brought any one to fill
mothers place, and / had Margie to
myself. Besides a sisters love, she
gave me all that would have been
mothers. never told her she was
to mind me, she always did as / de-
sired without a word until-well, l
will not anticipate.
When Margie was twelve, Mr..
Bolton, the village lawyer, made me
an offer of marriage. He was a
noble man. / honored him and il
may be might have loved him, but
| could not make ii seem right to
marry and leave Margie. ! think
father was pleased when | chose to
live at home, but others blamed me
and thought | had false ideas of
duty. | have never been sorry l
gave up all for Margie. When l see
Judge Bolton with his handsome
sons, | think, Faith Wilson, those
joys were not meant for you; your
children may never rise TO call you
blessed, but there are some who
will say, she hath done what she
could.
Margie had none Of my matter-Of-
fact temperament. She possessed q
vivid imagination; when a child,
played with imaginary people, fill
ing the woods, the many slopes be-
hind the house, the hooks and
glades, with the bright creatures of
her fancy. We had a few fairy tales,
translations from the German
These she eagerly devoured, and so
gave shape to the ideas that were
filling her head.
As she grew Older air-cAstles
which she herself was TO inhabit
took the place of her other conceits.
Many q night when the skies were
cleaning with stars, she has sat on
the low roof jutting out from our
window, and dreamed of the gay
world in which she would live one
day. "He will come for me, Faith,
my squire of high degree, and bear
me of to an elegant home surround
ed by all that is beautiful, and you
will be our guardian angel" can
hear her talk so. She would laugh
at my sober face, and say, ''My mat
ter-Of-fact sister cannot even breathe
the air in which my castles feat"
Father and l were anxious that
Margie should have better adVaDta-
ges for education than our village
afforded, and vet we could not bear
| the thought of sending her away
| from us. She had a decided musi-
cal talent, and we were desirous of
| culiivating il. While VIC were
making inquiries, some one told US
| that the rector in the next town
was increasing his income by re-
csiving few pupils into his family,
/ and that his wife, an accomplished
! musician, would give lessons TO q
/ limited number. Arrangements
were made for Msrgie TO study with
/ Rev. Mr.. OrmOnd, and take vocal
I and instrumental lessons of his
wife. She was TO remain with them
until Friday OF each week, W hen we
were 10 bring her home and have
( all the iov we could until Monday
How long that hrst week OF separa-
tion seemed. Margie's bird did not
sing, but hoped uneasily in his
cage jerking his head from side to
side. The inspiration Of his life, as
of ours, was gone. The pet kitten
missing the glsdness Of the house
took TO rowing. The old clock, that
we always thought had pleasant
way of telling the hours, licked like
I a dead knell. Everything wore {
forsaken look. l could see father
busted himself more with his pa
tients, but | could find nothing to
interest my loneliness.
MArgie came back TO us bright
and happy; she had seen something
of the world outside of our home
and was charmed. She told us she
was not very much behind the
others, and that her voice, a ricl
soprano, had been highly praised.
Father, Faith" she said, her fac,
. glowing with animation, this is +;
beautiful world we live in. l meaI
to attain TO a position in it all i
| 80 80 N,,lv Quo is 6atarDniucd