The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-06-28
Selfff Shrg.
AFTER WEARY WAITING.
BT G. F. A.


The moon had risen and was throwing
pale. silvery light over the fair English
landscape. A beautiful valley clothed
in summer verdure, 10 which nestled q
pretty little village, sleeping quietly in
its rural beauty, while not far distant,
situated on a slight eminence In grove
Of towering oaks, and approached by q
broad avenue lined with the same stately
trees, stood a fine old mansion.
Murray Hall. or "The Oaks, as il
was commonly called, had for centuries
been the residence OF the proud race OF
Murrays, twelve generations of whom
we're sleeping their last sleep beneath the
chancel of the old parish church OF Ar
burton, the little village below.
Tonight the house was brilliantly
lighted, for there had been guests to din
ner, bat they were gone now, and the
young proprietor and his mother were
alone in the drawing-roon.
They were silent now, bat It was an
embarrassing silence, and the troubled
expression on the young mans face as
he sat regarding bis stately mother re.
clining 10 her dark velvet chair, her soft
satin dress trailing on the rich carpet
and the jewels cleaning in her ears and
at her throat, told that their converse.
ton had not been pleasant to him.
At last he spoke, quietly and decided
ly:
"Tbere is no. use talking, mother; l
have made up my mind to marry Mar
garet Alden, and marry her | will"
Drawing herself up haughtily Mrs.
Murray answered with the confidence of
one conscious of power:
mo, Arthur Murray, you shall never
marry Margaret Alden. l suppose you
do not know that while / have always
made it understood you were proprietor
Of The Oaks,' your father, dying before
you we're born, willed the entire estate
to me, and il you, Murray, the grand
con of marchioness, stoop to marry
the daughter of country sehoolmaster,
depend upon it you shall never receive
one shilling, no, not one farthing, Of all
this vast fortune. y"
Before his mother commenced to
speak Arthur Murray had risen as il to
leave the room, and stood leaning against
the mantel during her naughty speech
When she had finished he was silent for
Q moment, and then said: 'f
"No, mother, / did not know this be-
fore; but l am glad that you have told
me DOW, though it does not alter my de-
in the least. ] have health
and strength, and tbanks to you good
and life OF toll, blessed with
Margaret ..Alden's love and companion.
ship is far more preferable to me than
all this splendor and luxury without her.
But it is useless to say more; only come
what NAV I shall never marry the Lady
Eleanor Kenneth, 80 goodnight, moth
or" Sr.4 Is -.
And the young man left the room
without stopping to listen to the storm
Of anger with which the lady, whose
wishes had always been law to him,
greeted, his. words. ..
It was lovely summer morning, the
sun was shining brightly. turning the
Einy dewdrops into gistening, flashing
Jewels, such as the costliest gems Of
earth could not surpass, the air was Ia
den with the perfume of many flowers,
and from the leafy treetops the happy
birds sent forth food Of delicious mel
ody.
Among the flowers In the garden OF
b pretty cottage, that with the school
house was situated on little knoll
above Arburton Church, stood fair
young girl. evidently enjoying the beau
ty Of the morning scene.
It was q holiday. Mr.. Alden, the
schoolmaster, with. his gentle vile had
gone Tor drive to town, and the
beautiful Margaret-for it was she-had
come out into the garden to gather dow-
ers to ill her vases. <
Yes, she was rarely beautiful, andsit
was no wonder that the "young squire"
should become ensmored OF her, for
aside from her great beauty there was q
charm and distinction about her that
vonld have made the plainest woman at
tractive, =. .-re
Her little basket filled. Margaret re-
turned to the house and was soon en-.
gaged in arranging the flowers 10 her
pretty vases, singing the while in sweet,
low voice an old Scotch love song.
She bad nearly completed her pleasant
task when she heard the sound Of ap-
preaching wheels. Turning to the win
dow she was surprised to see Mrs. Mur-
rays elegant carriage drawing up before
her home, and her heart throbbed, and
the roses deepened in her cheeks as the
lady herself alighted and passed through
the gate, which The footman opened, and
up the path towsrd the house,. ..at3
"What can she want here so early p
Margaret asked herself.
Then calling Lizzie, her little maid,
and bidding her show the lady into the
parlor, che ran up stairs to her own
room to add few touches to her simple
toilet. . =
To smooth her shining curls and fas.
ten some loops of ribbon in the face oil
her throat, was the work of q few mo-
ments, ard then Margaret went down to
the parlor and welcomed her guest with
. grace and dignity that many a high
born dame might have envied, and al.
most made Mrs. Murray shrink from heI
self-imposed task: but she had commenc
ed, and she resolved to finish; so when
Margaret apologlzed for her mother.
absence, she said with frigid hauteur:
"Mrs. Alden is quite excusable in.
deed, Miss Alden, l called expressly to
see you this morning, and am happy to
meet you alone"
There was growing sickness about
Margaret's heart, and q presentiment o.
what was coming; but she listened calm
lp while Mrs. Murray continued, still
more coldly: -as4
"My son surprised me very much las
evening by giving me to understand tha
an engagement, or something Of tha
kind, exists between him and you.
feel it to be my duty to tell you that 70,
can never expect to become his wife,
The entire estate belongs to me, and h'
has nothing, absolutely nothing, bu
what see Ht to give him; aud ! assur,
you, Miss Alden, if he marries you b,