Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-09-08
Margaret's Money.

=
she has five thousand pounds, y said the
old man, land she's good girl. She'll be
catch for somebody"
Then / thought he looked at me.
why should he look at mel'' thought.
"l'm not husband worth angling for, as
lie knows very well, this man who pays
me my small salary every week with his
own hands
Still he did look at me, and / answered
with word or two; forget what now.
Yes" he said-taIking with meaning,
too, looking a me evidently, to see how
took the news, '.ye.; and what do you
suppose she does with itl Has 1t locked
Up in my fre-proof safe in my fre-proof
vault, don't use it in any way, don't get
interest on 1t: locks it up as she does her
rings and pins and lets it lie never
touched.
a wonder you don't give her better ad-
vice, y I said.
Give woman advice." he said. TRY
il. However, l approve of this. Better
keep her dowry locked up safe, than risk
and lose it. My ire-proof safe and fire.
proof vault will hold her money-the
money her husband is to have the day he
marries her fast and safe"
Then the old man trotted away to his
own desk, and looked over it at me.
''Pm her guardian he said. ''Her
father and l had quarrelled, you know.
But when he died, he left her and her
money IN my care. A nice thing far an
old bachelor TO have, young niece quar-
tered on him for life! I'll marry her off
as soon as / can. l say, Fisher, come
up and take tea with me tonight
He did mean ii. He offered his niece
and her five thousand pounds to mel de
had never liked me either.
s'Shall l go:'' l asked myself. why
mott l might as well see the heiress- l
was not man 10 be bought by money, if
she were coarse, vulgar creature, like her
uncle; bul otherwise, why not see what she
was made of At least ii could do no
harm to take tea with old Simon Giddings-
went home with him that evening.
noticed some little changes in the parlor,
As though lady's hands had been busy
there: and in a moment more l saw, sit
ting in the shadow of the curtains, girl
draScaS in daeu mourning
Margaret, Mr.. Fisher; my niece, Miss
Giddings, Tom, said the old man; and as
| bowed, | saw little velvet-headed
cru,ch leaning agains, the girls chair
She was lame, then Old Giddings
thought this was an obstacle to her making
good match. So he offered her to Tom
Fisher.
at won't do, old man. . thought. 81
shouldn't mind plain face so much, but a
lame wife will never do for me"
Then something Whispered family in my
ear, Five thousand poundsi"
For the rest, Miss Giddings was fair and
sveet-looking, and pleasant in her man
ner. She was lady, too, which seemed
odd for old Simon's niece, for he was as
vulgar as he was rich: and she sang to us
after tea very sweetly.
liked a girl with dash and color, put
still her blue eyes and sweet smile haunted
me little after / went home. "Shel
never quarrel with one," 1 thought; 'and
women worth five thousand pounds
would be a catch, certainly; but tha'
cutch! .T'll stay away from Old Simons
house for the future.
But he would not let me stay away; ne
kept on urging me to go home with him.
There was Marion More. Perhaps sne
liked Inc little. admired her intensely
but she had no money, and l should take
her away from her snug home to some
poor sort Of place if l married her.
should find it hard work to feed and clothe
her decently.
This fair, sweet Margaret was rich; ano
as time passed on, 1 began to see her
liking for me. And / sat in the once one
day, three months from the time OF my
first visit, wondering whether | could De
quite sure that | should be good enough 10
the little thing l meant to marry ior hei
money, to keep her from knowing that 'neie
vas no actual tove for her in my heart
Ard as / pond cred, the voice OF oiu
Sings reached my cars OH
Fisher up in the moon again, chi "eii'
well, when a fellow is in love we excuse
la,iness in him. There's my niece Mar
garet pouring the tea in the slop pasin an'
oversetting the milk at breakfast. "As.
gle" says /, you're a thinking Oh son' @
one, ant ye: She blushed to hef 'A, : :
You've managed to get into good graoeS III
that quarter, Toml'
De yeu think sos" / ssid- -,
nlh