Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-26
SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, April %, 1885.

Forgotten you, little Margie Lee?" said
the old lady, earnestly. 81 have thought
OF you every day since you lett us. Oh,
how lonely we were after you We're gone.
But YOU have come back to Us u0w?"
Yes, have come back" sand Margie,
simply.
A slight noise at the door caused her to
turn, and John Maynard stood before her.
He knew she had returned, but could this
beautiful-rOyally beautiful-wOmap that
rose from her knees and came forw ard to
greet him, her silken robe trailing upon
the carpet, be little Margie, the bright,
pretty girl to whom he had given his heart
so many years ago? 1t must be. for she
held out two pretty hands and said, bright
~ in the familiar voice Of his little girl
sweetheart:
"Ain't you glad to see me, John? can
haTdly think so, though, for you have let
TWO weeks go by since l came home, and
you have not shown your face"
John took the Outstretched hands in his
a moment and looked into the perfect face.
~ was afraid of intruding," he said,
gravoly.
''My friends can never intrude upon
me-" answered Margie, and then she sat
down upon stool at Mrs. Maynard's feet,
and John, who, poor, simple fellow, had
thought his love dead and buried years
ago, sat upon the doorstep and watched
every motion OF the graceful figure, and
listened to every tone of the well-known
voice, and dreamed as he mad dreamed
four years ago.
SO Margie fell into the old habit of going
often and often down the lane to the old
fashioned house of her friend, and John
fell into the habit of coming up to the
farm, as he had done in those by-gone days.
He had not been idle all those years, and
Margie found a new and strange pleasure
in hearing him talk of his busy life and
his plans for the future; and daily the
starry eyes grew brighter, and the fresh
color grew warmer ON the rounded cheek.
And thus another year glided by, and
John Maynard felt that existence might
hold something for him yet in the future.
But he told himself to he patient, not to
startle by unseemly haste the perfectness
Of their intercourse. and so he held tight
rein over his lips and actions, and waited
for the time when his self-tmpOsed prOba-
tion should be at an end.
And at last June blossOmed, and sent
abroad over the earth her store of sweets.
Margie went as usual one evening to
spend a short time with her old friend.
She had fingered, talking with Mrs. May
mar until the night had fallen and the
stars glowed In the purple dome overhead;
then, kissing her companion goodnight,
she went slowly out into the beautiful
night.
John stood awaiting her at the gate, and
the two passed out and strOlled along the
familiar path as they had done five years
ago.
They walked silently along until they
reached the point where John had lost
that other opportunity of speaking the
words that burned on his tongue. The
thought of that moment stirred him sud-
denly, and pausing abruptly in the road
he turned toward the figure at his side.
"Margie," he said, huskily. Give years
ago tonight, upon this spot, had intend
ed to tell you l loved you, and to ask you
to become my wife. You know what
came between. But tonight my love is
as strOng-O my darling, ten-fOld stron-
ger-and | ask you the same question
now that l had hoped an answer to then
DO YOU love me, Margie, my beautiful
darling? VIII you come to me after my
long, lonely waiting?"
And Margie knew by the peace and ut
ter content that entered her soul that
this was the true love Of which she had
dreamed. -COUTjeT-,JOIrndk.