Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-07-13
MargAret,s Money

| iuou InOuRut ne looked At me.
why should he look at meP" thought
I'm not husband worth angling for
and he knows very well-this man who
pays me my small salary every week witt
his own hands,"
| Still he did look at me. aud answered
with word or two I forget what nov.
"Yes, he said, talking with meaning
too. looking at me evidently to see how /
took the news; yes, and what do you
suppose she does with itP Has it locked
up in my fireproof safe in my fireproo
vault; doesn't use il in any way; doesn',
get interest on it; locks it up as she does
her rings aud pins. and lets it lie never
touched"
"I wonder you don't give her better ad.
vice. said.
"Give woman advice" he said. Try
1t. However. | approve of this Better
keep her dowry locked up safe than risk
and lose it. I'm her guardian. Her father
and | had quarreled. you know. But
when he died he left her money in nv
care. A nice thing for an old bachelor
to have young niece quartered 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 it! He offered his niece
aad t5,OCO to me. He had never liked
me either.
"Sha!l l go?" asked myself. was
not man to be bought by money, if she
were a coarse and vulgar creature like her
uncle; but otherwise why not see what
she was made OFF At least it could do no
harm to take tea with old Simon GiJdings.
l went home with him that evening.
noticed some little changes in the parlor,
as though a lady's hand had been busy
there. and in moment more. | saw sit.
ting in the shadow of the curtains a girl
dressed in deep mourning.
" Margaret, Mr.. Fisher; my niece, Miss
Giddings, Tom," said the old man; and as
l bowed, l saw little velvet headed
crutch leaning against the girls chair. She
was lame then. Old Giddings thought
this an obstacle to her making a good
match, so he offered her to Tom Fisher.
" II won't do, old man." thought. 81
should not mind plain face so much, but
lame wife will never do for me-" Then
something whispered family in my ear,
5.0OO!" For the rest Miss Giddlngs was
a lady, too, which seemed odd for old
Simon's niece, for he was as vulgar as be
was rich; and she sang to US after tea very
sweetly. l liked girl with dash and
color, and still her blue eyes and sweet
smile haunted me little after | went
home. She'll never quarrel with one, !"
l thought; land woman worth e., 900
would be acatch, certainly; but that crutch
I'll stay away from old Simon's house for
the future"
But he wouldn't let me stay away; he
kept on urging me to go home with him.
There was Marion Poor. Perhaps she
loved me little. admired her intense.
ly; but she had no money, and should
take her away from her snug little home
to some poor sort of place if married her.
should find it hard work to feed and
clothe her decently.
This fair, sweet Margaret was rich, and
as time passed on began to see her liking
for me. And l sat in the office one day,
three months from the time of first visit,
wondering whether could be quite sure
that I should be good enough to the little
thing l meant TO marry for her money,
to keep her from knowing that there was
no actual love for her in my heart And
as | pondered, the voice of old Simon
reached my ears: Tom Fisher, up in the
moon again, ehP Well. well, when fel.
low is in love, we excuse laziness in him.
There's my niece Margaret pouring the
tea in the slop basin, and overseeing the
milk at breakfast. Maggie" says I,
you're thinking of some one, an youp'
Shx, 10 har
aged to get into some good graces in that
quarter, Tom"
"Do you think SOP" | said.
al know so," said the old man. IL
ought not to say 80, you know, but I'm
frank"
l listened to him then, two voices whis-
pering to me.
You don't love her," said one. "You
don't hate her." said the other. You do
want f5 ,O00," said the other. at would
make man of you. You could go into
business on your account. You'd cease to
be slave in this dingy office.'
Five Thousand pounds!" said to N.Y.
self. Then l started to my feet.
"Mr. Giddings," | said, "would you
be willing to give your niece to me as my
wife?"
Tom Fisher. I'd give her to any decent
young man. A girl bothers me. I'm
tired of the charge. Every one doesn't
want lame wife. II you like her, take
her. and on your wedding day IN hand the
f5.C0O to you. and be rid OF the charge
I turned faint and sat down to my 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 and
took her hand.
Are you going to say No. Maggie 2"
mine and kissed me. "rll be very, very
good 10 you"
But there was no lovers warmth In my
heart; only kind of gentle pity for the
girl who was to bring me $4,000. We
were engaged. Old Simon joked US
coarsely, and seemed to exult over the
affair. l might even have doubted the
existence of the $4,000, but that Maggie
told me of 1t herself.
"Uncle was keeping it for me to live on
when | was an old maid" she said, " but
you shall do what you choose with the
money when | belong to you. Well buy
% " utsJ houoCp oAhh WCp uCuE tBb Vi hll,
and live there all our lives-somewher
where we can have gardenp"
80, after that, I never doubted, but
clung 10 the idea as could not if had
loved the girl. We were married in a
fortnight. Uncle Simon and his old house,
keeper alone we're pre- sent. 1t had touch
ed me q good deal when Margaret had
whispered that she would rather not have
a wedding party.
Fancy the bride limping up the aisle
upon a crutchf she said. Let me be mar
ried 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'll be good to her," l said, as the cler-
gyman uttered his prayer;-" very, very
good;" and was saying it again when l
sat with my wife in old Simon's parlor,
and he, coming in, lit the gas, and stood
twinkling his eyes at us maliciously.
80 it's over" he said, with his fend-
ish chuckle. "She's yours; now for the
$4,000. I'm going to hand it over to.
night l shall sleep better"
/ blushed with shame. mot yet," l
said; "don't talk of money yet"
"But I will. though; I've got it here"
And he unlocked n sidehoard which