Morris tribune., 1886-11-03

ations as to his being in love witt,
Miss Maggie, but the fact was quite
apparent, and | knew the struggle be,
tween pride and affection which pre.
vented him from-declaring his attach
ment.
An event soon occurred which
brought matters to q crisis. A tall,
fine.looking man called at our studio
one morning and seemed particularly
struck with some of Gerald's pictures.
In the course of conversation he in.
formed him that he was already the
possessor of two OF his best pictures,
which three years before had made a
sensation in the exhibition at the acad,
envy. After purchasing a little sketch
my friend had just completed he left
us, and we heard him stop and speak
to Mrs. Robbins on his way down
stairs. But l was greatly surprised
and Gerald horribly dismayed when
We saw him ten. minutes afterward
enter his carriage with Maggie and
drive away.
Gerald paced up and down the room
in fry of jealousy. My curiosity
was considerably aroused as to the
nature OF Maggie's acquaintance with
the stranger.
II am determined to ask her why
she went out with the fellow, and who
he is, directly she returns" growled
Gerald.
Have you any right to be SO in.
quisitive?' | ventured to suggest.
Perhaps not, except that she
knows | love her better than any one
else, and that intended asking her to
be my wife" he retorted, passionate.
ly.
What! marry girl in her sta
tion?" was the question which rose
naturally to my lips.
"Oh, hang family pride in this case!
l am now rich enough to fling it aside
for once and marry a girl who will,
know, make me happy. Besides, Mag
gle is perfect lady. Yet | do not
understand why she drives out with
that stranger" retorted Gerald.
The lover sat anxiously at the win,
dow watching for her return. An hour
passed, and he grew gradually more
wretched. At length the carriage
drove up to the door. 1t contained
no Maggie, but the coachman handed
a note to Mrs. Robbins. Gerald rush.
ed eagerly down stairs and exclaimed,
as he met the housekeeper:
where is Maggie gomez"
For answer she placed the note in
his hand. 1t was written in haste, and
was from Maggie. 1t ran as follows:
DEAR Mr.. De VoIssY: Allow me to
thank you for your kind attention
during my stay in New York. l have
been Unexpectedly obliged to return
to Long Branch, and cannot, there
fore, have the pleasure of bidding you
good bye, except by letter.
Yours truly, MAGGIE.
This was all the information poor
Gerald could CLEAN concerning the girl
he loved, for Mrs. Robbins would an
swer no questions, and when at length
he spoke of his affection for her daugh-
ter her face expanded into smiles, and
she told him not to lose hope, because
she believed all would be well, and that
Maggie returned his affection. She ad-
vised him to write her a few lines,
which she promised to post. The re-
suit was an effusion of mingled ieai.
ousy and love from Gerald, which Mrs
Robbins forwarded that night. The
next afternoon the stranger who had
caused my companion such anxiety
again called. and we were barely civil
TO him, until he handed Gerald a note
from Maggie, inviting him and me
warmly to return with the bearer to
Long Branch, where she was staying.
We needed no time for reflection, but
started at once, full Of anxious cuIiosi-
ty. Our visitor was strangely silent
on the journey. Only a roguish smile
twinkled in his eye as he evaded our
questions. We both were lost in con-
lectures as to what would happen
4 last arrived at & eef .7ei III
well-known large hotel, and followed
the stranger into handsomely fur
nished private sitting-room.
"If you will be seated gentlemen, l
will tell Maggie you are here" he said
as he left the room.
In few moments he returned. They
had seemed hours OF torture to Ger
aid. He led Maggie up to him, and
with mock gravity, said:
'Allow me to introduce you to ca
PRECIOUS young lady in her real char
acter. This is my daughter, Marga-
ret Livingston, known to you both, l
believe, as Maggie Robbins"
We were speechless with surprise,
and look of intense reliefpassed over
Gerald's face. Maggie, laughing and
blushing, was very reticent IN answer
ing our inquiries as to the meaning of
the delusion Lracticed on us. Later
on, when she and Gerald were engaged,
with her fathers consent, the whole
Truth became known to us.
Mrs. Robbins was her foster-mother,
and when she wanted to spend few
days in New York she frequently staid
with her. Mr.. Livingston was wild
over and disliked the city, so he sell
dom accompanied his daughter there.
Maggie confessed, to our surprise,
that she had known Gerald we'll by
sight and had heard a great deal of
him from one of her girl friends before
he had met her.
For myself I privately coniectured
that Miss Maggie had fallen in love
with my handsome friend before even
size spoke to him. and that her little
plan had been all arranged between
Mrs. Robbins and herself previous to
her visit to New York.
Maggie laughingly told us that she
had also heard of Gerald's determine
ton never to marry q girl beneath
him in station, and that when she saw
he took her for Mrs. Robbins's daugh-
ter she enjoyed the joke much and de.
tcrmined TO keep it up.
Well, he had to make no sacrifice of
pride, for Margaret belonged to agood
old Knickerbocker family, equal to
any in the land.