The Magnolia gazette., 1884-10-16

to her. And during that week she
passed much Of her time in tears. Mrs.
Baggett would not leave her alone. To
give Mrs Baggett her due, it must be
acknowledged that she acted as best
she knew how for her masters interest,
without thinking of herself. II shall
90 down TO Portsmouth. I'm not worth
thinking Of, amt. There them at
Portsmouth as Il take care Of me. You
don't see why | should 20. ! dare say
not but I'm older than you, and | see
what you don't see. I've borne with
you as miss, because you've not been
upsetting; but still when Pyc lived
with him for all those years without
anything Of the kind, II has set me hard
sometimes. As married to him,
wouldn't put up with you; so tell you
fairly But that don't signify. 1t amt
sou as signifies or me as signifies It's
only him. You have got to bring your
self to think of that. What the mean
ing Of your dNy to your neighbor. and
doing unto others, and all the rest of itP
You ain GOT to think Just Of your own
self; no more haven't l."
Mary said to herself that il was John
| Gordon Of whom she had to think. She
recognized the truth Of the lesson about
seltishness; but love to her was more
| imperious than gratitude.
''There's them at Portsmouth as'll
take care Of me, no doubt Don't you
mind about me. | amt going 10 have
Il good time at Portsmouth, but people
amt born to have good times Of it,.
You're going To have a good time. But
il amt for that, but for what your duty
tells you. You that haven't Il bit on u
sup but what comes from him, and you
to stand shilly-shallying! can't abide
The ideal'
Thus Mrs. Baggett taught her q
great lesson the greatest lesson we
may say which man or woman can
learn. She was minded TO 20 to Ports
mouth, although Portsmouth to her
was little better than q hell upon earth.
But Mary could not see Mr.. Whittlc-
Stairs claim in the same light. The
one point on which it did seem to her
that she had made up her mind was Mr..
Gordon's claim, which was paramount
to everything. Yes; he was gone and
might never return. 1t might he that
4 lie was dead 1t might be even that he
had taken some other wife, and she wa,
conscious that not word had passed
her lips that could be taken as prom
isc. There had not been even n hint o.
promise. But il seemed 10 her tha
this duty Of which Mrs. Baggelt spoke
was due rather 70 John Gordon than t
Mr.. Whittlestaff.
She counted the days--nay, sh,
counted the hours, till the week hat
run by. And when the moment haC
come at which All answer must be given
John Gordon was still the hero Of he
thoughts. HWell, dear he said, put
ting his hand upon her arm, Just rs h,
had done on that former occasion. III
said no more, but there was world o
entreaty in the tone of his voice US III
uttered the words.
" MIR. Whittestaf ~
] "Weli, dear
81 do not think can. do not thinl
I ! ought. You never heard of Mr.
/ John Gordon"
"Neyern
He used TO come to our house d
/ Norwich, and-and-I loved him.
l "What became Of him?' he asked
3 ina strangely altered voice. Was ther
TO be q Mr.. Compass here, too, 70 inter
lclN Will MS HbpplncSSF
He was poor, and he went avn
[ when my stepmother did not like him
( "Hou had engaged yourself TO him?
"Oh, no. There had been moth n
) of that kind. You will understand tina
! | should not speak to you on such q sui
1 iect, We're it not that am bound to tel
5 you my whole heart But you will ney
Z er repeat what you now hear.
5 "There was no engagementP'
e "There was no question of any sue
s thing"
: "And he is gonePn
4 "Yes,n said Mary; "he has cone.
/ "And will not come back againP'
Then she looked into his face oh, S,
, wistfully. "When did it happen?"
"Whcn my father was on his death
, bed, He had come sooner than that
! but then it was that he went ! think
, MIR. Whittlestalf, that never ought {
= marry any one after that, and therefor
, it is that have told you"
1 You are a good girl, Mary"
0 II don't know about that. | thin
t that ought to deceive you at least il
i nothing.
Il "You should deceive no one.''
! No mI. W HlllleStaU. She an
+ swered him meekly; but there was run
Il ming in her mind a feeling that she hat
q not deceived any one, and that she wa
4 somewhat hardly used b. the advic
+ given TO her
I He has gone altogetherP" he aske,
4 again.
| II do not know where he is-whethe
a he is dead or alive.
{ But if he should come back?'
i heonly shook herhead He had mad
! her no offer. He had said that il h
4 returned he would come first to Nor
r wich. There had been something of
. promise in this; but oh. so littlel An,
t she did not dare to tell him that hithert,
she had lived upon that little.
! Il do not think that you should re
main single forever on that account
How long is it now since Mr.. Gordon
t wentp'
: There was something in the tone il
which he mentioned Mr.. Gordon S nam,