Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-01-28
MARGUERITE.

on the whole 81 frank, congenial warm
hearted friend. He was wealthy, and
beside his house in the city, he had a
villa at Long Branch, and d small
summer residence in the Adirondacks;
but this time we had come to little
outof-the-way fishing village on the
Penobscot to spend the summer, |
think from the fact Tom had got tired
OF being angled for by mammals who
had marriageable daughters.
Tom was great favorite with the
fair sex. That is one thing l never
understood about him. While he was
most attentive to their most trivial
wants, he frankly declared himself
perfectly indifferent to their subtle
charms. But it was his way, and l
thought nothing OF it.
People seemed to come here mostly,
TO build up their systems, instead OF
reducing thcm, and enjoy few weeks
OF rest And yet, there were those
who came to kill time, or because GER
tain of their set were there; and so it
usually turned out that there was a
fair display of beauty, fashion and
folly-enoueh to attract the admira-
ton of the observant villagers, the
feminine portion OF which took birds
eve view from all the chamber win
dows OF the quaint houses, as in close
proximity as possible to the world
gone mad.
For me, | was too much taken up
with my sketches to take part in any
OF the doings which took place at the
hotel, and was a quiet observer OF all
that passed 1t was an out-of-the-
way place, and the only possible in
ducement for people to come here was
the vast amount of pleasure they
could have off of little money. A
pleasant country, dotted around by
brown old homesteads and orchards
OF delicious fruit; there was but little
opportunity for amusement here, ex-
cept the pleasant walk that nature
had furnished.
There were here at this time about
100 visitors stopping at the hotel in
quest of rest and health. We met in
the upper saloon; on the veranda, in
the pleasant walks, and on the sea
shore; and very motley crowd we
made in our place and another.
One evening | came in later than
usual. The dining groom was deserted,
save by a lady who sat opposite my
usual place at the table. was out OF
humor, for had not succeeded in get
ting the right shade to my picture
|
tention to my new neighbor, until she
asked me to pass the butter, when |
looked up and beheld the most beau
tiful face | had ever seen. She was
very farther small head, the cluster
ing hair, the youthful eyes, gave to
her an almost childish look, whom
Aidososus had sent up to seek for
life and light.
beg pardon" / stammered, "did
you speak,"
"Yes, was the simple reply, "1have
spoken to you twice, but you were ev-
identity very much preoccupied, for
you did not hear me-"
And she gave q low sweet laugh that
sounded very pleasant to my ears.
The ice once broken, we talked
about things in general, and before
supper was over / learned that she
came with an invalid lady, as COM
panion, and they were there for the
season.
There was something about her so
simple and childlike, yet so brave and
womanly, ] inwardly made up my
mind she should find friend and
protector in me; for, judging from her
iA,N Oh. ha Il n
hard struggle to get alongin the world.
think she must have read my
thoughts, Tor when we passed out OF
the supper room, she held out her
hand and said: Thank you; lam very
much in need of friend like you.
Call me Marguerite, for like it best. )"
/ would have asked her more
about herself, but there was some
thing in her voice that forbid any such
familiarity.
"Elwood, old boy" said Tom that
night as we sat on the veranda smok-
ing, "tell me about her."
"Who" / asked, taking down my
feet from off the railing, and looking at
him with surprise.
'Now don't feign innocence, old fel.
low" he replied, with the utmost non.
chalance imaginable; "shs is wondrous-
ly beautiful"
His praise OF Marguerite nettled me
there was an under currant of sar.
casm in his voice which did not AXE
but l told him all had learned ofher
and ended by advising him not to fall
in love.
"Never fear; there is no danger" he
replied with shrug. "You say she is
very poorY"
Eyes, 4" replied, depending entirely
upon her own exertions for her living.
"'Then you may have her." was the
heartless reply, and Tom pulled hard
at his Havana, while fell to thinking
of Marguerite. l was provoked al
him; all the more so, because he was
J wealthy and she was poor girl.
saw good deal of Marguerite dur
ing the next few days. There seemed
to be some spell in her beautiful brown
eyes, something subtle in her speech
and magnetic in her presence, thai
the best men paid homage to. The
! ladies, at first, hardly deemed hel
worthy OF notice-she assumed so lit
tie and dressed so plainly; but within
week they found they had in her 9
dangerous rival
But, strange to say, Tom did not
trouble himself about Marguerite, but
devoted his time to flirting will
Miss Fosberg, wealthy belle from
New Orleans, whom he had met a
Long Branch the previous summer.
didn't understand him. was disap
,,oinfQ1 for Lpa,u Ton, IN ba n trulx