The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-12-27
MAGGIE.
A Pleasant Love Story.

A Pleasant Love Story.
Il have got some news for you, Mag
gie," he said one day, about eighteen
months after he gained his commission.
"Guess what it is"
They were walking along the green
lanes of Perlock, listening to the cease
less murmur of the sea, as, at intervals,
they had walked and listened ever since
they could remember, at any rate, for
she was six years younger than her
former play-fellow.
"You are going to be promoted" she
said.
Promoted, you little goosei No one
ever gets promoted in the British army.
Guess again"
"You are going to marry an heiress."
There was 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. I'm ordered to
China"
"Oh, Alic" she gaspea, and burst
into tears. It was very foolish of her,
but then she was only 16, and had not
yet acquired the praiseworthy art of
concealing her feelings.
Why, whatever are you crying for?"
he asked, and kissed away her tears.
He'd kissed her ever since she was 5,
and thought no more of it than if she
had been his sister, or the cat, except
ing, perhaps, that it was nicer-which
it was, no doubt. Il shall only be away
five years at most, and when I come
back III bring you pig-tail and an
ivory tooth-pick, and whole lot of
things, and
"Yes?" she said, listening atten-
lively.
"But then you'll be a young woman
I forgot-and out and all that sort
Of thing, and won't condescend to
speak to poor Lieutenant; you will
have all the squires and fox-hunters
about the place at your feet"
"Oh, no! indeed 1 shan't, Alic," she
said, eagerly.
"But tell you, you will. I believe
you are bern little firt, and shall
come back and find"
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 mourn
full blue eyes, he was merciful.
Il believe I shall come back and find
you just as great little darling as you
are now, and, if we've got any money,
wen get married and live happy ever
after, and if we haven't we'll get mar
ned and starve ever after-unless, Of
course, the heiress turns up"
@Oh, hope she won'tl" said Maggie,
Like truthful little idiot. "Shan you
ever write to me, Alic, dear?"
Eyes, of course I shall, and I shall
expect you to write back six pages
crossed, and all that sort of thing, you
know"
So Alic Granger went to China, and
Maggie waited hopefully enough for
letter, but SIX months passed away and
none came. Perhaps it takes longer
for letter to get here from China" she
thought, knowing as little about the
means oftransit and the time it took as if
the celestial 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 Chinese heiress
had turned up, and that was the real
reason of Alic's silence. "Two years
passed. and never word. It's too bad"
she said, bitterly, and wondered ruefully
if he had married with a pig-tail. And
the days and the months went by, and
Maggie journeyed into womanhood,
but no word or sign came from Alic
Granger, and at length she gave him up
altohether.
Maggie was 20 years old when her
father died, and the creditors did
pounce down, and she and her mother
we're sold out. Drs. Dunlop was offered
home in London by sister who was
well off and bad-tempere1, and it was
thankfully accepted. Maggie was in
formed that she must get her own liv.
ing, which, being precisely Maggie's
own opinion as well as intention, she
advertised for situation as governess.
Now, Maggie had very modest idea of
her own merits, and therefore only
asked EOS year and comfortable
home, SO no less than five answers came
to her announcement that she could
teach English, French, music and the
rudiments of drawing.
One of these answers came from
Woolwich, and stated that Mrs. Mar
shall required governess for her three
little girls. Mrs. Marshall was stiff
necked sort of q woman, and stared at
poor little Maggie-who looked almost