Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-04-30
IN TWENTY YEARS.

| iO0aoiy-dressed IAdy OF nVe ana ioFIy
summers to 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.
"Aod what do you think | bad bet
ter do with her ?"
"Send her to me if you like" was
the negligent answer.
The iady's anxious face cleared and
frightened at once.
"Wouli you really take her ?"
"lf it would give you pleasure i
will be happy TO do So"
"Oh, it will be such weight off
my mind, Mr.. Strong. / cannot tell
girls peculiar ways since | came into
tnis place to live. Ford as | was of
Judge Gray, | doubt if ever could
nave made up my mind to take him
had | known as much Of his only
child as know now. And since her
fathers dea h she has run wlid-pos-
tleely will, Mr.. Strong. have DOT
the slightest control over her. In
fact she sets every ore at defiance,
and what"
eyes, my dear madam" said Mr..
Strong, bowling politely, as if he
thought she bad completed her sem
tence IL can easily understand it
all. But send her TO me and we will
see what can be done. | have had
sou 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 village academy among group
Of girls who eyed her over their
school books, as stealthiy and Gu
rlously as if she had been newly
imported kangaroo.
FIRST, because with her / 3ar, bright
branette com plexion, her large, d rk
eyes, and her curling brown hair, she
was by far the handsomesG girl in the
whole school.
Secondly, because she was an heir
ess.
Thirdly and lastly. because they
had heard many tale of her naugh-
ty and caprioious temper, and were
IN daily and hourly expectation Of
strife for the mastery between her
and their grave and handsome teach
or, whose authority no one within
thooo vyeila wuulu ever dream nf
disputjng, unless, indeed, it would be
her.
Bat much to the wonder, and very
possibly TO the disappointment, of the
school giil', no such outbrake bad
occurred. Margaret, perched in the
library gallery at home, among her
weIl-belOved books, mad heard her
step-mother's accusation, and the
teachers laughing rely. Neither
IF the speakers bad been aware of
her presence, and she did not make
it manifest by word, or look, or sign.
But when they were gone she clench-
ed her little white hand, vowed pas
sionately to herself that she would
surprise them both, and make her
step-mother appear 10 others the
harsh, censorious, and unjust woman
she herself, in her own secret heart,
had always been willing to believe
ler.
Accordingly, when informed OF the
existing arrangement, she uttered no
word OF opposition, much to the az
constituent of Mrs. Gray, who could
scarcely believe her own eyes when
she saw Margaret obed eltly leave
the house each morning, with her
sAtchel of school books swinging from
ner arm. Mr. Strong was also puz-
lied His deep blue eyes often met
those brown ones with look OF WOE
jering irqliry that made Margaret
long to ugh. But the@one asked
40 questions the other answered
none. And SO the days went on, and
Margaret passed her fist examina'
ton tnumphan ~, and was proclaim
ed the best aud mort promising
scholar in the school.
She ought, therefore, to have been
happy. But it was with very sad
face that she went up into the tamil
TAR hs Just at dusk, on the evening
of the great examination cay, to co..
| .ct her books. and take one last look
| at The place which she would never
again see tenanted as it had been ter
anted of late-the masters chair.
There it stood upon the raised plat
form, empty and desOlate. The state
! ly figure that filed it like throne
was absent: and yet, to her dream :
ing eve. present as nlainly as ever.
she saw the high, white brow, aud
the curls If sunny brown hair, aud
the deep blue eyes, and the beautiful
liz chisseled lips that closed so firmly
10 spite OF their beauty. She heard
the deep, sweet tones of that beloved
voiee-beloved She starts 81 the
thought.
"Oh! my dear master y She said
: aloud, and burying her head in hel
: hand, she sank down upon the empty
char and wept.
j A step crossed the hall hastily, 81
: arm was thrown around her waist
), that voice, all hurried and agitated
J. was speaking in her very ear.
my pupil Oh, if was younger
or you Older; Ii were richer or yoI
poorer, | wouI dare to say my Mai
garrett and do my best TO turn thi
+ girlish liking into & womsn's love
! But l am poor man, daIl ng, and
? am fifteen years fller than you
a Remember me, when you remembe
or in after years, and say to yourseI
that these were The barriers that rost
= between US. Ny dearling, nothin!
else should keep me from you ii
.e were your equal 10 these two things
of | Heaven bless VOU dear, / care no
L. Z