Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-07-10
ALOyER,s MISTAKE.

day for himself when Mr.. Strathley
came to the Ford to look after the
mill. which had lately fallen into
the hands of Strathley q Stone,
lumber merchants of the metropolis
n hundred miles away. Why
had Mr.. Strathley chosen to i'm
mure himself in that little country
village, whose society was naturally
uucongenial to man Of the world
Why, if it were not because he had
seen Margaret on his first visit to
look after the purchase of the MILL
and had dined at her grandfather's,
rs if he we're, an old friend, John
reasoned! Were there not women
rs fair in his own world whom he
could love and win, that he need
go out of his way to rob another
MANI Could he not have sent an
agent to reside at Ford, anu attend
10 the firms business, in that old
fashioned corner of the earth, If
money-making were the only at
traction What malign fate had
caused him to gravitate to Ford,
where no stranger was ever known
to stay moment longer than cir
cumstauces obliged him9 With
his fine manner and fine clothes ;
his palaver about all things in
heaven and earth his handsome
face and figure, was it not hiding his
light under a bushel! What could
he find in Ford to interest him if
it were not Margaret!
II was a bitter season for Lori
mer, who having been sweet upon
Margaret ever since he was boy
in jackets, felt as if he had estab-
lished u claim upon her affections
and was aggrieved to find her
amused by Strathley-walking with
him in season and out of season ;
sitting in the farmhouse porch in
converse, or singing
from the same old psalter on Sun
day evenings. 1t was surely enough
to enrage any lover, and especially
one who felt so certain of his case
that he had delayed about riveting
the chains, and had taken every
thing for granted before putting
the question.
Lorrimer began to study his mir
ror for the first time in his life; to
become enamored of fine clothes I;
to suspect himself of awkardness
and ignorance. 1t suddenly oc-
CURED to him that he must be blind
ever to believe that Margaret
would care for him, though be had
thought that actions spoke louder
than words; though he had taken
her nart at school. when the others
twitted her about her shabby gowns
and her wild brother Ben, who had
brought his grandfather's nose to
the grindstoue-the country people
said-and obliged him to mortgage
this same mill, which had been
bis own years ago, in order to pay
debts.
And served him right" they
grumbled, not satisfied with the
retribution Providence bad seen
fit to administer, served him right
for educating Ben beyond his bet
tiers, til be was so proud he looked
down on his own kith and kin, and
ran away to sea, where all the
scamps go when there amt any
more money to make away with.
And it want no great loss NEITHER
they declared, "when he went
down with all hands on board, of
the coast somewhere, and nobody
Left to give the particulars; though
he's gone to his account, and we
don't hev no wish to disparage the
deed"
MI at once Lorrimer began tc
look at himself as if he were some
body else, and the view failed tC
satisfy his soul. Crossing the brook
that flowed through the meadow
one evening, he met Margaret alone
"Well met" she said gayly
showing him a handful of water
lilies. "See | fished these out o
the bottomless pond in an old leak,
wherry that was rotting on tn
shore. Will You have some"
"Why didn't you ask me to ge
them for you, Margaretp Yor
might have been at the bottom o
the pond by this time"
cit is bottomless, you know"
"Wby didn't you ask Mr.. Strath
ley TO get them for you 2" he added
as an afterthougbt.
"Mr. Strathley had somethin