Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-07-21
MARGARETS MONEY.

man, anu sneS d gOOd girl. one IL De
catch for somebody"
Then thought he looked at me-
"Why should he look at me?" !
thought. "U'm not a husband worth
angling for, as he knows very well, this
man who pays me my small salary every
week with his own hands"
Still he did look at me, and | answer
ed with word or two; l forget what
now.
EYES," he said, talking with a mean
ing, too, looking at me evidently to see
how took the news; Eyes, and what
do you suppose she does with it2 Has
it locked up in my fre-proof safe in my
tire-prOOf vault; doesn't use it in any
way; doesn't get interest on it; locks
1t up as she does her rings and pins,
and lets it lie never touched"
II wonder you don't give her better
advice > said.
"Give a woman advicew he said.
Try it. However, | approve of this.
Better keep her dowry locked up safe
than risk and loose it. I'm her guar
dian. Her father and quarreled, 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 niece quartered on him for life!
I'll marry her of as soon as [ can. l
say, Fisher, come up and take tea with
me tonight"
He did mean it! He offered his niece
and $4,000 to me! He had never liked
me either.
"Shall l go?" l 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 of? 1t could
do no harm to take tea with old Sim
con Giddings. l went home with him
that evening. [ noticed some little
changes in toe parlor, as though lady's
hand had been busy there, and in mo-
ment more | saw, sitting in the shadow
of the curtains, girl dressed in deep
mourning.
Margaret, Mr.. Fisher; my neice,
Miss Giddings, Tom, said the old man
and as | bowed [ saw little velvet
headed crutch leaning against the girls
chair. She was lame then. Old Gid
dings thought this an obstacle to her
making good match, so he offered her
to Tom Fisher.
at won't do, old man." l thought.
81 shouldn't mind plain face, so
much, but lame wife will never do
for me-" Then something whispered in
my ear. family; "95,000w For the
rest Miss Giddings was fair and pleas
ant 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 supper
very sweetly. l liked a girl with dash
and color, and still her blue eyes and
sweet smile haunted me little after !
went home. shell never quarrel with
one," | thought; " and woman worth
$4,000 would be a catch certainly; but
that crutchl 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 go home with
him. There was Marian Moore. Per-
haps she liked me q little, | admired
her intensely; but she had no money,
and | should take her away from her
snug home to some poor place if |
married her. l 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 NE. And sat in the
office one day, three months from the
time of my first visit, wondering wheth-
er could be quite sure that 1 should
be good enough to the little thing !
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, eh? Well, well, when
a fellow is in love we excuse laziness in
him. There's my niece Margaret pour
ing the tea in the slop-basin and over
setting the milk at breakfast. Maggie,
says l, you're a-thinking of some one,
an ye.' She blushed to her ears. You've
managed to get into some good graces
IN that quarter, Tom
''Do you think SOP" / said.
Il know So" said the old man. T.,
ought not to say so, you know, but I'm
frank
7 listened to him then, two voices
whispering to me.
"You don't love her." said one. "You
don't hate her." said the other. II
would make man of you. "You dc
want 95,000," said the other. at
would make man of you. You'd
cease to be a slave in that drug office. y
Five thousand pounds said | to my.
self. Then l started to my feet.
Mr.. Gliding" 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; l am tired of the charge. Every
one dosen't want a lame wife. If you
like her, take her, and on your wed
ding day I'll hand the $4,000 to you
and be rid of the charge"
l 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 s
child. l sat down by her and took hel
hand.
care you going to say No. Mag
gie?" I said, and she lifted her limo