Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1884-12-05

did last evening. In proof of which
have procured license and minister
VIII you be my wife, for fun;'
The very demon of recklessness took
possession Of Miss Thurston. II Carl
son had asked her, before them all, TO
marry him for love, she would have
turned away but for fun; yes, she
would dare as much as he, and she
4 cried in a laughing tone. Yes, Mr.
Carlson, will marry you for fun
At this moment the minister whom
Mr.. Carlson had secured, stepped out
Of his tent, and the young couple took
the place which had been prepared for
them when the mock ceremony had
been in view
BY the time the ceremony was fin
ished the audience had concluded that
the affair had been planned before and
in secret, and that they were the dupes
Of the joke. Accordingly, never was
company gayer than theirs that night
and the merrymaking was continued
into the morning hours.
Two weeks passed after their return,
in which Arthur saw but little of his
wife. Judge Thurstons summer resi-
dence was a number of miles from the
city, and the gentlemen could only run
down for over Sunday. On these days
the two were as uncomfortable as
possible in each others presence and
avoided being left alone together.
But on one Sabbath evening Arthur
came out of the judges library with a
pale face and set lips. Ascending the
stairs with faltering steps he sought
his wife's room and knocked at the
door. Come in," said low voice.
Entering, he saw Margaret sitting in
a low chair, with her light brown hair
falling about her shoulders in great
prOfusion. lie had never seen her 50
before, and some great mental emo
tion prevented him from noticing the
look of glad surprise which flashed into
his wife's face as she perceived who
her visitor was Mr.. Carlson checked
the impetuous words which rose to his
lips. Margaret" he said, advancing
to her side. "you and l made a great
mistake. take my due share of the
/ blame; but even | would never have
dared 10 do this if had not thought
- DuGllo mat&er what l thought. We
were married for fun, of course, and
now we dc rot find it SO much fun as
we anticipated. | have been speaking
with your father. He will not hear to
a divorce,nor is there sufficient grounds
for one, if we desired it. But he agrees
with me that yod and | cannot live
in this mutual state of unhappi-
ness. 1t is necessary that one member
of our firm should live abroad. | shall
have all my arrangements completed
by next week to sail for Europe. This
is not 50 hard for me, for | am man,
but for you-God forgive me for
what
you mistake, Mr. Carlson" inter
rupted his wife. at is the easiest and
most appropriate thing that could be
done"
krthur waited moment as if tC
hear some word OF farewell, but the
figure before him never moved oil
spoke. Then, gazing intently at his
wife, he turned and left the room.
All night long Margaret sat in the
little, low chair. Only once she
stopped to pick up a crushed nowel
with which he had been playing an(
pressed it passionately to her lips.
Two years now passed away ant
the following winter found judge
Thurston and his daughter under tn,
gentle skies of Florence. The Judg,
was suffering in health, which som'
said was due to Margaret's unluck!
marriage.
Several days after their arrival Mar
garet met her landlady in the hall
just coming out of the room opposite
Stopping to inquire if any one were i'll
the kind but gossipy little landlad,
began TO tell in broken Italian of tn
young foreigner who had come to he
a few weeks before, and who shOrtl,
after had been taken i'll with fever
and now was very i'll indeed Sh
conducted Margaret into the room
The curtain was closely drawn, AM
coming from the light into the dark
ness she was blinded for moment
Not so with the sick man. Looking
up to greet his visitor he uttered
, sharp cry aud the one word "Margie.
Margaret stood as if stunned, an
then advanced rapidly. The sick ma
. was Arthur Carlson. He raised hi
thin, wasted hand and tenderly stroke
the bright locks on the pillow besid
e him. poor little Margie," he sal
y family, you will soon be free now
$ Then, Margaret never knew how
e she forgot everything connected wit
e the past; she only remembered that tn
S man lying there, sick unto death, wa
her husband. At last the proud spirl
s was humbled, AID she confessed whf
:. she had kept SO jealousy guarded
?, her own breast for so long. "Oh, A
/ thur" she cried in her agony; ooh, m
ie husband, only forget the past and II
d to live for the future. God helpln