Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-11-04

SUPPORT. His brother was III college
at his expense. and. with this double
responsibility. he had hesitated about
speaking of his love TO Margaret. He
finally decided to tell her Of it and
explain to her his situation. lie
said that he had not the presumption,
oven if she could return his love. to
ask her to wait for him during The
years which must necessarily inter
vene before he could have wife and
home of his own.
IL told him,' said Margaret.
that [ world wait for linn forever
for love him
80 they were engaged. Margaret
wore his modest little ring, and ] do
| not think the sun shonc upon hap
pier pair of lovers. He was worthy
even of her.
The spring came. and with the
first song of the birds and the perfume
of the flowers | was married. 1t
needed but the fruition of my Mar
geret's loye to complete my happiness.
We went housekeeping in Il part of
this old house. and thus, You sec,
Margaret and | were still together.
She came and went from her school
in the sweet springtimc. full OF deep.
quiet happiness. When the summer
came she went homo with MIR. Ed
monds to visit lis mother, who had
written constantly to her since the
engagement. She returned to us in
season for the re opening Ct the
academy, where she was still to teach.
She and Mr.. Edmonds taught and
studied together He was fine
scholar, and she was fast following
in his footsteps. Their love and hap
piness increased with every passing
day.
1.-THE winters followed the sum-
mers and found them still working
together They were making plans
for their new home together in the
near future. The brother, for whom
he was sacrificing SO much, would
soon be enabled to relieve him of
much responsibility. She spent
many happy hours with me and the
little ones, for she was very fond of
my babies. She was not girl to
talk-as / often hear of girls talking
now days of love as a trivial thing,
and her hopes were too sacred for
common conversation, Not even to
me did she often refer to it; but
knew how her loving heart looked
forward to the contamination of her
bright hopes.
II never saw man SO entirely
devoted 10 any woman as Mr.. Ed
monds was to her. He seemed to
look upon her as treasure too pre-
cious and beautiful for him.
Margarot's years of waiting were
finally at end, and in a few weeks
she would enter upon her new life
A house was ready for them al
, Alden, where, after few weeks trip
; they intended to locate. How should
, miss her! But that was thought
tried to keep in the background, and
enjoy the present to the utmost.
at was lovely day in October, 9
week before the wedding day, that
Mr. Edmonds came into Margaret's
parlor looking fearfully i'll. He
stoutly insisted that i was nothing
but a slight cold, and laughingly re
fused to he doctored,' as he expressed
it. The next morning he was unable
to rise, and the doctor pronounced
his malady diphtheria of the most
malignant type. As the long day
wore away he continued to grow
worse, and at nightfall was delirious
and suffering terribly. Margaret fol
lowed the physician into the hall and
told him if there was any danger she
, wished to send for his mother and
brother Kind old Doctor Seaton
who had known Margaret from hel
birth, laid his hand gently upon hen
shoulder, and only said;
"' Send at once, my child
"For two days he suffered terribly
Margaret never left him. Pale, tear
less, strong, and tender, she was by
his side day and night His mother
too, was with him on the third day
when the end came.
"The sunset light stole into the
room rs he opened his eyes upon
Margaret and smiled. A sunbeam
fell aslant upon the pillow and lit M
the face with angelic beauty. Mar
garet knclt down and laid her head
beside his, aud when. a few minutes
after, we raised her, he was dead
The beautiful young life had ended
Margaret stood looking down
upon the dead face of her love with.
out n sound. She bent down and
kissed him, then turned and left the
room, waving aside any assistance
and no one saw her that day. When
night came pale faced, hollow-eyed
woman issued from the room, and
spent tho long, dark hours alone with
.her dead
"This was the end of her beauti.
full dream, my sweet Margaret! The
next morning she came to breakfast
looking as II years had passed over
her head. Her eyes had great dark
shadows beneath them, her lips were
drawn with suffering. But from this
morning Of her sorrowful life no
one ever heerd Of moan over her
bereavement To her loving father
and mother she was the spirit OF
devotion. Well as / knew Margaret
| did not dream of the strength which
lay behind that frail exterior. TO Mrs.
Edmonds she was the dutiful, loving
daughter, and together they took
their dead to his childhoods home
and laid him beside his father.