Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-06-13

feather, and you could hear her sing all
over the Il Use, winch she thou2ht she
was alone.
And one day old Hannah came II,
lustjng cbai'7, and Drving about fol
farer-ua1ks on the pant in her odd,
near-siglteI way.
"Mr. Pt5ham," saws she, rubbing
away at a doQr-knob that was as bright
before as hands conId make it. "wiat
would you say if we were to have we'd
ding in the old house 2"
"a wedding !" dropped my pen so
that it made a big round blot on the pa,
per, and stared. "Whv, you're not 60
ing to be married, Hannah, after all
these years.
"Do [ look like it 2" shifted Hannah,
contemptuously-and, to tell the truth,
she didn't very much. "No, indeed,
sir; hope / know my place better thar
that. It's Miss Maggie I'm thinking
of, sir"
sat as if I had been stricken with
paralytic shock. Maggie to be marriedt
Strange that l had never thought Of
that, a. natural consequence of
parties, companies, evening concerts
and summer picnics And somehow
desolate chill crept down my veins as ]
thought how lonesome and dreary the
old house would seem without Maggie.
what makes you think SO, Han
nah ?" [ asked rather dolorously, and
the old woman lowered her voice mys.
terlously as she answered
'Its that Mr. Carlisle-he keeps com,
ing all the time, and it's my honest be-
lief he just wor5hips the ground my
young lady walks on. He is very hand
some, too, and folks tell me he's worth
money"
Mr.. Carlislel Well, old Hannah was
right. He was a tine-looking fellow,
and well-to-do in this worlds goods; but
who was there, after all, worthy OF
my tall, golden-haired princess with
dewy blue eyes and lips like scarlet
coral newly plucked out of the sea ?
Why couldn't Carlisle go off and marry
one Of the wise Miss 2imphiDsea, whose
mother was on the look out for husbands
as an ogress watches for eatabIe young
travellers ? began to hate Carlisle.
"Pooh + said [, upsettine my waste
basket oE papers over the floor with an
unwary tllng of my feet. Il don't think
she carea for Carlisle"
Just you watch her, then, and SEE
for yurrself,' said cid Hannah, wisely
waG2ing her cap. border. q never di1
set up for prophet, Mr.. Pelham, but
them as isn't blind can't help seeing,
aud our eyes is given to us to use
SO old Hannah went her way, leaving
me about as uncomfortable as man
has any business to be. My Maggie to
I've married My pretty blossom to be
pIucked just as soon rs it began to shed
fragrance round my door-stone. l felt
as monarch may whose domains are
invaded by an audacious foe. Should ]
about his business, or should | simply
convey to him by my manners the hint
that his presence was no longer specially
desirable, or-but old Hannah's wort,
recurred uncomfortahly to my mind
should [ at first find ont whether Mag
gle really did care for the young up
start?
My head dropped on my hands-my
heart sunk somewhere below zero at the
jieu! | wondered if all fathers felt sc
when gay young cavaliers came woolne
at their gates And, after all, Maggie
wasn't my real child, dearly as l loved
and tenderly as ] had cherished her
, | think | hardly slept all that night
I tossed to AMI fro on my pillow, count
ing the chimes of the old clock, AS one
! iy one it told the hours, thinking abou
/ Maggie and Carlisle, and wondering i
/ the tardy daybreak would never redde.
/ over the hlll~topf.
/ By that time nv mind was made up
/ l would repress all these selfish ideas
and only think of my girls ultimat,
happiness. If she liked Carlisle. why
Carlisle should have her
rose, dressed and went down to N,
study. The first thing | SAW was not,
lying on my library table. Probably i
had arrived late last night. 1 broke th,
seal; it was from George Carlisle, asking
permission to address Miss Magdale1
Pelham.
Well-it was nothing more than I hat
expected-in fact, it rather e1pedAe>
matters, which ought not to run to-
slowly. I refolded the epistle, ant
looked severely at myself in the opposit.
glass.
You niddle-aged old fogy," quoth I
staring at myself with the severest e1
preston of countenance / could call u
at SO short notice, Il see through you
You have dared to suppose brghteye,
Magdalen could prefer you to these ga.
I vounc fellows nearer her own age-yot