Connecticut western news., 1882-10-11
MARJORIE REED.
BY JENNY WREN.


 beauty, nor, could she boast of lands no1 lordly wealth. She was but simple little wayside fower-the daughter oi 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- CT 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.
 It 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 palm, while they walked, or he carried her in his arms across the rough places which they chsnced 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 Harwood was not wise, and at the feet of this little, unsutored girl he mad poured the whole passionate love of his life.
 "Wait while, please, John,' she had said, when he had pleaded for his answer. "It's all true you say. I am alone in the world now, and very lone- ly, but I am not old enough to know how to make 8 good wife, and-and, John, I don't think 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 jorie had loved; for so it was. Plentiful as were the pretty girls along the coast not one of them had won, with all theil arts, what had fallen to little Marjorie'i minimizing hands like dew from heaven Brave, handsome Alex loved her.
 In the evening of the day she plighte6 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. "I love him, and I am te be his wife"
 For the first time in her presence, { great oash escaped his lips, and, white as marble, he sprang up from his chair
 'I will kill you first, and him l'' hs missed between his teeth; and, with nt further word, strode out from tn, house.
 But she forgave him the bitter words because by her own newborn love sh could measure the suffering whicl through his had come to him. Unti that moment she had not realized tha she had done the man cruel wrong.
 She meant to tell Alex when he came but fear lest it should make him angry and breed yet greater bitterness betwee the two, kept her silent. Alex was to joyous and happy to notice the sligh frown upon her brow. Besides, he wa full of new purpose. He wished t make Marjorie his bride at once, he saii He and his good ship were of for a lon cruise, and he must leave his little vii behind him.