The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1876-01-15
Maggie'S Lover
BY HERO STRONG.

John put back the golden hair from
her forehead, and kissed her tenderly.
Good bye, little heart's.ease. In
December | shall return, and then you
are to be all my own"
There was no reply; and though
Maggie Wilmer did not lift her head
from her lovers shoulder so that he
could look into her eyes, he felt the
half indifference with which she met
his tenderness.
Are you not ?" he asSe with all
mans selfishness to enjoy his sweet
dream to the full perfection.
suppose sO'-a little prttishly.
Don't tease me, john. There, | must
say good-by, now l hear Aunt Anna
calling me-"
She put up her rosy lips and met the
kisses he gave her very much as if she
felt it duty she owed him; then, break
ing away from the arms that you'd
iain have held her little longer, she
hurried up the path to the house.
John Martins face saddenpd slightly,
and his bright. earnest Eyes cluudpd.
He could not help wishing that she felt
a little IIore keenly this separation.
lie had been engaged to her Just one
mouth, and he was going to be absent
until December, and it was the first Dt
May now. Surely she ought to feel
very sad at the Thought OF such a par
ting. For himself, he could hardly
bear the thought OF it..
Stroug in truth and integrity reliable,
fixed rs the hills in his principles OF
right and wrong, swayPd Ivy no idle
fancies, he had loved Maggie Wilmer
ever since lie could remember. She
was barely twenty he was thlrty-two.
A dreadtullv old man, some Of my six.
teen -years-Oid lady readers will eX-
claim. No, my dears ; he was younger
than many of our brainless beauX are
at twenty, for he had not frittered
away the energies Of mind and body in
idle dissipation he Lad led that calm,
quiet, honorable life which leaves men
young at three score, BY prudence
and economy he had got together very
comfortable propgty-got it honestly,
too which Is more than can be said of
the way in which most men make for
tunes.
Maggie had consented to share life
with him, though shh could not herself
have told what Influenced her Aunt
Anna wished it exceedingly, and was
more jubilant over the engagement
then either of the parties concerned.
She was woman of discrimination,
ana she should feel pride in speaking Of
" My nephew, John Martin" before
many years were past. And, besides,
she ielt that John would be a sort of
balance wheel for MaggIe's unsettled
purposes in life.
Maggie, though she tried hard 20 keep
it to herself, was very far from being
satisfied. She vas just as that stage of
existence when one does not know what
one wants. She had read hosts of To.
mances, and the heroes were always
dark, acknowledgement men, with com
pleXions strongly suggestive of dyspep-
sia, ard locks " black as the ravens
wing" Moreover, they always man
aged to rescue the heroine from some
dreadful danger-iuyariably appearing
upon the scene at just the critical mo-
ment, and never failing in the attempt,
no matter how desperate it was.
John Martin had light, brown hair
and blue eyes and fair skin, and he had
never saved Maggie from any danger
more than wet feet by carrying her
across some mud-hOle, in all his life.
So that you may readily see that he
was no hero, and Maggie did so long to
meet real hero, If John Martin had
known anything of the condition of her
mind, and If he had grain Of sense
but men in love at his age never have
he would have gone of and left her
to herself until she found out her own
heart, but instead Of that he pressed his
SUIT with ador, and bound her with a
promise.
Now he was going to western city
on business engagement which would
occupy him until December, and at
Christmas they we're to be married.
Maggie went into the house, after
paIting with John, full of a vague sense
of relief, though entering conscious