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

frank
listened to HIM. then two voices wbis
pering to me:
You don't .ove her." said one. .yor
don't hate her." said the other ..Yor
don't want lame wife," said the first
lou do want five thousand pound. ,
saad The other. 1t would make a man o.
you. You could go into business on YOU,
own account. You'd cease to be a slave
in this dingy Office
Five thousand pounds" / said ,c
myself. Then started to my feet.
"Mr. Giddings," said, would YOU b,
willing to give your niece to me as m,
wIfe?"
dis answer was frank.
Tom Fisher, I'd give her to sny decen,
young man A girl bothers me; I'm tired
ef the charge. Every one don't wan, q
same wife. If you like her, take her,
and on your wedding day, I'll hand the
five thousand pounds to you, and be rid Of
the charge. She'll say Yes don't fear.
III tell her that you asked me tonight.
and hurry on the wedding.
thought / heard the thump Of a crutch
In the church aisle as he spoke. / ihozght
OF the graceful step of Marion More.
turned faint, and sat down to nv desk;
but went to old Simon's house that
night, and saw Margaret She looked as
fair and happy as child. l sat down by
her ard tool, her hand.
Are you going to say 'No, Maggie" l
said, and she lifted her innocent lips to
mine, and kissed me. 'I'll be good to
her, L said to myself '.Ill be very, very
good to her.
But there was 10 lovers warmth in my
heart; only kind of gentle pity for the
girl who was to bring ME five thousand
pounds.
We were. engaged. Old Simon joked
US coarsely, and seemed to exult over the
affair. / might even have doubted of the
existence Of the five thousand pounds, but
that Maggie told me of them herself
''Uncle was keeping them for me to live
on, when | was an old maid" she said
but YOU shall do what you choose with
the money when L belong to you. Well
buy pretty house, shan't we dear, first of
all, and live there all our lives; somewhere
where we can have gardenI"
So, after that, | never doubted, but
clung TO the idea us could not if | had
loved the girl.
We were marriei in fortnight. Uncle
Simon and his old house keeper alone were
present. 1t had touched me good deal
when Margaret had whispered that she
had rather not have a wedding party.
"Fancy the bride iimping up the aisle
upon crlItch.n she said. LET ME be
married with none to stare at me. You
love me so don't care about being lame
any more, but I'd rather not be stared at. !"
took her in my arms and kissed her
then.
''I'n De good to her." | said, as the
clergyman uttered his prayer,-'very, very
good;'' and was saying it again when l
at with nv wife in old Simon's parlor in
he twilight, and he coming IN, lit the gas,
and stood twinkllng his eyes at US malic-
Iously.
$50 it's over, he said, with his fiendish
chuckle. ''She's yours now for her five
thousand pounds. I'm going to hand ii
over to night. shall sleep better. :"
l blushed with shame. ''Not yet" |
said: don't talk of money YETI
s.Nol" said Simon. ''But will though.
I've got it here" And he unlocked side
board which stood in the room, asd brought
ont small roll done up oddly enough in
brown paper There it Is, said he
.there it is. Look at it--count 1t. Five
thousand plump-count it.
He fairly grinned as he spoke She
smiled.
| saw something in his laugh that made
me shudder. Without word more |
walked to the table, opened the parcel and
spread out the notes. There were five
Thousand pounds worth of them, reading the
value on their faces. but they were the
notes of the DIddleton and Bilkem Bank,
which had failed years ago.
had been deceived. The girl | had
married was penniless.
..Impostor!'' yelled. Old Simon an
swered with roar of laughter.
eGood Joke" he said. 1--we done what
Ipromised. You've gtt the five thousand'
I didn't tell you what it was In VI course
such money is of no use to you, but can l
help that. Hal bal
/ Think should have given him oio",
but lust then | heard Margaret scream
looked at her. saw, as l had known
hefo-e that she had no hand in the decep-
.;o, saw an awful look in her eyes,
doubt of my love trembling on her lip. l
sow hy rise and falter on her poor feet,
cd reich her hands towards me. L
heard her CRY, Thomas, l did not Know
and then-oh, thank God for it-the io'e
7 had never felt before rushed into my
beart-a great, all-conquering love.
ran 10 her. Itook her in my arms l
gave her the first kiss of passionate ana
newborn love, and said, Margaret Try
to bear poverty with me, for l love you
better than my soul. A.. ,n.v
And all Margaret't money-the money
.b., hsd faded before me like fairy gold
Gould never have given me half the JOY
that the wealth of love, gwen 10 anu re-
oeived from her, gave me upon our Or,aal
dav-gave me in all the first struggling
1oo-s of our welded life, and will give me-
God grant it, until the enc;
1 r,-;n,e of Germany.