Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-06-02
WITHOUT A PIGTAIL.
The Story of a Pleasant Love.
CHAPTER l.

CHAPTER |.
al have got some news for YOU, Maggie. >
he said, one day, about eighteen months after
he had gained his commission. "Guess what
it is"
They were walking along the green lanes OF
Porlock listening to the ceaseess mmmur of
the sea- as at intervals they had walked and
lis ened ever since they could remember, or
ever since Maggie could remember, at any rate,
for she was six years younger than her former
playfellow.
q You are going to be promoted, - she said.
Promoted, you little goose! No one ever
gets promoted in the British army. Guess
again"
"Youare going to marry an heiress."
There was a lump in her throat as she
said it.
"Wrong again. No inestimable young per-
son with green eyes, turn-up nose, suscepti-
BILE heart, and fifty thousand ayear, has turned
up yet. But it's something nearly as good.
I'm ordered to China ~
"Oh Alic she gasped, and burst into tears
1t was very foolish of her, but then she was
only sixteen, and had not yet acquired the
praiseworthy art of concealing her feelings.
"Why, whatever are you crying for? p he
asked, and kissed away her tears. He'd kissed
her ever since she was five, and thought no
more of it than if she had been his sister, or
tie cat, excepting perhaps that it was nicer
which it was no doubt. 81 shall only be
away five years at most and when come back
I'll bring you pigtail and an ivory toothpick,
and whole lot of things, and
Yes ?" she said, listening attentively.
'But then you'll be young woman-I for
got-and out, and all that sort of thing, and
won't condescend to speak to a poor lieuten-
ant you will have all the squires and fox
hunters about the place at your feet"
"Oh, no. indeed l shant, Alic," she said,
eagerly.
. But 1 tell you, you will. 1 believe you are
born little tirt, and 1 shall come back and
find YOU
But she burst into tears again, and put up
her pretty little hand as if to stop his teasing,
which she could not bear just then. 1t seemed
SO cruel of him to laugh and joke when he was
going away for five years. He did not seem to
care bit, and she could have broken her heart
on the spot, and would have gladly done so,
and thrown the pieces away so as never to be
bothered with it again. Then, seeing her
mournful blue eyes, he was merciful.
81 believe | shall come back and find you
? just as great little darling as you are now
and if we have got any money well get married
and live happy ever after, and if we haven't
we'll get married and starve ever after-unless,
of course, the heiress turns up
"Oh l hope she won't ~ SAID Maggie, like a
truthful little IDIOT "Shall you ever write to
me, AGc, dear?
Yes, of course I shall, and 1 shall expect
you to write back six pages crossed, and all
that sort of thing, you know"
So Alc Granger went to China, and Maggie
waited hopefully enough for letter, but six
months passed and none came. "Ferhaps it
takes longer for letter to get here from China, -
she thought, knowing as little about the means
of transit and the time it took as if the Celes-
tial city had been in the moon. But year
passed and no letter came.
Perhaps he's ill, or it's miscarried," she
said tearfully, half wondering if it could be
possible that a Chinese heiress had turned up,
and that was the real reason of Alic's silence
Two years passed, and nevera word. "It's too
bad," she said bitterly, and wondered ruefully
if he really had married wife with pigtail
And the days and the months went by, and
Maggie journeyed on into womanhood, but no
word or sign came from Alic Granger, and at
last she gave him up altogether.