The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-07
A PLEASANTLOY

A PLEASANT LOVE.
II have some news for you, Maggie, he
said, one day, about eighteen months after
he had gained his commission. ''Guess
what it is.
They We're walking along the green lanes
of Perlock, listening to the ceaseless muir.
muir of the sea, as Ell intervals they hac
walked and listened ever since they coule
remember; at any rate, she was six year,
younger than her former play fellow.
'You are going to be promoted" she
said.
Promoted, you little goose! No one
Guess again."
You are going to marry an heiress.
There was LUMP rising in her throat al
she said it.
Wrong again. No estimable person
with green eyes, a turn up nose, susceptible
heart and fifty thousand year has tu1neC
up yet. But it's something nearly as good
L am ordered to China"
ooh, Alec!" she gasped, and burst into
tears. 1t was very foolish of her, but Their
she was only 16, and had not yet acquired
the praiseworthy art of concealing her feel
ings.
why, whatever are you crying for" he
asked, and kissed away her tears, He'd
kissed her ever since she was five, and
thought no more of it than if she had
been his sister, or the cat, excepting per-
haps that it was nicer-which it was nc
doubt. II shall only be away five years
at the most, and when I come back I'll
bring you pig-tail, and an ivory tooth
pick, and whole lot of things, and"
Yes she said listening attentively.
But then you'll be young woman
fo1got-and gut, and all that sort of thing
and wont condescend to speak to pool
lieutenant; you will have all the squires
= and fox hunters about the place at your
feet"
ooh no, indeed, I shall not Alic,' she
said, eagerly.
But tell you you will. I believe
you are born little firt, and shall come
back and find
But she burst into tears again, and put
up her pretty little hand as if to stop his
teasing, which she could not bear just then
1T US, seemed SO cruel of him to laugh and
joke when he was going away for five
years. He did not seem to care bit. and
she could have broken her heart on the
spot and would have gladly done so, and
thrown away the pieces, SO as not to be
bothered with it again. Then seeing her
'mournful blue eyes. he was merclful
II believe shall come back and find
you just as great little darling as you are
now, and if we've got any money we'll get
married and live happy ever after, and if
we haven't we'll get married and starve
ever after-uniess, of course, the heiress
turns up"
"Oh, I hope she wontw said Maggie,
like truthful little idiot. "Shall you ever
write to me, Alic, dear?"
Yes, of course I shall, and shall ex-
1oof1 to loo1 - 3
and all that sort of thing, you know"
So Alic Granger went to China, and Mag
gle waited hopefully enough for letter,
but six months passed and none came.
Perhaps it takes longer for letter to get
here from China" she thought, knowing
as Little about the means of transit and the
time it took as if the celestial city had been
in the moon. But a year passed, and no
letter came, and Maggie journeyed into
woman-h hood, but no word or sign came
from Alic Granger, and at last she gave him
up altogether.
Maggie was twenty years old when her
Father died, and the creditors did pounce
down, and she and her mother were sold
out Mrs. Dunlop was offered home in
London by sister who was we'll off and
bad tempered, and it was thankfully ac-
cepted.
of Mrs. Marshall of Woolwich.
Mrs. Marshall's daughter by her first
husband was really mistress of the estab-
aishment, for Maria Patterson had a stron q
will, and she was an heiress. "A very nasty
'helress, too" poor Maggie thought, and she
was right, for Maria was skinny, and
thought herself sarcastic, and always said
lhasty things to people who did not dare to
SAY them back again.
One evening, when Maggie had been
about a year at Woolwich, and she was sit
ting alone in her school room as usual, for
her pupils had just said good night and
been delivered to the tender mercies of
their nurse, Miss Patterson walked in very
much dressed and rather flushed and ex-
cited.
Miss Dunlop, she said, we skau have
few friends this evening, and I know one
or two OF them like an impromptu dance;
will you be ready to come into the drawing
room and play if we should want your
In the evening she put on her shabby
black gown and stuck spray of white flow
ers in her golden hair. and waited patiently
for the summons. When it came, with q
roil OF music under her arm, flush on her
innocent frightened face, and sacred, al
most hunted expression in her eyes, she
descended and timidly opened the drawing
room door, and there stood still for a mo-
ment, staring in establishment. There sat
the helress with an eager, pleased express
sion on her face. talking and laughing, and
more Sandstone than ever. and sunburnt
and soldlery looking was Aic Granger.
The color rushed to Maggie's face as if to
say hurried goodby, and then left it alto
gether. She recovered self-possession,
however, and walked with what she flattered
herself was great dignity toward the piano.
She felt rath or than saw him raise hia head
and look at her. and the next moment she
tsaw him at her side.
Maggie my dear Maggie! Why, fancy
You being here; where did you come from?
1 have been trying to find you out for
months"
Il thought YOU and then she did not
know how to go on, SO added, almost pite-
ouslv Il am the governess here
Are you? Oh. see. then, that is the
suppose"