Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-08-14


but it made me happy. ! had not been SO
happy for months
After we came kome from church there
was the brealdast-and he beside me all
the while aud then we sll went into the
garden. We SAB under great tree apart
frot1 the rest, and an sudden he looked
me straight IN the eyes. "Miss Maggie"
he said, do you think -q'C But before
| knew what he wanted to know if l
thought, some one came all in a hurry up
the path and stopped beside me. II was
James Reeder.
'sHere you are, said he, paul Cardell,
Mrs. Walsingham wants you to drive
Grandma Thompson over home She isn't
over well, and wants to go. I'll take care
of Miss Maggie meanwhile.
Paul got up. He. gave me look |
couldn't understand, and after he had gone
dozen steps he came back and offered me
his hand. Goodbye, Miss Maggie" he
said, and heard his breath come short and
fast; Goodbye and away he went.
And and James Reeder were left alone.
II happened exactly as I knew it would.
He asked me to be his wife before we had
been together half an hour, ,anliI said
ayes ~ @ @1'N-sE H-O S,GA
Oh; now don't, lassie. It's all against
the women in this world. 1t always will
be. Let the strong minded bodies do what
they may. You can't alter the hearts we
are born with, We are bought and sold a
good dealas Turkish girls are, after all.
There is kind of cold, pretty doll that is
happy enough, but women. who have hearts
suGfer-suffer at eighteen and eighty. Don't
l know I've been both. c1
And now Isaid to myself 81 will be
content. I've made my own choice" |
knew hadn't all the while. 81 am to,
marry the richest man | know, and one
they all call handsome. Madly in love
with me too. What more do want r.
1t wouldn't do | hid the fox in my
bosom, but it gnawed me all the while.
t'The sooner it is over the better, " said
land as if that was the way to have it over,
let James coax me to set the day very
soon-six weeks from that of our engage
ment.
There was busy time at our house, you
may guess. All my things to make in a
hurry. l couldn't sit down to sew Twas
like one wild In sort of fever all the
time. They teased me. SIN love-" they
said. So was, lassie, but not with James
Reeder. So one day mother said to me
t'You are the only idle one, Maggie, run
over to Mrs Walsingham's and borrow the
pattern of Kitty's travelling basque. 1t will
just fit you, and want yours to be like it.
| went, of course, and got the pattern of
Mrs. Walsingham. She was merry soul,
and she would tease me. No one knew
why blushed 80. II wasn't for the reason
they thought. We stood talking, and she
a teasing, until all of a sudden she said /:
''And James isn't jealous any more, |
hope2"
s.Jealous!' - said l.
''Oh, he was wild the day our Kitty was
married, said she, wild with jealousy of
Paul Cardell. He told me all about it,
They are paired off together, said he, and
with girl it is the first who asks her Paul
is as much in love as |, and you have lost
her to me- So Granny and set our wits
to work to help him: And we. sent for
Paul, as you know, and gave Jem his
chance. Now say thank you, Maggie, as
he did"
But couldn't. took the pattern, and
ran away. l ran until came to the bridge,
and then stopped, looking down into the
water. "No, no, | kept saying to my
about me. gave him chance enough to
speak, and he did not" And while l said
it l heard a step upon the bridge. Hooked
around-it was Paul Cardell. 1 couldn't
move. stood still and he came up to me.
| had not seen him before since Kitty's
wedding party, when he came to say
goodbye
He held out his hand. GLOW do you do,
Miss Maggie9" said he
/ didn't speak, only bowed.
"You are to be married very soon,
hear" he said.
''They say so" answered.
81 hope you may be very happy, he
said. ''James Reeder is splendid fellow,
and as rich as he is handsome" And he
caught his breath in little sigh. ''God
bless you, Maggie"
He had never called me Maggie before
He had never looked as he did then
tried to thank him, but l didn't know
what | said. Suddenly he took both my
hands.
''I'd like you to know it. / was very
fond of you, Maggie II loved you, my
dear If James hadn't called me when he
did that day, should have told you so,
and had my No, from you. I always felt
afraid you liked James best. No wonder.
It's better for you-altogether better. Only, 4
quite as past thing, Pm glad you know
how l loved you. Better than my life,
Maggie. I'm not going to pine to death,
or make an idiot of myself. | shalfmarry.
Lucy Swallow has promised to be my wife.
She would not care for such love as | have
not now to give; and she's very good, and
pretty, and she shall be happy. God bless
you, and goodbye" {"
lie took my hand and put it to his lips
and went.
Only for what he had said to Lucy Swal
low, I'd have called him back, But if
they were to be married, better let matters
stand as they were. held myself up by
the bridge rail until he was out of sight
then l dropped, like one dead.
did not marry on the day set for me,
for was i'll of fever then and not ex-
pected to live; and afterward | knew my
heart too well. could not forgive James
for cutting short the words that would have
made Paul and me happy for life, and
told him plainly that | never could love
him.
But Paul and Lucy Swallow married,
and she lived thirty years with hinl-thirtY
long years What happy woman to live
thirty years with Paul Cardell
never married-never, as you know.
And James Reeder never did, either.
When he was sixty he told brother Dick
there never had been but one woman in the