West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-09-14
WITHOUT A PIGTAU.

When I'm man YOU shall have a
proper horse, and not n thing like this. -
he said grandly.
Perhaps we shan't play together
then, though" she answered.
Oh, yes, we shallp' he said thought
fully. " You know" he added patroniz-
lngly marry you that is, if you are
pretty, and can spin peg-top, and don't
mind jumping ditch, nor do stupid
things that are of no use at all"
Perhaps shan't want you to marry
me" she replied scorRfully. 81 should
like To marry a soldier"
shall be a soldier, and YOU are sure
TO want me to marry you" he said
with decision, and she believed him. and
from that day forth she considered the
matter settled. And when many wear
later he told her, laughinglv. that NE
was only poor soldier, and must marry
an heiress or remain on foreign service
all his life, she was not very uneasy. for
she felt sure that then he was only
joking.
They had many walk and talk to-
gether before the first spell of foreign
service came. Alic Granger's uncle
lived next door to Maggie Dunlop's
parents, aud as her father was an in
valid, and her mother was wholly en-
crossed in attending upon him, the
golngs-out and comings-in of that young
lady were not subject to the amount of
attention they might otherwise havere-
celved. The consequence was that when
Alic Granger came to Porlock to visit his
remarkably well-oh uncle, he beguiled
his time by talking with pretty Maggie
Dunlop, until healso beguiled her heart
away
have'got some news for YOU, Mag
gle" he said, one day about eighteen
months after he had gained his com
mission. Guess what it Is"
90 You are going to be promoted" she
said.
Promoted, you little goosei No one
ever gets promoted in the army. Guess
again"
You are going to marry an heiress -
there was q lump in her throat as she
said it.
Wrong again; no inestimable young
person with green eyes, a turn up nose.
susceptible heart, and fifty thousand a
year, has turned up yet. But it's some
thing nearly as good. Pm ordered to
Ghina"
"Oh, Alicw she gasped, and barst
into tears. 1t was very foolish of her.
but then she was only sixteen, and had
not yet acquired the praisewOrthy artof
concealing her feelings. "
Why, what are you crying for?'' he
asked, and kissed away her tears. "I
shall only be away FIVE years at most,
and when come back III bring you n
Pigtail and an ivory toothpicky and a
whole lot OF things, and"
9 Yes ?" she said, listening attentvely.
But then you'll be young woman
i forgot-7and out and all that sort
of thing, and wont eondescend to speak
to poor lieutenant; you will have all
the ,squires about the place at your
''.Oh no, indeed shan't, Alec" she
said eagerly.
But tell you, you will. + believe
you are born little hirt, and I shall
come back and find you" Then
seeingher moumful blue eyes, he was
merciful. "I believe shall come back
and find you as great little darling as
you are now, and if we have got any
money We'll get married and live happy
ever after, and if we haven't well get
married and starve ever after-unless. of
course, the heiress turns up"
Oh, hope she won'tW said Maggie.
like a truthful little idiot. Shall you
ever write 10 me, Alic, dear?"
Yes, Of course / shall, and ! shall
expect you TO write back six pages
crossed, and all that sort of thing. Won
know. Poor Maggie, it'll ruin YOU i'm
postage stamps"
." don't care" she answered reck-
lessly.
so Alic Granger went to China. and
Maggie waited hopefully enough for a
letter, but six months passed and none
came. Then year passed and no letter
came
Perhaps he's IN, or it's miscarried >,
she said tearfully, half wondering II II
could be possible that a Chinese 6eiress
had turned up, and that was the real
reason of Alic's silence. Poor little
AZ last the brilliant thought struck
her That she'd write to Alie, and she did.
and thcn-fOr Maggie was getting Older
pride stepped in and would not let her
send her letter. Two years passed. and
never n word.
It's too bad, she said bitterly. and
wondered ruefully,if he really had mar.
ried wife with q pigtail And the
days and months went by, and Maggie
lournied ON into womanhood, but ma
word or sign came from Alic Granger
ana at last she gave him mp altogether
No..
maggie vas twenty years old when heI
lather died, and the creditors pounced
aoWn, and she and her mother we're sold
OUT and hil Porlock and ten mile,
round talked about them, for Porlocs
ana ten miles round loved it's scandal n.