News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-10-26
MARJORIE REED.
BY JENNY WREN.

BY JENNY WREN.
Marjorie Reed was neither belle MOI
beauty, nor could she boast of lands mol
lordIy wealth. She was but simple
little wayside fower-the daughter OF
honest folk, but at the time our story
opens an orphan.
Her father, fisherman, had been lost
at sea three years before, and her moth
er had not long survived the awful
shock.
Marjorie was but seventeen then, but
already there was an honest lad enough
who thought her none too young to
make good and true wife to him.
1t was no sudden thing, this love Of
John Harwood's. It had nestled deep
down In his heart ever since she was a
tiny girl, and he, great, awkward boy,
had held the hand which seemed SO
small as it lay in his brown paln, while
they walked, or he carried her in his
arms across the rough places which they
CHANGED to meet.
Long years back he had determined
that so he would like to lead and carry
her through life; and so, when she was
left desolate and alone, he spoke.
She listened in strange, bewildered
way to his words. He had seemed to
her always to hold the same position
which other girls, more blessed than
she, would find in their brothers, and
she shrank from this new way of look
ing at him-shrank as would have told
a wiser, more experienced man betok-
ened little hope of her hearts awaken
ing; but John HARDWOOD was not wise,
and at the feet of this little, untutored
girl he had poured the whole passionate
love of his life.
swat a while, please, john" she
had said, when he had pleaded for his
answer. SITS all true you say. am
alone in the world now, and very lone
ly, but I am not old enough to know
how to make a good wife, and-and,
John, don't think 1 love you quite
that way"
But that latter statement he refused to
credit. He would wait as long as she
might ordain, but at the end she must
give him his reward.
So one, two, and nearly three years
had passed, and he was waiting still,
strong In courage, IN patience and in
hope; but just when he thought the end
nearing-Just when his hand was
eagerly extending itself to grasp the
long-coveted prize-it was snatched be-
yond his reach, and lost to him forever.
There was no circumstance missing
to make the reality wholly hard and
bitter. Alex Winston had one day,
wholly by chance, moored his trading
vessel on the sands on which the little
town was built.
Wholly by chance he and Marjorie
had met; wholly by chance he and Mar
iorie had loved; for so it was. Plentiful
as were the pretty girls along the coast,
not one of them had won, with all their
arts, what had fallen to little Mariorie's
unthinking hands like dew from heaven.
Brave, handsome Alex loved her.
In the evening OF the day she plighted
her troth to him, John came up to the
cottage, as he always came at nightfall,
and before she could tell him, be re-
preached her for coquetting with
stranger.
''It is no coquetry, john" she an.
swered him. 81 love him, and I am to
be his wife,"
For the first time in her presence, a
great oash escaped his lips, and, white
as marble, he sprang up from his chair.
81 will kill you first, and him p he
Kissed between his teeth; and, with no
further word, strobe out from the
house.
But she forgsve him the bitter words,
because by her own newborn love she
could measure the suffering which
through his had come to him. Until
that moment she had not realized that
she had done the man a cruel wrong.
She meant to tell Alex when he came.
but fear lest it should make him angry,
and breed yet greater bitterness between
he two, kept her silent. Alex was too
Joyous and happy to notice the slight
frown upon her brow. Besides, he was
full OF a new purpose. He wished to
make Marjorie his bride at once, he said.
He and his good ship were off for long
cruise, and he must leave his little wife
behind him.
Marlorie's demurral was very feeble.
She felt his name would be protection
to her when he was gone. Heretofore
John had protected her; but now she
suddenly realized that she might no
longer lean upon him.
30 when Alex left her, he carried with
him her promise that the following Sun
day should hear read their bans; but of
John neither had spoken. Neither did
she see him in the three weeks. at the
end of which was set her wedding
day.
Absorbed in her new Joy, she found
scarcely time to wonder at this; but on
80 NSAOAO lOA was TO take
place, she sent for him, but shrank
away, afraid, when, in answer to her
summons, he came into her presence,
and she saw the awful change this little
time had wrought in him.
Iimidly she held out to him her
hands; but the only words she could
command, in sight of the dumb aoonv
written on his face, were a plea for par
don.
"Forgive me, John r. she muir
INJURED.
But he laughed harsh, shrilI laugh.
as he replied
''For what You have done me no
wrong, for you'll never be wife to Alex
Winston. He's light o. love 70
And with these cruel words he left
her,