West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-02-27
A PEACE-0FFERING
A Valentine Story with a Moral.
for Young Readers.

Margery Wright was not a beauty.
Even the most charitable person in the
world could not admit that she had the
smallest claim to such n title.
The boys in the Delving Seminary said
that Margary had squat figure and
pug" nose. They also alluded to her
mouth in way that brought angry
tears into her eyes. They said it opened
like pair of oyster-tongs. These
young gentlemen had lived for twelve
or fourteen years, and had not yet &c
quired good manners
AS said before, Margery was not re-
markable for her good looks. Her
mouth was too large and her nose was
ridiculously small; but she had "A pair of
honest, tender, brown eyes. and "A heart
great enough TO forgive the worst tor
mentor in the school
She had very lonesome life i'm that
grim-looking building. She felt out of
place there among all those grave Pro-
lessons and those miScheyous BOYS
She was eleven years old. and she was
the only girl in the world who had ever
been taught to read and write and
cipher i'm Delving Seminary.
When she was six years old. her
father and mother died, leaving her n
little helpless creature, without a friend
IN the world. Margery had not the
least idea what was to become OF her
she had cried because of her forlorn
condition until her heart and ewes had
ached. She cried SO bitterly that her
grief had appealed to the sympathie, of
old DR.. Delving, the Principal of the
Seminary. and he had taken her home
with him, promising that if she was n
good girl he would educate her and
give her home.
Margery was very grateful TO the doc
tor and she had done all in her power
10 be useful to him. She did great
zeal Tor the boys, too, though they did
half worry the life ont of her She
counted their clothes when they came
rom the laundry; she patiently mended
their socks until they were past all rem
ovation shes busted their rooms. and
did thousand little kindnesses which
no one noticed nor appreciated. And
with all these duties she had her rcpu-
lar hours of study and she improved
them too. She intended to be- q
teacher some day and keep school OF
her own.
She had her play-time. also. for the
good doctor had insisted that all wor,
and no play was as bad for GIRL rs for
r boy. But Margerv had never i'm her
life had any playthings She had
scarcely missed them until her ewes
happened one day 70 fall upon a pair of
Silver-plated skates She wanted
them.
IL she had been educated i'm select
seminary for Young ladies. instead of
THIS school for rough bows. her taste
might have been NOR, refined. Under
those different circumstances She MIGHT
have crayed a doll. or baby-hOtIse.
but imagery knew nothing Of orl' .
hmusements. When she du-t ii the
boys rooms she discovered their TOYS.
and She often puzzled her Itle hcld
trying TO guess what they were for.
She examined and admired them. and
sometimes came to grief through her
curiosity. This had happened when
sle had tied TO trundle Ma ter Hector
Wood s bicycle along the floor. lust as
she would have propelled a Dabv car
rage. On this occasion the bicycle had
acted IN the quecrest manner. n had
twisted itself almost double. and At
tempted to travel in two directions at
once. Then IL had act d Ike baIkv
horse, and finally 10 had fallen over ON
Us SIDE with % lrighiful crash. disturb
ing the morning recitatiou- and almost
crashing her little foot. Was there
ever girl a- uulucky "a. ,hc9
But the skates. These were after her
own heart. She said nothing about
thsn. bat she wished and wished for
them until -he was as near being uu-
happy as such cheerful l.lIs soul
could be-. Whenever She went 10 fhc
village ON an errand for the house
keeper poor Margery falcncd her alb
scot little nose against the .hOp-wiudYw.
behind which the tempting skate. wero
exhibited Once she had ycnturcd JIM
side Che store and timidly asked Tine
price II them. but the .hop.kccuor had
not given her "a satisfactory answer. Ue
had glanced 90 her shabby little figure.
and decided that She had no, enough
money to buy an ic.-p.ck to -1v nofhiuV
81 purchasing - pair Of -.lycr-plafad
tkatf- So be- had only said that be
'reckoned that they wouldn't cost "a
hundred dollars and MarQcry was
fsill in doubt about them
A hundred dollars, Sine rave GREAT
slgh 40 the mention OF 20 large n mm
To her childish wi ion .f appeared like "a
great fortune. She wondered how the
s.op-kecpsr could peak oI DO BOO chat
glib uurDIrcruaI manner m.. a. .ra
might have mentioned daudoIion. OH
some hing oven Joss pr.teulou.
Neterihe.c.-. She looked af the Cove
eted pair of skates ever, time She passed
Tho window iH which thcy were dis.
PLAYED, and 1uc Iay She not ccd "a ticket
fastened ~ them Ou which was printed
tie price. She read that eight dollar.
could bug Che best pS.v Of skate. iu thc
window.
Now MaFgery had some money .r "a
bank. Not q great building with iro5-
blrred window. mysterious vaults and
sale. end crowd Jf b,u aftsnt,tc