The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-10-25
PETER MACKEY'S THREE SWEET
~ HEARTS.

maid, lake mucn interest In other
peoples love affairs. My friends know
and humor this little weakness, and
consequently in the course of twenty
years or so l have collected a large
number of love-stories. They are of
all kinds sad, joyful, touching, absurd,
sentimental, or eccentric. But perhaps
the oldest of them all is the one l am
about to relate.
The reasons which decided me to
spend a twelvemonth in certain little
Aberdeenshire village. unknown to
common ken. need not be entered into
here. / had a cottage to myself, and
one maid-servant, by name Mary
Duthie. And what pretty creature
she was, with her golden hair and big
gray eyes, and tall supple figure. Il
was a 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.
/ am afraid spoiled that girl. She
was engaged to Jem Leslie, n farmers
son, who nearly worried the life out of
her by his jealousy-for which sus-
pect he had sometimes cause. The two
quarreled nearly every Sabbath, but
always made it up again in the course
of the week; so that was By no means
surprised when Mary informed
me one day that she had broken
off with Jem Leslie forever; but
very much astonishcd indeed to hear a
few weeks later, that she had promised
herself to Peter Mackey.
~Well, Mary. / said to her, II do
not wish to- intermeddle with love-
affairs, but must say that think Jem
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 mair, for she cud cen TAX care
o. her main SELL" Peter Mackey, she
told me, was to start for Aberdeen, a
well-to-do uncle having found good
situation for him there.
! knew something of Mr.. Peter, as he
was my landlords only son. He was q
tail. handsome young fellow, with q
''gweed aneuch heidi" 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, handsome
enough lassie, good housekeeper, and
an heiress in small way, but Jeanne had
left five or six months ago for London,
to visit an intirm aunt, and now Peter
was engaged to Mary Duthie. l was
vexed about the whole affair, especially
as sympathised with poor Jem Leslie.
fet certainly it was no concern of
mine. Hs.4 ra
do not think that Mary ever re-
ceived any. love-letters from Aberdeen.
II was not the fashion in her village in
those days for lovers to correspond.
But she always wore round her neck
half OF the sixpence which Peter had
broken with her, SO that began to be
/ quite in despair for my favorite 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 visit paid BY her to her old
acquaintance. Mary Duthie. The two
girls had not been together more than
aguarter Of an hour, when sounds of
violent Weeping proceeded from the
kitchcn. fastening in to see what was
the matter, / found Jeanne and Mary
mingling their tears over some letters
which lay on the table, Jeanne greeted
me respectfully, and on my enduring
the cause of their grief, handed me q
letter, saying: 81 ~
viii We be pleased to read that,
memgn ,, -
1t was an eausion of Peter Mackey's.
dated nine months back. It began.
my dearest Jeanie," spoke of the
writer's unalterable affection. reminded
Jeanne of her promise to become his
wife as soon as he should. be able to
provide a suitable home for her, and
was signed: 'sYour own Patie.r = Il
I must confess that my frst feeling,
% rcAdIag tbls was one Of shtisisclIoH