Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-12-13

"Going under another persons name,
too. Shocking! A girl of your position!
1t makes me shudder.n
'Well, shudders are not agreeable. ]
know; and you know / would much
rather have gone in my own name, but
then Miss Percival had written one letter
to this Mrs. Lascelles, so what was to
do? 1t is no. as if were cheating her
in any other way. | am naturally q
better teacher than Miss Perciyalis, and
my testimonials are just as bona tide as
hers. and of a higher class too"
"That has nothing to do with it. 1t
Is wrong. Such reckless folly! Such
silly, unmanageable selfshness! And
as Tor Miss Percival-horrid, little, de-
signing thing! On, YOU are a simple
ton, Margaret! You are going to nurse
a viper in your bosom. Mark my
WORDS and she sat up, looking eN-
cited, ''you are playing q dangerous
game. You are raising this girl into
"a position she was never intended for,
and YOU are trifing with your own Dig
nifty if you would only understand it"
Mrs. Pierce, like most other rather
stupid people. had occasional CLEANS of
sagacity so bright as to be almost start
ling. Also, as is generally the way in
such eases, she had no sooner said one
of these exceptionally sagacious things
than she FASTENED to nullify its effect
by Uttering something more than usual
ly stupid and ill-advised. She did so
now, by continuing in a voice of deep
chagrin:
''You are throwing her at Maurice
Biddulph's head. He has been quite
attentive to her ever since your birth
day. If she plays her cards well, there
is no knowing what may happen; but
you will be cut out, k7aO1C. and all my
hopes will be dashed to the ground"
Margaret's color deepened, and her
eyes flashed. Laura had never gone so
far-ventured so openly to state what
scheme filled her mind.
IS Really, Laura, il your hopes are
that shall be married to Mr.. Biddulph,
the sooner they find the ground the bet
ter. They will never be fulfilled. l
despise him; and my chief reason for
doing what | am doing is that l may
be far enough away from him. Let him
marry Miss Percival if he likes. She is
much too good for him.
"Gon calculated Mrs Pierce, faint
~. $50! With your last words you
insult meme who have Loved you
like my own child. But 1 might have
Known might have expected-but
60! The world is full of ingratitude.'
Margaret burst out laughing, went
up to her, and kissed her.
don't fret yourself, Laura! I am
not so ungrateful as you think. But l
know one thing, that it is time for me
to be going, and that see the luggage
going off, and the carriage coming
round. Goodbye, dear; and when you
write TO me, for heavens sake don't
forget that my name is Miss Percival."
She bestowed a final kiss upon her
PROSTATE cousin. who was too deeply
hurt in her mind to be able to make
any reply, and, leaving the room, ran
down stairs into the hall, where Tom
was still awaiting her. He was going to
see her off. Miss Percival was to meet
them at the station with her sister, for
the three Travelled together as far as
Leeds. Tom and Margaret got into the
carriage, and the youth sat beside her,
signing deeply occasionally, and saying
at last in a doleful voice:
"Margery, l don't half like this
dodge of yours.
..Don you, Tom? am little old
er than you, and you must let me Judge
for myself
"Oh, of course, and I don't agree
with all that the mater says about
Madness and folly and all that. All
the same, 1 wish you were going to
your own place. to do the thing prop
erly, instead of sending those other
women to prowl about"
"Oh, Tom, what a naughty thing to
sayr'
II can't help it. It's what I think.
And say, Margaret, there's sure to be
a curate at this place you're going to.
Don't fall in love with him-for my
sake, don'tp'
Margaret laughed.
b ..Did you ever know curate who
wasn't already engaged to some sweet
young creature very unlike me? I'm
not going to fall in love with anybody
Make your mind quite easy"
When they arrived at the station and
had found their way to the platform,
they discovered there Miss Percival and
her sister. delicate-looking girl, with
whom Margaret had already become
acquainted, and whom she liked better
than Marion; and in attendance upon
almost rubbed her eyes
in her ingenious surprise = Maurice
She pressed Toms arm,
who returned the sign of silent amaze
ment, and returned Mr.. Biddulph's cool
greeting with frankness which showed
at least that she bore no malice. She
glanced at Marion and saw the height
ened color in her face, but took no no.
tice of it. She stood talking to Tom
and the elder Miss Percival until their
train came up, when there was great
hustle, and when they were all seated
and the train was on the point of start
ing, Mr.. Biddulph, addressing himself
in pointed manner to Marion, OBJ
served:
81 am sure it will be delightful in
that part of the world to which you are
going, Miss Percival. Don't be sur
prised if some fine afternoon walk in
and ask you to give me cup of tea at
kettle-drum time
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