The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-07-29

could bear that relation to the fat, swarthy,
coarse, and commercial female who kept
the house, this ledger could not imagine.
Her eyes were SO soft and brown, so plead
ing and innocent, frank aud confding as
q little child's, whereas her mothers were
narrow and sharp, distrustful and cum
ming. ri .,g
The young girl flushed under his scru-
tlnizing gaze, and said again, You didn' t
want any thing, then, Mr.. McGrawg Moth
er said you pounded on the foor.'
pounded, ''said MI. cGraw ;;'of course
I pounded. If / don't get letter soon,
I'll make smithereens Of some of this
horse-hair furniture about me. IF your
mother has any regard for her squinteyed
ancestor over there, she'd better take him
down and out of the way. He's been
following nae about with that damaged
leer of his for the last fortnight. It's q
mercy I haven't stabbed him through the
canvas. And, say he added, for the girl
was fast vanishing out of sight, and she
was q wondrous pleasant article to look
upon in this gloomy old barrack- s'say,
said Mr. McGraw. He was still twirling
the bit of blue ribbon in his fingers, and
now held it cut to the young girl. "1t
fell in the window to-day as we were both
looking for that COMPOUNDED postman.
hope we'll have better luck tomorrow
Maggie
"l thought sure we would to-day, Sir, -
said Maggie, blushing and signing. II
had a good sign this morning"
@"What was that, Maggie?'' said Mr..
McGraw, still holding his end of the blue
ribbon, & 1855 70 Es
'Why, see, SIR said she, and pointed
to the skirt of her dress. ~ put it on
wrong side out this morning, and never
changed it, for Martin used to say it was
| sure sign of good luck - -
%N"And who is Martini said Mr.McGraw
ut SO hapaens that I am interested in that
name. - -'s. s-s' AA.':ss' 1854 #s'
"The one I'm looking for letter from,
sir. The vessel was due month ago
and here her voice broke, and her brown
eyes filed with tears. sr s@5
"a sailor with the fame of Maftin2''
said Mr.. McGraw, with increased interest
"What's;; his last name, Maggie2''
'.Nalloy, sir-Martin Malloy.'' g.@.
"God bless my soul!'' said Mr..
McGraw; "tbis is remarkable Gomez
dence! Why, Maggie, this is the very man
I'm waiting to hear from. A heavy sum
Of money depends upon this friend OF
yours; I suppose he is more than a
Were promised to be married, sir, at.
ter this voyage. He had chance of ris.
ing to second mate; and oh, I'm SO sorry
we waited!'' a., r..,,.~..,.... ,,5.ss...:.. i. s
| $50 am I, said Mr.. McGraw. If he'd
stopped long enough to be married, we
might get hold of him as witness, and
that would have been the making of many
a thousand pounds for me; but never
mind, Maggie; let's depend upon the
augury of the petticoat. You see our fates
are linked together, and as only one of
us wears q petticoot, the one garment
must serve for us both; and I'll tell You
what Maggie"-for she was fast vanish
ing again, and he hated to see her go-I
will tell you what; when Martin comes
back, and wins for mo that money good
round sum of it shall 60 for wedding
outfit for you.' a IS :
"If he only comes back!" said Maggie,
and went out the door, leaving the rib
bon still in the hand OF Mr.. McGraw-a
meditative, softened, altogether changed
the expression on his face. -.
"a most remarkable coincidencep' he
repeated to himself. This accounts for
the interest I've taken in that girl from
the start. "A queer freak of destiny has
thrown US both together, and here we
are both hanging upon the fate of this
sailor. I don't suppose he's worthy of
her. No doubt he's rough, common
abusive. brute, but he's young''-
Mr.. McGraw gave vent to grunt that
was meant for a sigh-''and, after his
low fashion, geodlooklng.'' Here Mr..
McGraw knocked over the ottoman that
obstructed his way, put the plue ribbon
IN his vest pocket, drew chair to the
window, filled his pipe, and looking out
upon triangular bit of the western sky,
fell into profound reverie. =
The next morning Maggie was at he1
old post at the attic window. MI. MEG raw
was also rafting at his blinds; but he
looked fully as often up at Maggie as he
did On the street for the postman, and
was quite jocular and smiling for mar
of his nervous temperament. +
! s'Any more signs, Maggie9'' almost
dislocating his neck to get good look
at her pretty face. As'-sE..GI az
Maggie shook her head, and smiled
nourntully. III ~ ..ars ssa... 49,. =. y
II dreamed Of white horses, sir, and mo
tn er says it's bad sign
"Your mother is always f., Here
the postman stopped st the door, and no
body will ever know whether MI. McGraw
meant to call his landiady fine woman
or fool, for all further conversation was
stopped by the coming of the long looked
Flor letters. There was one tor Maggie
and one for Mr.. McGraw Maggie hae
run down to the door, taken both letters
and fed up stairs again. Her hand wa!
trem bling and cold as she put the Iette!
in Mr.. McGraw's hand.
"l'm afraid to open mine,' she said
otis IN a strange handwriting" NJ,
McGraw watched her disappear, ther
tore open his own envelope without :
| tremor. At the first sentence, however
| Mr.. McGraw started, and put his spec
tacles frmer upon his nose, and by til,
time he had read the missive half through