Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-07-21
cent lips to mine and kissed me. "I'll
be very. very good to YOU"

cent lips to mine and kissed me. "I'1
be very, very good to you"
But there was no lovers warmth in
my heart; only kind of gentle pity
for the girl who was to bring me e5.-
900. We were engaged. Old Simon
joked us coarsely, and seemed to exult
over the affair. I might even have
doubted the existence of the $4,000,
but that Maggie told me of it her
self,
"Uncle was keeping it for me to live
on when 1 was an old maid" she said;
"but you shall do what you choose
with the money when belong to you.
Well buy a pretty house, shan't We,
dear, first of all, and live there all our
Gves-somewhere where we can have
a garden?"
So, after that, | never doubted, but
chung to the idea as [ could not if
had loved the girl. We were married
in fortnight. Uncle Simon and his
old housekeeper 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 imping up the aisle
upon crutch!" 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'lI be good to her." I said as the
clergyman uttered his prayer-"very,
very good" and | was saying it again
when | sat with my wife in old Simon's
parlor, and he, coming in, lit the gas,
and stood twinkling his eyes at us ma
liciously.
$50 it's over" he said, with his fend-
ish chuckle. shes yours now for the
$4,000. Pm going to hand it over to-
night. [ shall sleep better"
[ blushed with shame. ''Not yet" [
said, "don't talk of money yet"
NO." said Simon. "But I will,
though; I've got it here" And he I'M
locked sideboard which stood in the
room, and brought our a small roll done
up oddly in brown paper. There it
Is" he said. "there it is. Look at it.;
count it. Five thousand, plum. Count
it."
He fairly grinned as he spoke She
smiled. [ saw something in his laugh
that made me shudder. Without a
| word more / walked to the table, open
ed the parcel and spread out the notes.
There was 95, 900 worth of them, read
ing the value on their faces: but they
were the notes Of theDiddleton q Blk
EN- Bank, which had failed years ago! [
had been deceived. The girl had mar
ried was penniless!
'Impostorw I yelled. Old Simon
answered with roar of laughter.
"Good joke" he said. ~ have done
what have promised. You've got the
$4,000; l didn't tell you what it was in.
OF course such money is of no use to
you; but / can't help that. Ha, hal"
think I should have given him a
blow, but just then | heard Margaret
scream. | looked at her. [ saw, as I
had known before, that she had no
hand in the deception. I saw an awful
look in her eye, a doubt of my love
trembling on my lip. 1 saw her rise
and falter on her poor feet and stretch
her arms toward me. | heard her cry,
Thomas, [ did not know" and then
oh, thank God for 1.-THE love [ had
never felt before rushed into my heart
"a great all-conquering love.
[ ran to her. took her in my arms.
[ gave her the first kiss of passionate
and newborn love, and [ said: "Mar-
garet, try and bear poverty with me,
for | love you better than my SOUL"
And all Margaret's money-the mon
ey that faded before me like fairy gold
could never have given me half the
JOY that the wealth of love given to and
received from her gave me upon our
bridal day, gave me in all the first
struggling years of welded life, and will
give me, God grant it, until the end.