River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-02-09

ucT AdIlQ III ri1lu6, dS II I0SteQ Oh my
arm, in our long walks home from
church on Sunday evenings.
The summer passed; October came,
Angelina returned to the city and
wrote to me. 1t was while we were
eating peaches and cream in the back
porch that evening that said TO Mary:
" will tell you secret if you will keep
it for while, Mary"
ooh, of course ] viii, Mr.. Mactag-
CART"
Il am going to be married this au-
tumn, Mary" said. "Those pretty
letters you always thought came from
my sister are from the lady who is to
marry me. She is very beautiful, very
rich, very stylish, but very kind. You
must come and see US, Mary, when we
are married / shall tell Angelina how
good you have been to me-what q
sweet little sister / found out here in
the Vale of Cruix, Why Mary"
For, as l spoke, felt the little hand
grow Geld and heavy in mine. / saw
her sink backward. The big china
bowl of peaches and cream slipped
with a crash to the ground and shatter-
ed to pieces.
l caught the poor child in my arms.
In a moment she came to herself, and
said she had overtired herself, she
thought They had been baking all
day, and it was warm. And now she
babe me good night. But did not see
her next day, nor the next. She kept
her room, and was not well enough to
bid me goodbye.
Poor little Mary | felt very miser-
able. However, Angelina met me at
Glasgow. She was more beautiful than
ever-more elegant in contrast to my
simple country friend-and very soon
I laughed at myself for the thought
that had been in my heart. OF course
| said it was the baking that had over
come Mary-it was not my news. l
had only been to her as friend--as a
brother. / had not made love to her;
above all, had not fiirted with her.
But l thought of Mary a great deal,
and missed her every hour exactly
oh, yes, exactly-as | might sister.
l wrote to Mrs. Stevenson, and her
answer was very brief.
81 haven't much time to write," she
said in her postscript. "Mary is sick,
and besides being driven, | am anx-
ious."
This letter was in my pocket on the
day when Angelina and | went to-
gether to the bazaar for the benefit of
the Church of st. Matthew.
After we had roamed about the bazaar
and bought all sorts of knick- knacks,
escorted Angelina to seat, and there
sat down to wait while one of the ladies
who, con this occasion only" was doing
good, onerous, hard work, brought us
tray Of refreshments.
AS we sat there slipping our coffee,
two women sat down at the next table
with their backs to us.
81 am very tired, are you not, Mrs.
Russell?" And the other answered:
"Yes, am tired. / don't think that
it is worth the while to come all the
way from Vale of Cruix to Glasgow
sight seeing"
This was the voice of Stevenson's
nearest neighbor, and liked her and
respected her, yet I did not feel quite
sure how Angelina would like an intro
duction, and so refrained from looking
round and making myself known.
al think we had better have tea,"
said the voice. "It's more refreshing
than coffee. Oh, how is Mary to-day.
Think of my never asking before %
MARY is poorly" said Mrs. Russell.
"Oh, Mrs. Cullen, what a pity it is that
flirting young minister came down to
Vale of Cruix. | don't know what Mrs.
was about to let him do as he
did. We all thought he was counting
Mary. She did, poor child. She just
loved him dearly. And the day before
he went away he told her he was en-
gagged to some girl in Glasgow. Pm
afraid it's broken her heart. She told
me all about it. 'Oh, Aunty RUSSELL
she said, Il know l ought to be asham-
ed, but can't help it. He seemed to
like me so. hope I shall die of this
fever, for life is nothing to me now
Ashamed Why, it's he who ought to
ashamed. OF all the things, a minister
20 be cold, cruel flirt, and that is what
Hugh Mactaggart is"
/ listened, but could not move or
speak. 1 felt as though my heart was
also breaking. and oh, the time suffer
ed The women drank their tea and
left, and then Angelina turned to me
with cold, sarcastic smile"
II see by your face that the little sto-
ry is perfectly true, Mr.. Mactaggart,
she said"
angelina" faltered, ~ have done
nothing that should give offense to
YOU"
Nothing but love another woman"
she answered. Glove her, and let her
see it, meaning to marry me. Don't
think I'm hurt; indeed, | am releivedl
| should have kept my word to you but
for this; but not so gladly as | once
should. You are a very good-looking
man, but, on the whole, you don't suit
me. met Mr.. S., at Millport, and he
does. Frankly, 1 have been thinking
what pity it was that must decline
his offer. As to this-Mary, is it not !
wouldn't she make very good min
ister's wife p
1t came to my mind that she would
that she was the only wife for me; that
Ang elina, splendid as she was, would
never have made me happy.
you desire to have your freedom l have
no choice"
81 desire it greatly" she answered.
cit is yours" / said with bow.
After that 1 think that we were both
happier than we had been for days, and
shook hands when we parted.
That night went up to the Vale of
Cruix, and l told Mary that my mar
riage was broken off, and that she was
the only woman had ever loved. She
tried to summon up her pride and re-
fuse me, but failed in the attempt, and
let me take her to my heart. To-day |
am pastor of the church at the Vale of
Cruix. Mary is my wife, AID we are as
plain and quiet a pair IS you could
fancy. l even help my vile pick cur
rants, and have taken turn at the
garden when help was scarce. But do
not envy Mr.. S. his wife, nor pine for
the luxurious possibilities that lost
with Angelina. Mary and my little
home content me.
But one thing is on my conscience. L
have never been able to ask myself the
question, ''Did I flirt with Mary? If
not, what was it ?"
A Ruse at Restaurant
1t is an awkward thing to be absent
minded. The story is told of certain
Philadelphia gentleman, who discover
ed this at his cost. 1t so happened the