The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-02-25

treated respectfully, than be his wife and
be sneered at.
After this he was away from the Office
great deal, and when In it was full Of
plans for the future. / was o good deal
puzzled by his manner; sometimes he as
sured me Of his love for his future wife,
and expressed great hopes for his happi.
ness, then again, would sneer at her
frivolousness, being gloomy and sarcas--
tic; still he was uniformly kind to mo, and
felt sorry to see him so tossed about by
inward hopes and fears.
One night as / was getting ready to go
home he said abruptly:
My wedding Eday is drawing near;
will you come to the church 10 see me
married, Janet?'
..No, sir, j answered. ~ think not;
you know holidays are rare, and il / have
one on that day no doubt / shall find
plenty to do at home, and you will be
married just as happily without my pres
ence.
mo, l WON'T he cried vehemently
Promise you'll come, promise, Janet,
or declare iii keep you here till you
do"
His face was flushed; the hand that
barred my way actually trembled. was
astonished, but not afraid,
III you really wish me to ccme, Of
course will do 30, Isaid, smiling at his
earnestness.
"Thank you, do. Good night, Janet;
You are good little girl; the bride shall
send you an extra large slice of wedding
cake, And this extraordinary man
| hproJ Y,1a ant xrft1, a C,,,fl0
The next day was Sunday. Meta and
! were enjoying sweet, pure Fnrrar,
when our small servant made the unpre-
| cedented announcement:
"a gentleman for you, miss, waiting
in the hall. !"
Much surprised, ] went down. At the
foot Of the stairs stood my master, hat in
hand, looking sallow, gloomy and cross.
"Will you do something for me?" he
began, abruptly, without even offering
his hand. "Put on your things and
came to the Park with me. Don't be
pIudish; let Miss Raymond 60 to the
| dickens" (only it was stronger word
"for to-day, and come help me get rid Of
the gloomy thoughts that have been
pestering me all day. Come, Janet,
want You. II you refuse, I'll inst sit
down here on this step and stay the rest
Of the afternoon, and think, !" grimly,
entertaining me out Of doors will be the
easiest"
He WINS fully capable Of keeping his
word; he looked i'll and unhappy. sud
denly resolved ] would 90 with him; /
was not, could not be, afraid Of him, my
love was too thorough for that, and
Il 81. In tvat In q IL Int
also resolved, with swift consciousness
Of my own weakness, that il should be
the first and last time. After all, il
would be better for me when Mr.. Chis-
holm was married.
BY the time we reached the Park he
was more amiable. Sitting on the plat
form Of the tower, we two alone. he told
me the story Of his life. His father died
suddenly while Miles was at college,
preparing TO graduate; he had been re-
called TO darkened home, to find, when
affairs were settled up, that the business
was in very bad condition. College
was given up, and he devoted all his
energies TO paying off his fathers debts,
and keeping his delicate mother and
sister in as Injurious style MS before the
failure. IL had taken the best part ol
his life, and, Just as fortune really came
within his grasp, death claimed his dear
ones, and he was left alone. His expert.
ence Of life and people had not inspired
a very great trust in his fellow beings.
i pitied him with all my heart; tears
were in my eyes when he held oui
both hands with wistful eyes and said
earnestly:
"Once more life begins to look bright
am being educated in goodness ant
purity; you are doing it, my little Janet
with your sturdy honesty and simple
pure womanliness. Oh, child, you car
never know the world Of good you hav,
done me, the new light and life that hal
come to me with your dear presence
With you am good, my evil temper j
exercised. want you'll want you TO
my own wifel Don't send me away! /
will be sorry day for your master, m,
darling, if you refuse to marry him.
I 'But Miss Raymond" gasped
shrinking from him. 'sYou are engages
I TO her,
"I am not-I never was, he broke in
} eagerly "Miss Raymond is nothing I
; me. Did You think could marry sue
a woman, Janet, with you before m
l eyes? ] have never made love to hei
she knows would never marry her.
have no faith in women outside of. yor
1 and you would not blame me, my darling
IL you knew all my life. Like Diogene
) I doubted If there we're an honest ma
e or woman in the world until / met you
: have been bad man, too, and M
d heart fails me that such pure little doy
; will never nestle in my bosom; but
' please God, if you will come to me, Wi
!, strive TO be worthy of your precious love
4 Richard Steele says "a good wife is
! liberal education Be my education
n This is my birthday, be my birthda,
h gift, Janet. Are you still thinking 9
d Miss Raymond? / swear she is not an
n never has been anything TO me; don
d make me suffer for the lies report ha
Z circulated. said what did to tryyor
2 Oh, my love, answer mel l am M
d used to begging"