The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-19
MARGERY,
A Ye,,ow-rever story OF To-Day.

re- what strange frcak OF mercury tns
humble home Of sturdy Deacon gray anu
his meek wife, among the berkshire n,,'s'
shonId have held such nesting as mar.
rery IL might have puzzled our Houeln
nh;iosonhers to discover, unless, perhaps,
IN srir;t ~ some beautiful ancestress,
h,,rnef, for witchcrait 10 old colonial days,
,sssda;fang successive pioddlng generations,
MI rlsnncared in her 10 veS the somewhat
icss rigid prophecies OF the nineteenth cen
fury. a., nv
xet the Pcrciyals,' one gossip had SAID 10
another over her cradle, "but a bandsomer
baby I haven't set my eyes on fof tnese
thirty years" o.,
MarSery,s growing maidenhood had fus.
S1ind tho Fair promise OF face and form. ii
voc hn, faint praise to call her the prettfest
.,;rI ~ ali the country side. The qa!ck
9mi,es that dimpled in her dainty cheehs OF
Iroke the delicate curves OF her moo''e'
scarlet lips-the swift giances OF her DARK
eyes. full Of slumbering fre-made OF her
Ssss5 ronnp face a perpetual "song With
~, words,, Who should translate the
rnclody2 Not the father, whose stern no
4ions OF tjlial submission, voiceless and aD'
solute. had received hundred shocks from
her seIi-asserting individuality; nor the
mother. whose gentle soul was grleved oy
her distaste for the monotony or house
wifely duties: nor the, teacher, whose pa
fient hand had closed so often the open
Tennysop 0: Victor Hugo above the I'M
lesrned algebra upon her desk; nor yet the
country lads, who, though Boosting OF her
beauty. were, after all, more ut their ease
with plain, little Annie Lee than Mareery.
John Butler. looking up at her in the
singers seals, on the Sunday OF her seven
tcenth birthday, as he had done ever since
she was old enough to take her place there,
saw as in a dream the beautiful world OF
passion and romance asleep IN her hcaTt.
awaiting for the kiss Of the Prince " ne
thought, with an unconscious sigh.
Years ago, in bis co'fcgc-yacatlon days.
he had made rare friendship with the bright
little hoyden; it was be who had fashioned
The kites and balls and other like boyish
to7s. for which her dollhouse was disdain-
ed and deserted; he who bad beaten for her
the chestnut boughs on the hillside or in
itiated her into the stealthy arts OF trout
fishing in the mountain brook.
She had grown away from him now-nay,
rather. he confessed TO himself with dull
pain at his teart. he had grown away from
her! He was thirty years old, and his daily
employment OF instructing the hall-dozen
BOYS whom he was accustomed TO receive
for college preparation made him feel stllt
older. A very quiet and humble fifc-Wo-k,
but he had chosen it both from certain
felt aptitude for teaching and because be
could not leave his widowed mother quite
alone in the old home to which he chung so
fondly. Once chosen, however, he was
sure to nut into it his best OF heart as well
as brain. One may measure the pressure OF
steam, or the weight OF falling water, but
not the power OF conscience in one noble
human soul. Seeing in turn The wheel OF
small and seemingly monotonouS daily dh-
ties, we scarcely guess ut the immense re-
serve, which. If need were. would impcl to
martyrdoms.
There was stranger at church that day,
who, in his turn, gaZed at Margcry. She
had met hlm already at some village merry
making, and knew him TO be Allan Wilde,
an attache OF the surveying party which
was just then laying the route for the new
railway through the neighLoring bill passes.
AS II Glanced, be had been shown q seat in
John Buffers own pew, and a striking con-
trast WAS presented by the men Standing
side by side, and sharing the book OF hymns,
while Margery's clear soprano rang through
the little church. The one, whose grave,
thoughtful brow and slig STOPPING
shoulders kept the old habit Of his student
life; the other, with figure bold, erect, and
full OF careless grace; black, flushing eyes,
which seemed to speak in turn all languages
but that OF fear or reverence; full lips,
whose easy curl was yelled by the silken
mustache he wore.
Twice or thrice Margery's own eyes, en-
countering those OF the newcomer, drop
ped suddenly and heightened color crept
to her cheeks. John Butler saw, and hated
himself for the sudden aversion he felt for
the man at his side. What property had he
in Margcry that he should resent the tribute
OF admiration which none could choose but
render to so fair face? Yet a vague pre-
sentiment OF evil, from which, strive as he
might, be could not eliminate an unreason-
able sense OF personal loss, made him un-
quiet as he walked homeward when the SER
vice was over. His heart was none the
lighter to see that Young Wilde, prcsuming
on his previous Introduction to Margcry,
had oyertaken her and was walking at her
side, bending with chiyalrous grace as he
talked, while smiles and bushes chased each
Other over her face.
1t was the beginning OF Il sad summer for
John Butler. There are no truths so pow
erful in their final sci-assertion rs those
which we have persiaently striven to hide
even from ourselves. 1t was not long be-
fore he knew, past DENIAL that with all tho
strength Of his mature manhood he loved
Margcry Gray. and that, alas whatever
faint hope he had uncGnsciously cherished.
despite the disparity OF age and temporal
ment. of some day winning her to himself,
was fast fading into thin air.
Allan Wilde bad soiar diSarmed Deacon
Gray's first distrust as 10 be welcome
visitor at the farmhouse. Evening by eve
ming be sat with Marsery in the .rape-aF-
Dor. and the light breeze waited the sound
OF gay.tak and happy daughter through the
open window OF John Buffers study. MAJ
gery'S beauty blosSomed in those days like
that lovely cactus,nower which opens in a
single might. Her unframed Imagination
invested her lover with all harsolc attributes
The stories he told her CT adventures met
in the practice OF his profeSssn in remote,
halt-setsied districts; Of encounters with
hostile landowners. who disputed even by
force OF arms the right OF railway passage
across their soil, sounded TO her like the
widest dreaMs Of romance. She could
scarcely bellies that so brilliant and daring
a representative OF the great world outside
should bring the treasure of his dove to the
little country asrz whose Lie was bounded
by her nativehifs6-
John Butler watched the yoalug man mar
rowly. He had the rare nobiiatv "a nature
which wonld havessaade him Athletic rejoice
IN Marservos happiness, even at the.price OF
his own lEaisl, could be have felt thst he re-
signad her to worthy rival t&Ie had
sear1ed chat ALLAN was well connected in
his distant Aome, bm nothing definite of
his personal character, beyond zSa,tain
reputation of careless giving. Yet all the