Woodstown register. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 187?-1892, 1883-10-09

dead bankrupt, now the teacher in
this tiny village-tied on her hat and
LETT the schoolroom, never to enter it
again ; for, two weeks after, she stood
onthe deck of a steamer, by the side of
her uncle, her hand clasped in that of
Lewis We're, as she babe him good-by;
Lewis We're. the young and talented
lawyer, who had been her friend in
prosperity, when friends were so
many, and had still remained SO,
staunch and true, when adversely
made friends so few.
Take a run over to us next sum-
mer, my boy" her uncle was saying,
when the signal for all who were
going to hasten on shore was given,
and Lewis, after one look into Marga-
ret's gray eyes. replied:
II will"
And Margaret could not tell why,
as his hand held hers in the brief
moment of parting, her heart became
SO heavy and her eyes so full of tears;
or why, as the land receded, she for
got her recreant lover in thinking of
her steadfast friend.
X
"We have me before, across the
water" Margaret said, quietly, when.
after a night of revelry, her uncle ask
ed her who the stranger was who had
received so many of her smiles.
IAN old friend ? Then / must pay
him some attention, must | not? Lane
presented him, but I saw little of him.
save as your shadow. My dear, will
we have him to dine with us?"
"Ifyou desire to, uncle. He was a
constant visitor of ours when papa
lived"
A peculiar look came over Marga-
ret's face as she spoke, unnoticed by
her uncle.
"Was he a lover, pet p he asked.
A flood of crimson over the girls
fair face was the only answer, and
her uncle smiled ~serenely, thinking he
had found the secret of her rejection
of love in this new land where she
won it SO readily.
And so Lester Allen became one of
the train of those who wooed Marga-
ret Douglas, and only he and she
knew that in the past he had not
wooed in vain.
Margaret" said he to her at last,
when ne had fingered in her presence
and basked in her beauty three
months Margaret | have never
ceased to love you; have lev ceased
to hope that some day that you would
recall your words, and give back the
love you on &c withdrew. I have been
patient. Margaret. hear me now"
She arose from her seat, and looked
fully into his handsome face,
"And so have l been patient" she
said, evenly, a tone of iron running
through her words. "It is three years
since |, or account of your GOODNESS,
offered you freedom, and for those
three years | have hoped-waited for
an hour like this. And now l am free
totell you that, as you once soughtme
for my wealth and left me when it was
not mine, l o won you for the
amusement of seeing you at my feet,
pleading for the love that | could not
give you if would. Are you answer
ed, MI. Allen ?"
A grave shadow had stolen over the
young mans face. He took a forward
step and caught her hand suddenly,
his eyes burning.
"Be generous" he pleaded. "You
loved me once-I love you now as I
never thought l could. At least say
one kind word to me. Let me hope
to win you some time"
She drew her hand from him and
laughed low ripple of musical
: mirth, that smote upon him like a
knell of doom.
: "Loved you, Mr.. Allen I" and again
her low laugh made him shrink !"
"loved you after you had cast mylove
from you as a thing that lacked its
golden finish? Loved you after you
left me in my lonely, impoverished
orphanhood to long for a kind word.
{ a look Of love from you? Loved you
t after you had wantonly trampled the
/, woman's heart you thought was yours
: and left it, a weight of pain, in my
bosom? left my post of labors
among the hills thinking l did love
you. reached this shore knowing I
did not-never had given you more
than a girlish fancy.
She paused a moment and then
went steadily on, her beautiful face
cold, and set in rigid lines.
II am satisfied with my triumph. l
have panied you enough. And now
let mi tell you this. There was n
man who, in the darkest hours of my
orphanage, when you and other wor-
shippers OF my wealth left me to my
lonely labor. was my friend in very
Truth. He is now my I00e,, and, in
the autumn, is to become my husband.
The young man bent his paling
face a moment, saying not a word, for
he knew that he had not been wrong
ed in this as deeply as he had once
wronged her. And, when he lifted
his head to take one more look at the
woman, he now loved with the whole
passion of his heart. she was gone.
In the following October Lewis We're
crossed the ocean for his bride, andas
she stood beside him at the altar he
did not dream that the stain of au hour
of unholy triumph lay on her other
wise spotlcss life. And yet she is a
woman. Are there not times when,
f looking backward, she will breathe in
her W breast !; ut was not well