The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-04-20
MARGARET'S MONEY

| -AA'NAij CIV DAAO . q SOoN BAAAs A2hN
be a catch for somebody.
Then thought he looked at me
"Why should he look at me ?"
thought, "I'm not a husband wortl
angling for, as he knows very well
this man who pays me my small
salary every week with his owl
hands"
Still he did look at me, and / an
swered with a word or two; / for
| get what now.
eyes" he said, talking with d
meaning, too, looking at me evident.
ly to see how / took the news; eyes
and what do you suppose she does
with it? Has it locked up in my
tire-proof safe in my fire proof vault
doesn't use it in any way; doesn't
get interest on it; locks it up as she
does her rings and pins, and lets il
lie never touched" "
81 wonder you don't give her bet
ter advice" / said.
"Give a woman advice ?" he said.
CRY it. However, l approve of
this. Better keep your dowry lock-
ed up safe than risk and lose it. My
tire-proOf safe and fire-proof vault
will hold her money-the money
her husband is to have the day he
married her-fast and safe.
Then the old man trotted away
to his safe and looked over it at me.
'Im her guardian, he said. "Her
father and l had quarreIed YOU
know But when he died he left
her and her money in my care. A
nice thing for an old bachelor to
have a young neice 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
neice and $4,000 to me! He had
never liked me, either.
"Shall | go?' l asked myself /
was not a man to be bought by
money, if she were a coarse and vul-
gar creature like her uncle; but
otherwise why not see what she was
made of? AT least l could do no
harm to take tea with old Simon
Giddings. Lwent home with him
that evening l noticed some little
changes in the parlor, as though a
lady's hand had been busy there,
and in a moment more ] saw, sitting
in the shadow of the curtains, a girl
dressed in deep mourning.
"Nargaret, Mr.. Fisher; my neice,
Miss Giddings, Tom" said the old
man; and as l bowed / saw a little
velvet headed crutch leaning against
the girls chair. She was lame then.
Old Giddings thought this an OBJ
stacle to her making a good match,
so he offered her to Tom Fisher.
at won't do, old man" l thought
II shouldn't mind a plain face so
much, but a lame wife will never DO
for me-" Then something whisper
ed family in my ear: EE5,OOO p
For the rest Miss Giddings was fair
and pleasant in her manner. She
was a lady, too, which seemed odd
for old Simon's neice, for he was as
vulgar as he was rich; and she sang
to us after tea very sweetly. / liked
q girl with dash and color, and still
her blue eyes and sweet smile haun-
ted me a little after / went home.
"Shen never quarrel with one /
thought; "and a woman worth E5,-
600 would be a catch certainly; but
that crutch I'll stay away from old
SimOn's house for the future"
But he would not let me stay
away; he kept on urging me to 90
home with him. There was a Ma
rion Moore. Perhaps she liked me !
a little. I admired her intensely
but she had no money, and / |
should take her away from her snug
home to some poor sort of place if / !
her. l should find it hard |
work to feed and clothe her decent |
y,
This fair, sweet Margaret was
rich, and as time passed on l began
% see her liking for me. And ! sat
n the Office one day, three months
rom the time Of my first visit, won
lering whether l could be quite sure
hat L should be good enough to the
title thing meant to marry for her
to keep her from knowing
hat there was no actual love for
Ter in my heart. And as ] ponder
ID, the voice of old Simon reached
ny ears: "Tom Fisher, up in the
noon again eh? Well, wen, when
fellow is in love we excuse laziness
n him. There's my neice Margaret
,ouring the tea in the slop-basin
nd oversetting the milk at break
asst. Maggie, says /, you're a
linking of some one, an ye.' She
,lushed to her ears. You've man
ged to get into good graces in that
uarter, Tom"
"Do you think SOP" said.
II know so, said the old man.
1 ought not to say so, you know,
ut I'm frank"
listened to him then, two voices
whispering to me.
"You don't love her." said one.
You don't hate her." said the 9TH
r. "You do want 95,OOO," said
he other. "It would make a man
f you. You could go into business /
n your own account. You'd cease
D be a slave in this dingy office"
Five thousand pounds ! said to
lyself Then 1 started to my feet.
"Mr. Giddings," / said, "would
ou be willing to give your neice to
le as my wife ?"
His answer was frank.
"Tom Fisher, I'd give her to any
ecent young man. A girl bothers
le I'm tired Of the charge. Every
ne doesn't want a lame wife. If
ou like her, take her, and on your
day I'll hand the e5, 900 to
ou, and be rid of the charge. She'll |
ay yes, don't fear, I'll tell her that
ou asked me tonight, and hurry
n the wedding"