The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-06-07
HAPPY AT LAST.

- do wish, Marguerite you'd listen % com
mon sense, said Mrs. Dale
Mrs. Dale was sitting hy = table opposite O.
s roSe-twined window, whence lovely Summer
landS,ar,V stretched itself away green
tiny river, and clusters ot woods seeming o.
lean against the SAy.
She was = widow who had not vet lost All the
fair rounded outlines ~ her girlish beauty. or
the luxuriAnt auburn eralds Of her Yet un-
SilVered halr.
And Marguerite, her lovely daughter. sat on
the other side ~ the table, the slanting sun
liSht touching her golden trrsSes, and her dAr-
Ellng complexion seemed plsrer snd nV-v Ike
3 newly hloSSomcd sweet pea than ever, by oou-
trsst NTH her hight drrss.
"WsN, mamma, Marguerite Dale spoke
almost rcaAlessly, what would YOU have me
do"
Mr. N,otte has proposed 70 yoag'
Yes"
Ma~guerites hand iuyoluntar7lv closed over
the open letter lying in her lap, while She
turned her face suddenly away. IS II the glow
Of the noon sunlight hurt her ewes.
And you actually intend 20 refuse him q
persisted Mrs. Dale.
Marguerite shud3erod slightly.
Then rising, she crossed 20 her mothers side,
and placing her hand On the back Of her chair
looked down INTO the upturned face.
"Mansms, would Won. have me marry 3 man
whom l do uog love
NV dear, nv deAr. reasoned the mother.
" this ljtN OF love Is purely visionary. True
happiness is founded solely on esteem
Mamma, that's nonsense
Marguerite.
well. uAmms, it is. And am not going
70 barier sway the so.d Of nv heart for any
such dry leaves of theory. / love enc man
oaly-znd that is Geonryy Rossmorg. And /
viii never marry auVOne else.
But Marguerite, dear Mrs Dale WAS
half frightened by the v5hemeDcs 81 her
daughters manner Geoaryy Eossmore i
dead"
=. How do know that he is deada The ship
was loSt-but there have been many instances
IN which one or two. or even half dozen per.
sons. have survived 4 worse shipNrcck than
that. And l kuow-oh. mamma I feel il in
nv soul that he Is not dead. Ny heart would
not beat uow were there not al answering
throb % il somewhere IN this wide world
Then where Is he How do ven s.,, .lt
for this long and unhroken silence on his lAltg7
demanded Mrs. Dale.
tru@
Marguerite, pleaded her mother. e lie has
forgotten you. even Il he Is stln alive. Give
HIM up. Prove your wumAnly pride and splrit.
But Marguerite resolutely shook her head.
Ny daughter. went on Mrs. Dale Mr.
Alcotte is your uncle's friend. One reason of
my coming u your uncle house this summer
" was 70 aford you this golden opportunity.
Here Il lies 2t your feet-wrAlth. ease 4 lux
uriant home for your mother, as vel zs your-
self
M2mraa. would rather go out working bv
the day, interrupted Marguerite.
"Work. then. ungrateful girl 81 burst ont
Mrs. Dale. angrily. For certainly shall no
longer T, main s pensiouer on Colonel Dale's
bounty. since You have econtemptuOusly spurnod
his best friend from YOU. gw-scrub-teach-
whatever suits vou best Something II is ne.,es-
sSry for you 10 do. and that quickly"
Marguerite retired. pale and SILENT and went
to her ulClt.s room.
Colonel Dale was beniing absorbedly over
some letters-he looked up with = start as
Marguerite entered.
well. Peggy. he said, caresSinglv for his
pretty niece was rather s fsyOrite with him.
"haye You come 10 tell me you VIII Be Fernando
Alcotte's wifey"
NO, uncle, answered Marguerite. firmly.
"Why not 2" demanded the old man.
Il DO not love him"
.'Wen. said Colonel Dale, intentIy watch
ing her. and why don't you love him? Are
YOU still thinking Of that ne er-do-well GeofFrey
RossmOre, who was shipwrecked SIX months
agoY
gusrite, i am still thinking Of him. / am
his afhanced wife, and VII be faithful 20 him
As long As I live
Then you are afool. slowly uttered Colonel
Dale. savage frown knitting his brows.
"Uncle," went on Marguerite, unheeding
his last remark, &c VII you help me 10 get
situation 2
NO. thundered the irate man. ~ won't r.
That was the end, o. course, OF their easy
going life At Lakewood Place
Mrs Dale and Marguerite went into cheap
lodgings.
Mrs. Dale spent her time, Ike Niobe, all
tears
Marguerite toiled from place to place in
search OF any work which might keep starvz-
ton from their door.
And in the midst Of all this Mr.. Alcotte re-
newed his offer.
Mrs. Dale frightened visibly
Oh, Marguerite, You never VIII refuse him
& second time e
Mamma, said Marguerite. Il have not
charged my mind in any respect. / would
rather st2rye than eel myself for gold r.
Very vel, said Mrs. Dale setting her
teeth together. II have endured the couse-
quences Of your capr.ces long enough. I VIII
60 back 10 Lakewood. Your uncle offers me q
home.
Good, said Uncle Dale, when the mother
arrived at Lakewood There's nothing lie
extreme measures. She can't hold out long
now We shall have her back here eating
humble pie IN less than a month
But there was more resource aud resolution
in Marguerite's character than either hermoth-
er or her uncle gave her credit for
One morning she was asked by gentleman
if she would accept situation.
=. Give me something to do. said she. de-
spairingly % don't care what il is"
viii you 90 abroad a. companion to crazy
lady Z! dubi0usly inquired the other Good
salary, but troublesome place. The lady's
mother goes with her. too, but w.
= Yes. said Marguerite. " vii go
Mrs Gerard knew nothing about travelling
Miss Gerard was possessed with q general idea |
that regiment Of soldiers WAS following her to ]
shoot her down-and between them both our
little heroine had hut a sorry time Of it.
But she perseyered, smiling and resolute. a.
If her heart were not growing faint within her. Z
1t was the day appointed FOR the sailing OF
the vessel. and the three ladies had come on I
board--Mrs. Gerard nervous and iurried. Mis-.
Gerard perpetually watching an opportunity To- I
escape the vigilance Of her guardians. and Mar I
guerite worn and wearied with the cares Of I
packing.
Here's mistake cried out Mrs. Gerard. Z
" thought We had engaged No. IA"
SO We did" said Marguerite.
And here's the officer SAYS No. IA was taken I
month ago, and there's some mistake. and we |
shall have to 90 in dark, stuffy little hole un-
der the wheel. Oh, dear oh, dear e.
- am sorry, lnaam, said the officer, but /
1t Is the only stateroOm left. Perhaps, how /
ever, the gentleman who has engaged No. IA /
3
Dear Marguerite do ask him" said Miss
Gerard, bursting into feeble tears
Marguerite hesitated.
1t was not a pleasant mission, but there
seemed no alternative
Conducted by the stewardess she knocked at
the door of No. Il, one Of the best cabins on
board.
"If you please, sir, said the voluble woman.
there's three ladies az supposed they were TO
have IA, and there's only 0 left as there's no
ventilation and only two single berths, and If
you wouldn't mind changing -
The state-room door opened.
A tall figure darkened its e1panse, and Mar I
guerite dropped her travelling shawl with low !
cry.
"Geofrrey oh, Geoffrey !"
Marguerite. is il possible that this is youY /
Yes" said Marguerite, recalling herself in
stantly. Il am going to Italy"
His face blanched.
hard, strained look came into all the fea-
lures.
son your wedding tour I suppose?" said |
he. " l have heard Of Mr.. Alcotte's devotion"
"No, answered Marguerite, quietly; "as
companion TO two ladies' / am earning my own /
living now, Geoffrey. Uncle has turned me out |
of doors, and even mamma has left me-"
"Why 2"
The word escaped like futtering bird from
between his closed lips.
because I have refused to marry Mr.. Al
cote. Because ] was true to the man who, it
seems, has forgotten me"
"Never, Marguerite !" he cried. MY treas
ure my love, listen, and you yourself will con-
fess that I am guiltless Of blame"
And then, still standing in the state-room
door. Geoffrey Rossmore told her Of his ship
wreck and of the long fever that ensued and
bis slow homeward progress,