The Republican journal., 1875-08-19
BaMed.
BY ANNA SHIELDS.
L don't lik him.

her voice, very sweet and low, made an
SWer:
81 love him, Uncle John
"More's the pity" growled her uncle
why can't you love somebody else p
Just shy smile, with lurking OF fun
in il, for an answer TO this question.
"lIere's VIII Hall been counting sol
since You were a baby, and Mark Hal
stead would give his eyes for you; boil
smart young sailors, as your father was
and your grandfather before him. No
You must turn up your nose at them, an'
fall in love with city chap who come
from nobody knows where, and is, nobody
knows who
II thought he told you he was junio
partner in wholesale hardware house il
Boston"
Told me-" was the eontemptuous re
ply. "Supposing he had told me he wa;
the Prince Of Wales, who was to contra
diet him? Told me, indeedm
But he gave you the address of the
firm SO that you could write and ASK
about him." said Margaret, timidly.
"Well, yes!n was the reluctant admis
sion, $50 he did And you love him
Now, that's an odd thing. too. Here
you've lived all your life on the sca-coast
amongst mon, strong men, and you SCI
your heart on pretty, curly-headed doll,
with hands like Il girls, and a clean boiled
shirt every day to his back"
''IIe is tall and strong and manly too, >
urged Margaret; ''he does not know any
thing about a boat or a ship and his work
does not require tarred hands and coarse
clothes, but he is not et1eminate, uncle
''Umph Oils his hairn'
$50 does your tavorte, Will Hall"
IIumph VIII Hall is man fit to
marry a sailors daughter, mate Of Il fine
vessel and making money. 1t is rough to
see him thrown overheard for q city chap
none OF us had ever seen six months ago
wish he had drowned before he came to
b to turn your head"
. Uncle John. " Margaret said, very
earnestly, 'if Harry Craige had nevel
come to b it would have made no
difference in my answer to Win Hall
would not marry him il had never seen
Harry"
a dark, Ill face that had been pressed
close to the closed blinds Of the room
where this conversation took place wa:
lifted here for a moment and u clenched
fist was shaken in the air. Night shadows
were closing and no one saw the crouch
mo figure on the porch of the little col
tagc, no one knew the greedy listener
was catching every word OF the coniiden-
tial talk between Margaret Hammerslev
and her uncle. No one there guessed OF
the bitter fruit to spring from the next
brief sentence.
Bah, Ii you had never seen Harry
Craigc you would have married VIII
Hall when he asked you, two months ago
If your fine city beau was to 90 home
months, and marry Will, like a sensible
girl !"
Margaret's low spoken but resoute re-
ply: "Never!" was lost in the snap of the
garden gate suddenly closed, the crunch
OF firm feet treading the graveled walk,
and the rap upon the cottage door. The
listener skunk round the corner Of the
house, dropped noiselessly to the grass
and sped away unseen over the fence.
But the visitor sure of one glad well
come, entered the cottage parlor and
greeted uncle and niece. A tall, hand
some man, manly in bearing, with frank
expression, dark clear eyes, voice ring
ing and hearty, though modulated bv cul-
tlvatlon. man to win hearts anywhere,
and who seemed absolutely perfect in the
eyes Of Margaret Hammersley, born and
bred in the little seaport town, and ac-
customed To the rough sea faring men
who lived there.
And Harry Craige, coming for a sum
mer vacation, had found it easy to linger
Ia Iln ch Ia aH me Ion 40
so sweet and graceful, so gentle and low
voiced amongst the bolder girls who flirt-
ell with the sailors and fishermen, and
openly ridiculed the ''city chaps" neat
dress and white hands. From liking to
loving these two speeded most harmoni-
ously and though Uncle John growled
and tuned, Margaret was the very darling
Of his heart and he could never seriously
oppose any wish Of hers SO, while the
evil faced man, who had listened at the
window, sped over the fields, Harry
Craige pressed his suit till John Ham
mersley was won to give his consent to a
marriage that was really u worldly adj
vantage to his niece.
Consent once gained, Harry pleaded
hard for speedy wedding, urging his
long absence from business and the ne
ccssity for his appearance in Boston. SO
the bans were published and the guests
invited to the little cottage Speedy con-
iirmation of the truth of IIarry's represen-
tations of his business relations was given
in 4 gift from the senior partners of the
firm to which he belonged-a silver tea
service, the like of which b had never
seen.
Mark IIalstead, a second cousin Of Mar.
garct's and with Il disappointed heart
consented to be groomsman and entered
into all wedding preparations; but Will
Hall kept aloof, though he met Harry
often in the town and gave him grudgine
civlity.
The wedding day came, and the cottage
was decorated for the evening festivities
alter the marriage services. Margaret's
wedding dress of soft white muslin was al
ready donned when seven o'clock struck
the parlor was full of guests, the old cler-
gyman, who had christened the bride
was waiting, but Harry did not come.
Eight O'Clock struck, and Mark Hal
stead, after a whispered consultation with
Mr, Hammersley, went to the hotel where
Harry had boarded Here he was inform
ed that on the previous evening a note
had been handed in for Mr.. Craige, and
Immediately afterwards he had ordered a
buggy and driven away.
That was all the landlord could tell
That was all Mark could find out thai
night. The guests dispersed, Margaret
refusing all companionship but that OF hel
uncle. When they were alone together
she crcpt into the strong arms that had
been her protection and shelter from child
hood, and lay there, white as the bridal
dress she wore, shivering and fearless
And looking at her mute misery, Johr
Hammersley restrained the torrent of in
dignant words trembling upon his tongue
and soothed her as if she had been baby
"He is sick, -or hurt, " the old mar
said. Tomorrow, bright and early,
will drive over myself" In his heart he
added: