Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-08-14
Aunt Maggie's Story.

Yes; what your grandfather came to tell
me, lassie, was that Paul Cardell was dead.
He was just S5. He'd lost sight and hear
ing both, they say, and was glad to go. It's
not so bad with me but l wouldn't mind
going too. 1t stirred my memory to hear
of PauPs death. I've loved many in my
life, but never any one as / did him. All !!
I'm not ashamed of it, lasSie, if am an old
maid. be was Just lovely.
We met often, and for while thought
he liked me pretty we'll But soon began
TO think Il was mistaken. 1t makes a girl
tremble to think that she may show man
who does not love her that she likes him
over well. All that she can do is to wait.
All lassie, many time the waiting is a
weary thing, and the right one doesn't
come, and the wrong one does, and even
the wrong one seems better than none at
all. / don't blame women for things that
seem wrong often; they haven't much
chance to do right. 1t seems to me that
Paul was my right one; but he didn't court
me, and | could not court him. And James
Reeder, being a man, could do as he chose,
and did. He loved me, and loved Paul
Cardell- God help us all. l think if we
women had no hearts the world would be a
merrier place, lassie.
/ put James Reeder off a while, and Just
kept my eye on Paul. did not love him,
and did love Paul. Why couldn't love
the man that loved mel
Then said l to myself, 'FBe a sensible
woman. It's better to marry man who is
fond of you, if he doesn't seem perfection,
than to waste your youth and your strength
and your hope pining for one you are moth
ing TO" It's prettier in poem TO do the last,
but wasn't so very young or so very beau
tiful that the whole world wanted me-
guessed what life would be when l was a
lonely old maid, handed about like a bad
penny from Cousin Jacks to Uncle Ben's,
and from Sister Hannahs to Sister James
Not much wanted anywhere. Better try
to make a man who loved me happy, and
so learn to love him. They say ''Iove
comes with the children" some who have
tried it.
/ thought it all over before went to bed
one night, and made up my mind that
James Reeder should have ''yes'' when
he asked for it. Then cried-oh how I
cried, lassie. ''Oh, must l give you up,
Paul Z" said I ''and oh, must give you
up 2" and knew I'd never had him to give
up or to keep.
The girls envied me my handsome, dash
ing beau. But often, walking with him,
or rlding with him, I'd pass Paul Cardell in
his shabby coat, and say to myself, "Oh,
to be man-just to be man, and 60 a
counting whom | chsose, instead of taking
what comes, as though matrimony were
like the grab bag at church fair"
didn't want money, nor such beauty as
James Reeder had so much of. / wanted
well, lassie, wanted Paul, and no one
else; though why he was perfection to me,
heaven only knows, do not, and never
will.
What seemed great deal to me isn't
much to tell. There were picnic parties
where met Paul, but where he let James
carry me off when he pleased, and never
tried to step between us.
At last Kitty Walsingham married, and
they gave her great wedding party. They
were rich, and did it in fine style. They
had fine house and fine furniture, and
silver and china, such as no one else had
thereabout. And it was an all-day party.
The wedding first, then breakfast and DIM
ner. and dance and supper, of course.
was bridesmaid, and Paul stood up with
me. After that, you know, it was his
place to be my beau all day. / thought of
that and more. A word from him and I'd
give James Reeder the mitten. A word
look even. @s -
= When I walked into church on his arm
kept thinking how it would seem 10 be the
bride L looked prettier than she--I know
1 did | was dark, and white became me.
T. I had roses in my hair and pearls in my
ears / did look pretty, lassie. You're not
SO pretty, vain as you are 1tsiaH gone at
eighty-all gone-all gone What do we
live to be eighty for Lord forgive me
and Paul saI
DO you love any man, lassie Just
think, then, how that man looks to you.
You can't see his faults, or they grow to be
beauties. Don't they say Love is blind
think he has sharper eyes than any one else,
and finds out charms no other can. Oh,
my beautiful Paul. And brother Dick told
me last night how very plain he was; and
there sat with. my blood boiling-yes,
boiling, lassie. My beautiful Paul plain
my exquisite, graceful, sweet-faced Paul
plainl And rocked and .fidgeted. And
says Dick, 'fYou are nervous tonight.
Maggie. hope you amt getting the
rheumatism 2" And was | not old fool
enough to tell him was angry, and why
You didn't look away to laugh, lassie ?