Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-26


with his pampered appetite and his i'm
maculate linen he would work a woman
TO DEATH
"For shame, John, to talk so about the
poor young man. You don't suppose |
do his washing, do you? And If you could
only see how much better he looks since
coming here, you would not begrt dye the
little time it takes to prepare wholesome
food for him."
"What do l care how he looked when
he came here? | don't like to see you
shaving yourself to death for him, when
| would"
Here Mrs. Maynard came down the path
from the house, having just espied Margie,
and taking the pretty face between her
hands kissed her warmly.
"Such a long time since we have been
blessed with sight OF your bright eyes,
deary," she said.
81 am sorry," said Margie, ''but you
know my excuse"
Eyes, John told me about your having
an addition to your household. l sup
pose it increases your duties coRsidera-
bly,; but don't work too hard, dear; too
much work is no better for girls than for
boys"
Margie sank down upon the steps as
they reached the porch and said:
''Let us sit out here, Mrs. Maynard; the
air is so pleasant"
So the old lady sat down IN a low arm
chair that stood upon the porch, and John
threw himself down on step at Margie's
feet, content for the present in her near
ness and the delightful thought of that
hOmeward walk he would take with her
when she was ready to 60.
'And how do you like your boarderW
said Mrs. Maynard, presently.
81 like him very much," said Margie,
] n NM tW aE at ~ fNfnuan ~
and he knows so much about everything.
| feel ashamed sometimes, when l hear
him talk, to think how little l know Of
subjects that seem to come up so natu-
rally in his conversation"
John ground his teeth saVagely.
'The popinjayp p he muttered to him
self, ''to sport his little stock of knowl-
edge for the admiration and bewilderment
of this pure, artless young girl"
Her0se from the step and walked toward
the gate, grinding his heels heavily in the
graYelly path, as though he were crushing
beneath them the form of the hated "pop-
Inlay"
After talking some time with her old
friend, Margie rose to go.
you will come again soon, dear
Don't let your new friend keep you away
from US altogether"
81 will not let anything keep me from
you, my dearest FRIEND" exclaimed the
young girl, impulsively, throwing her
arms around the old lady's neck, and rest
ing her soft cheek against the mOtherly
one OF her companion.
''Bless you, my dear child, wherever
you are"
Mrs. Maynard held the fresh young face
close to her own a moment, then released
it, and Margie walked toward the gate,
feeling almost as though she had taken
farewell of something forever.
John walked along quietly few mo-
ments after they left the gate, thinking
how to breach the subject that lay nearest
his heart. Margie talked OF common
place things, and seemed as bright and
friendly as ever; but somehow John
could not lead the conversation up TO the
SUBJECT in his thoughts, and not being a
man to Jump headlOng into a subject like
that in the midst of Indifferent topics, be
was silent, answering only In m0nOsyl-
tables, and sometimes at random, until
Margie began to feel awkward aud some
whathurt at his unusual taciturnity, and
was wishing herself at home, when laugh
ing voices sounded in front of them, and
three figures came in sight. They were
Mr.. Bryant and her, sisters, and upon re-
cognizing Margie and her companion,
vi laughingly declared that Mr.. Bryant
] =
stay, and had insisted upon being shown
the way to her destination to bring her
safely home.
's6e was in good hands," said John,
shortly.
$50 l told him." answered vi, "but
nothing would do him but he must make
sure of it; so off we tramped; but l am
sure I'd rather have staId at home, for
Pve got gravel in my shoes, and feel like
l were making penitential pilgrimage"
Here Margie performed the ceremony of
introduction between the two gentlemen,
each bowling slightly and expressing him
self happy to meet the other; vi, declar-
ing, atterward, that they looked as if
they meant "happy to have eaten each
other"
So Johns opportunity was past, and
not caring to endure the presence Of the
other three, he babe them all goodnight
and started back alone. Poor John!
How many like you have resolved, fer
vently, to do a certain thing, and when
the times comes to put the resolve into
action, fail of courage, and so lose the
only opportunity fate allows them; and,
as consequence, suffer years, or, 1t may
re, lifetime of unhappiness.
The days went on, outwardly, the same
at the farm house. Clarice read innum.
cradle romances and talked Of impossible
remedies for wasted lives.
vi wrote numberless poems; painted
many pictures, and resolved unnumbered
resolves to write and paint les, and work
in the KITCHEN mOre and MIR. Bryan
smoked uncOunted cigars, and bought an
infinite variety Of thoughts; and through
them all ran vain of strange, new, I'M
real ideas, and they were all concerning
Margle. AT first she had been to MIN she
neat, rather pretty girl he had seen stand
ing behind her chair in the dining-rOOm,
that first evening at the farm. Then as
his acquaintance with her grew, and he
talked to her, "A new fire seemed to CLEAN
from her eyes (lOvely eyes, too, he had
found out), and new impressions played
IN her cOuntenance; until finally from
being merely q pretty little country girl,
she had become TO him the being most
desirable upon earth, and he set about 70
cause her to regard him in the same light.
DO you wonder that this was easy 10 do?
A young, warm-hearted girl receives
daily from pleasant, gentle-mannered
Young man all those little attentions lin
hOmely domestic relations that are Ia re-
ality so little, but which express 50 much,
and feeling day 10y day that she, and she
only, is the one 10 whom he pays first
such attentions m just that manner, and
who could not fJresee the result?
Daily Margic's duties grew lighter 10
her spirit the sun sh0ne brighter, the air
blew cooler, the flowers bloOmed gayur,
and life was sweeter Than ever before in