The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-10-07
PETER MACKEY'S THREE SWEPT.
HEARTS.

maid, | take much interest in other
peoples love affairs. NV friends know
and humor this little weakness and
consequently in the course of twenty
years or so have s'Slected a larre
number of love-storfes. Thew arc 81
all kinds sad, joyful, touching, absurd,
81 sentimental or eccentric But perhaps
tne oldest OF them all is the one | am
about to relate. wan
Inc reasons which decided me to
spend twelyemonth in certain little
Aberdeenshire village unknown to
common ken, need not be entered into
mere. l had cottage to myself, and
one maid-servant, by name MARY
Duthie. And what a pretty creature
she was. with her golden hair and big
gray eyes, and tall supple figure. Il
was real pleasure to see her at her
work, in her spotless lilac gown and
tucked-up sleeves, and to watch the
fascinating, unconscious grace with
which she did the simplest thing.
l am afraid | spoiled that girl. She
was engaged to Jem Leslie, a farmers
son, who nearly worried the life out of
her by his Jealousy-for which | sus-
pect he had sometimes cause. The two
qnarreled nearly every Sabbath, but
always made it up again in the course
OF the week; so that Twas by no means
surprised when Mary informed
me one day that she had broken
OFF with Jem Leslie forever; but
very much astonished indeed to hear a
lew weeks later, that she had promised
herself to Peter Mackey.
We'll, Mary" | said to her, # do
not wish to intermeddle with love
affairs, but must say that think Jcm
the better man of the two"
But Mary tossed her pretty head and
remarked with reference to her rejected
lover, that ''She was weary O the
creatures havers, an had list tauld
him that he medina fash himself ABBOTT
her'ony MAR, for she cud cen tax care
O her main sell" Peter Mackey, she
told me, was to start for Aberdeen. a
weli-to-do uncle having found a good
situation for him there.
knew something of Mr. Peter. as he
was my landlords only son. He was a
tall. handsome young fellow, with q
''gweed aneuch held" as his father
used to say, but an all-too-susceptible
heart. A pretty face captivated him
directly, though his attachments were
generally more violent than lasting. |
had made up my mind that he would
marry Jeanie SaunderSon, a handsome
enough lassie, good housekeeper, and
an heiress in small way, but Jeanie had
lett hive or SIX months ago for London,
TO Vlsit an intrm aunt, and now Peter
was engaged to Mary Duthie. | was
vexed about the whole affair, especially
as sympathised with poor Jem Leslie.
Yet certainly it was no concern of
mine
! do not think that Mary ever re-
eefved any love-letters from Aberdeen.
1t was not the fashion in her village in
those days for lovers to correspond.
But she always wore ronnd her neck
half of the sixpence which Peter had
broken with her, so that began to be
quite in despair for my fayorlte Jem.
But after three months or so from
Peter Mackey's departure for Aberdeen,
some little incidents occurred which
showed up that young man in his true
light
The first of these events was the re-
turn of Jeanne Saunderson from Lon,
don, and IA visit paid by her to her old
acquaintance, Mary DRhie. The two
girls had not been together more thar
a quarter of an hour, when sounds OF
violent weeping proceeded from the
ffnh 20. ,.,t r-.,
the matter, | found Jeanie and Mary
mingling their tears over some letter:
which Law on the table. ,Jeanie greeted
me respectfully, and on my enquiring
ne cause of their grief, handed me !
letter, saying;
"Will We be pleased to read that
| hem?"
1t was an etluson of Peter Mackey's
| dated nine months back. 1t began
"My dearest Jeanie,' spoke of The
writer's unalterable affection, reminde,
Jeanie of her promise to become hi:
| wife as soon as he should be able Il
provide suitable home for her, ant
was signed: Your own Patio
must confess that my first feeling
on reading this, was one Of satisfaction
at my own discernment. $50 you were
engaged after ALL l remarked; "but
why was nothing said about it. and why
was it broken Off"
'.Ou,n said Jeanie, looking at mt
Indignantly, 'Patie Just asked me tC
be his wife the vera day before sailed
SO there wasna muckle time to lat it bt
known. And as for is being broker
| off, it's Pate We must speir at abOo
that, for / never heard tell OF till Thu
day. Eli! but men are deceivers! Bu
that's no. the warst OF, mem! Mary
give the lady Mrs Birket's letter"
Mrs. Birket, it appears, was Peter
landlady in Aberdeen, and had writer
that morning to Mary Duthie's mother
whom she had known when they wer
girls together, 10 ask some particular
of Peters family and antecedents, a
her niece and adopted daughter, Mar
Hine, was soon to be married to him
Heard We ever the like o that?' eX
claimed Jeanne; 1.-THE man must b
clean daft"
quite agreed with her, for ha
never known a man before who wa
engaged to three women at once
Doubtless, Peter considered his hrs
two affairs as mere tiirtations; still HI
former sweethearts had in their posses
sion letter and pledge which woul
be evidence against him in court la"
But any proceedings of this kind wa
SO foreign TO the natures and prejudice
of the injured girls, that did no NOR
than hint at it.
The following morning, Mar
asked my permission to 60 for Ola
or two to Aberdeen with ,Deanie Saur
derson, as they had thought of pla
for bringing their recalcitrant lover
his senses.
"Gin we dinna' max Peter max
shame to himself my name 5 no Jean
Saunderson," were the parting wore
of that damsel.
Meanwhile Peter was happy IN IL
society of his Qatest) betrothed' WI
was very charming girl; and 1t ma
he little to my hero's excuse to +