River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-09-15
A PLEASANT LOVE.

II have got some news for you, Mag
gle" he said, one day, about eighteen
months after he had gained his com
mission. Guess what it is.
They were walking along the greer
lanes of Perlock, listening to the cease
less murmur of the sea, as at intervals
they had walked and listened ever since
they could remember; at any rate, she
was six years younger than her former
play fellow.
.You are going to be promoted" she
said
promoted, you little goosel No one
ever gets promoted in the British army
Guess again"
You are going to marry an heiress.
There was lump in her throat as she
said it.
Wrong again No estimable young
person with green eyes, a turn-up nose
susceptible heart and fifty thousand a
year has turned up yet. But it's some
thing nearly as good. I'm ordered to
China"
ooh, Aic!' she gasped and burst into
tears. 1t was very foolish of her, but
then she was ouly sixteen and had not
yet acquired the praiseworthy art O!
concealing her feelings.
"Why, whatever are you crying fOrl'
ne asked, and kissed away her tears.
He'd kissed her ever since she was five,
and thought no more of it than if she
had been his sister, or the cat, except
ing perhaps that it was nicer-Which
it was, no doubt. 81 shall only be away
five years at most, and when come back
I'll bring you a pi9tail and an ivory
tooth pick, and a whole lot of things,
and"
eyes" she said, listening attentiyely.
"But then you'll be young woman
i forget-and out and all that sort
of thing, and won't condescend to
speak to a poor lieutenant: you will
have ali the squires and fox-hunters
about the place at your feet"
ooh, no, indeed, shall not, Alic, ;"
she said eagerly.
"But 1 tell you you will / believe
you are Il born little firt, and l shall
come back and find"
But she burst into tears again, and
put up her pretty little hand as if to
stop his teasing, which she could not
bear Just then. 1t seemed so cruel of
him to laugh and joke when he was
going away for five years. He did not
seem to care bit, and she could have
broken her heart on the spot, and
would have gladly done so, ard thrown
away the pieces, so as never to be both
cred with it again. Then seeing her
mOurnful blue eyes, he was merciful
II believe | shall come back and find
you Just as great little darling as you
are now, and if we've got any money
we'll get married and live happy ever
after, and if we haven't, Wen get mar
ried and starve ever after-unless, of
course, the heiress turns up"
ooh, | hope she won'tr' said Maggie,
like truthful little idiot "Shall you
ever write to me, Alic dear?"
ayes, of course | shall, and | shall
expect you to write six pages crossed,
and all that sort of thing you know"
So Alic Granger went to China, and
Maggie waited hopefully enough for a
letter. but six months passed and none
came. Perhaps it takes longer for
letter to get here from China" she
thought, knowing as little about the
means Of transit and the time it took as
if the celestial city had been in the
moon. But year passed, and no let
ter came, and Maggie journied into
womanhOod, but no word or sign came
from Alic Granger, and at last she gave
him up altogether.
Maggie was twenty years old when
her father died. and the creditors did
pounce down, and she and her mother
were sold out. Mrs. Dunlop was of
fered a home in London by sister who
was we'll off and bad-tem cred, and it
was thankfully accepted.
Maggie went as governess into the
family of Mrs Marshall of Woolwich
Mrs. Marshall's daughter by her first
husband was really mistress Of the es-
Enlistment, for Maria Patterson had a
strong will and she was an heiress. "a
very nasty heiress, too" poor Maggie
thought, and she was right, for Maria
was skinny and thought herself sar-
castle and always said nasty things to
people who did not dare to say them
back again.
One evening when Maggie had been
about year at Woolwich, and the was
sitting alone in her school-room as usu-
nj, for ner pupils had just said good
night, and been delivered to the tender
mercies of their nurse, Miss Patterson
walked in very much dressed, and rath-
er flushed and excited.
Miss Dunlop she said, eve shall
have a few friends this evening, and l
know one or two of them like an inn
promptu dance; will you be ready to
come into the drawing room and play if
we should want your
In the evening she put on her shabby
black gown. and stuck spray of white
flowers in her golden hair, and waited
patiently for the summons. When it
came, with a roll of music under her
arm. flush on her innocent, fright
ened face, and a scared, almost hunted
expression in her eyes, she descended
and timidly opened the drawing-room
door, and there stood still for mo-
ment staring in astonishment. There
sat the heiress with an eager, pleased
expression on her face, and leaning
over her, talking and laughing, and
more handsome than ever. sun-burnt
and soldierly-looking, was Alic Gran
ger The color rushed to Maggie's
face, and then left it altogether. She
recovered, self-possession, however, and
walked with what she iattered herself
was great dignity toward the piano.
She felt rather than saw him raise his
mead and look at her, and the next mo-
ment she saw him by her side.
"Maggie-my dear Maggie! Why,
fancy your being here; where did you
come from? l have been trying to find
you out for months"
g thought you and then she did
not know how to go on, so added al
most piteously, II am the governess
here"
Are YOU? Oh, l see, then, that is
the reason l have not seen you before,
suppose"
do YOU really know Mis- Dunlop :"
the heiress asked, coming up and
speaking in her coolest manner.
Maggie wished sincerely she could
sink into her shoes and bury herself.
"Why, of course do we have been
playfelloWS ever since we were born
haven't We Maggie?"
And Maggie, feeling that she was
backed up, answered bravely
YES"
ION, indeed, how interesting - then
turning 10 Maggie; "Will you be so
good rs to begin waltz, Miss Dunlop?
This was to be our dance, l think, to
Allie, and She sailed off with hlm II