The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-02-14


We have nearly lived our day
But little Mary and Harry. and Will
Wife. what will the children say?"
q The children are sleeping: we'll tell them not
All, John, what JOY for them,
To wake in the land that is very far off,
In the new Jerusalem!
When they feel its bliss, and the Lord himself
Shall wipe all their tears away
When they walk with the angels and see the
John! s0Iat tciH the children says''
-Harpers Weekly.
A LOVERS MISTAKE.
John Lorrimer believed it a sad day
for himself when Mr.. Strathley came to
Ford to look after the mill, which had
lately fallen into the hands of Strathley
& Stone, lumber merchants of the me-
tropolis, hundred miles away. Why
had Mr.. Strathley chosen to immune
himself in that little country village,
whose society was naturally unconge-
NAL to man of the worldp Why, il
it were not because he had seen Mar
garet on his first visit to look after
the purchase of the mill, and had
dined at her grandfather's as if he
were an old friend, John reasoned?
Were there not women as fair in his
own world whom he could love and
win, that he need go out of his way to
rob another man? Could he not have
sent an agent to reside at Ford, and at
tend to the firms business, in that old
fashioned corner of the earth, if mon
ey-making were the only attraction?
What malign fate had caused him to
Tot, 20 Il.
was ever known to stay moment
longer than circumstances obliged
him? 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
1t was bitter season for Lorrimer,
who, having been sweet upon Margaret
ever since he was boy in jackets, felt
as if he had established claim upon
her affections, and was aggrieved to
find her amused by walking
with him in season and out of season;
sitting in the farmhouse porch in con
fidential converse, or singing from the
same old psalter on Sunday evenings.
1t was surely enough to enrage any low
er, and especially one who felt so Ger
tain of his case that he had DELAYED
about riveting the chains, and had
taken everything for granted before
putting the question.
Lorrimer began to study his mirror
for the first time in his life; to become
enamored of fine clothes; to suspect
himself of awkwardness and ignorance
1t suddenly occurred to him that he
must have been blind ever to have be-
lieved that Margaret would care for
him, though he had thought that ac-
tions spoke louder than words; though
he had taken her part at school, when
the others twitted her about her shah
by gowns and her wild brother Ben,
who had brought his grandfather 5
nose to the grindstone-the country
people said-and obliged him to mort
gage the farm and this same mill, which
had been his own years ago, in order to
pay gambling debts.
land served him right they grum-
bled, not satisfied with the retribution
Providence had seen fit to administer,
"served him right for educating Ben be-
yond his betters, til he was that proud
ne looked down on his own kith and kin
and ran away to sea, where all the
scamps go, when there amt no more
money to make away with. And it
want no great loss, neither" they de-
clared, "when he went down with all
fands on board, off the coast some-
where, and nobody left to give the par
ticklers; though he's gone to his ac-
count. and we don't hev no wish to dis
parage the dead"
Ali at once Lorrimer began to look at
himself as if he were somebody else,
and the view failed to satisfy his soul
Crossing the brook that flowed through
the meadow, one evening, he met Mar
garet alone.
"Well met" said she, gayly, show
ing him handful of water-lillies.
"See. fished these out of the bottom
less pond, in an old leaky wherry that
was rotting on the shore. Will you have
somep''
Why didn't you ask me to get them
for you, Margaret? You might have
been at the bottom of the pond by this
time"
1T is bottomless. you know
"Why didn't you ask Mr.. Strathley
to get them for youp" he added, as an
afterthought.
The sudden color Redeemed upon Mar
garet's cheek.
"Mr. Strathley has something else to
do.''
"But l have nothing else to do that
should like half as well, Margaret-we
used to be such friends-I used to think
but no matter what-you find Strath-
ley more to your mind, no doubt. L
don't blame you, only we were such old
friendsr'
There was look of trouble growing
in Margaret's eyes. ave are friends
still, hope" she said
"Are we? That fellow with his fine
airs and bold eyes has bewitched you;
we were happy enough before he came.
Do you know what they say in the vii
lager"
q do not care what they saw she
replied, with growing color and tear
in her eyes that belied her words.
"What right have you to speak of me?
Why do you listen, you who pretend to
be my friend?'
Pretend That's an honest word
between you and me! listen because
I'm not deaf. If Strathley had your
good at heart
"Take care, John, don't say. any
thing against Mr. Strathley. You
might be sorry for it some day. He is
he knew my poor Brother Ben-at
school, or somewhere. It does us good
to hear him talk of Ben!' 1t was hard
for Margaret to dissemble, and she did
it with poor grace.
Blessings brighten as they take
their flight, " thought Lorrimer; !" knew
your Brother Ben, did he? and your
grandfather listensP'' The time had
been when Ben's name had been for
hidden, and the old farmer had sworn
that Ben's shadow should never darken
his DOOR
People ought to be careful how they
speak OF their own flesh and blood,
groaned the neighbors when the Arc
turus was cast away, and the last chance
of forgiving Ben with it. But though
Grandfather Bevis had aged since then,
had begun to have 3 halt in his step and
q stoop in his shoulders, and to grow a
fresh crop of wrinkles. yet even grim
Death had failed to obliterate BeD's
misdeeds-their impoverished condi-
ton was q constant reminder. Mr..
Bevis saw his more fortunate neighbors
enjoying the fruits of lands he had
cleared with the horny hand OF toll Sit
ting down to bounte0usly supplied
tables. with good balance in the bank