The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-11-19
MARRIED FOR LOVE.

Locust Heights was one of the love
Hest homesteads in the county Of.
Its owner was wealthy, influential, and
considered man of honor and gentle,
generous, charitable gentleman. He
was about thirty years Of age and I'M
married, is fact well known to all the
anxious mothers with surplus of mar
riageable daughters on hand. But Gil
bert Pierson gave mothers and daugh-
tiers a wide berth, for he had no desire
to marry. When he found his ideal,
Locust Heights would have mistress
not before, he said, never thinking
that the woman that would open the
gates of paradise for him was even then
within sound of his voice.
mo, Jack" Gilbert Pierson was say
ing, in dreamy sort of way, Il have
never vet seen the woman | could make
my wife"
Jack Delaney laughed merrily, as he
mounted his horse to ride away. He
had been making a morning call at the
Heights, and, as usual, brought up the
question of his friends marriage, for
Jack was happy Benedict and anxious
to see his friend settled.
L
some day, and when you do meet her
let nothing stand in your way"
mo fear of that, Jack, replied Pier
son, who knew what his friend limited
at; "riches or poverty-it will be all
the same to me"
Jack rode off, and Gilbert Pierson
turned to retrace his steps to the house.
A handsome drive, cool and shaded, led
up to the mansion, whose vine-wreathed
porticos and long windows, around
which roses were trained with artistic
taste, were flooded with the bright
August sunshine and broad patches of
gold lay on the velvety lawn, where
few tame deer were lying. In one of
those same golden patches, and not ten
rods from where Pierson was longing,
stood a woman, her dark, beautiful
gypsy face upturned to the summer sky,
and a mass of black, satin-like hair fall
ing about her shoulders. Her dress
was some bright, cheap material, but
fitted her to perfection, and the hand
that clasped the rim of jaunty hat
was as brown as berry. She seemed
to be lost in deep thought, for her dark
eyes seemed to be drinking in the beau
tv of the scene around her. Gilbert
Pierson was struck with amazement.
He had never met her in the neighbor-
hood, and walked up to her with
puzzled expression ON his countenance.
''Can | do anything for you, Miss
-?" he said, as she turned to him
with a startled look on her bright face.
The voice that answered him was as
sweet and clear as silver bells.
Il have lost my way, sir. / wish to
get home--to Mrs. Patterson's if you
please"
ITO Mrs. Patterson's?" echoed Mr..
Pierson, as the blushing face crimsoned
still deeper beneath his ardent gaze.
'EWhy, you are a good two miles from
there"
ooh dear!" exclaimed the girl, with
weary sigh, ''then | won't have the
berries home in time for dinner" She
glanced down at the tin pale, standing
at her feet, and Pierson saw that it was
not half full of blackberries.
"Berry-seeking, ehl" smiled Pierson.
Il never knew that Mrs. Patterson own
ed such a charming daughter"
Daughter" she echoed with a merry
laugh; 81 am the bound girl-free in
one month. Mrs. Patterson's dainty
daughters do not wade through wet grass
and brambles after berries. But please
| tell me the shortest route home; Mrs.
Patterson viii be angry at my delay"
Mr. Pierson stepped aside and spoke
to a servant who was passing.
"Come, now" he says, laughingly,
''as you are a neighbor l must use you
neighborly While Seth is filling your
pail with fruit from my garden l will or
der lunch and see that you get home
in time for dinner"
"Oh, Mr.. PiersOn, you are too kind;
no one is ever kind to Marah Gray" she
saws with bright smile, although her
dark ewes are full of tears. And they
walk side by side up the cool avenue,
the young bound girl talking with the
grace and ease of thorough woman of
the world, and Gilbert Pierson stammer-
| ing bewildered answers in a manner to-
tally unlike his usual genial frankness.
But his momentary diffidenee soon van
.ished as they become better acquainted
over the delicate lunch the servants pro-
vided. He found, by a few cautious
questions, that Marah Gray was an or
phan, and very unhappy in the home Of
| Mrs. Patterson, who had two daugh-
| tiers of her own-vain, homely girls, who
envied the poor bound girl her beauty
and kept her in the background. He
found her intelligent, and was astonished
at the shrewdness of her remarks, while
his heart ached at her pathetic stories OF
| her child life.
s'What beautiful home," she said,
as they stood on the portico, & think
you must be happy"
She lifted her shy, dark eyes to the
grave, gentle face of the man before her.
The tender light of some newly-awakened
feeling was in their depths, and Gilbert
Persons heart gave great throb as he
thought of the possibility of having this
girls face always at his ireside.
81 am not 50 very happy. Riches do
not always bring happiness, you know,
| he said with smile
ssAh, / KNOW she replied; sssome
people have everything their heart de
sires but contentment. hope shall
never be among the number
yet YOU are not content" he says
vistfuIly.
ssNot very; but still am thankful
for the few blessings showered upon me,
one Of which il your kindness this morn
ing, she laughs Is she trips down the
steps and takes her seat II the Wagon
cite Seth Ind driven round,