The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-05
A LOVERS MISTAKE.

John Lorrimer believed it 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 immure
himself in that little country village,
whose society was naturally uncongenial
to man of the world2 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 grand
fathers as if he were an old friend ?
John reasoned. Were not women as
fair in his own world whom he could
love and win, that he need 60 out of his
way to rob another man? Gould he
not have sent an agent to reside at Ford,
and attend to the firms business, in
that eld-fashioned corner of the earth,
if money-making were the only attrac-
ton? What maglign fate had caused
him to gravitate to Ford, where no
stranger was ever known to stay a mo-
ment longer than circumstances obliged
him? With his fine manner and fine
clothes, with his palaver about all things
in heaven and earth; his handsome face
and figure, was 1t not hiding his light
under bushel? What could he find in
Ford to interest him if it were not
Margaret?
It 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 Strathley-walking with him
in season and out OF season; sitting in
the farmhouse porch in confidential
converse, or singing from the same old
psalter on Sunday evenings. 1t was
surely enough to enrage any lover, and
especially one who felt 80 certain 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.
It 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 shabby
gowns and her wild brother Ben, who
had brought his grandfather's nose to the
grindstone-the country people said
and obliged him IN mortgage the farm
and this same mill, which had been his
own years ago, in order to pay gambling
debts.
"And served him right" they grum-
blcd, not satisfied with the retribution
Providence had seen fit to administer
"served him right for educating Ben be-
yond his betters, till he was that proud
The looked down on his own kith and kin
and ran away to sea, where all the scamps
20, when there amt no more money
to make way with. And it want no
great loss, neither" they declared,
"when he went down with all hands on
board, off the coast somewhere, and no.
body left to give the particklers
though he's gone to his account, and
We don't hev no wish to disparage the
dead"
All 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 fowe through
the meadow, one evening, he met Mar
garet alone.
"Well met" said she, gaily, show.
| ing him handful of water-lilies. "See
! I ished these out of the bottomless
poud, in an old. leaky wherry that was
rotting on the shore. Will you have
some?"
"Why didn't you ask noe to get them
flor you, Margaret? You might have
been at the bottom of the pond by this
time"
cit is bottomless, you know"
"Why didn't you ask Mr.. Strathley
Z to get them for your" he added, as ar
after thought"
The sudden color Redeemed upon Mar
garet's cheek.
d."
"But I have nothing else to do that
should like half as well, Margaret-wt
used to be such friends-I used to thinl
no matter what-you find Strath
Baey more to your mind, no doubt. ]
don't blame you, only we were such ole
+ ffriendsl"
There was a look OF trouble CROWNS
In Maraaret's eyes. "We are friendl
btil, hope" she said.
"Are we2 ThaA fellow with his fin