The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-05-29
"MARGARETS SACRIFICE" "



"I want to SEQ some rings, please"
The speaker is a young girl of seventeen. She is
tall erect and supple a reed, with big gray eyes,
shaded by long, curly black lashes, and masses of
ripping hair which is pushed lightly back, dis
closing low, wide brow. Her nose is distinctly
trousse, and gives pquant expression to her fresh
young face, and she is indeed the embodiment of
happy, joyous maidenhood. In her tiny, we'll
gloved hand she holds hundred dollar note, and
she is looking at some handsome diamond rings
which the oily-tongued shopkeeper is perSuading
her to purchase.
"Just see this beauty Miss Ainslie," he says $50
cheap and exactly the price you want to give, one
hundred dollars"
But Margaret Ainslie parses moment before she
says the final yes" Would Aunt Jennie like her
present, the cheek spent on ring, she thinks. 1t
surely seems triae TO spend such a of money
on, when she could be doing so much good with
But she quiets these thoughts and says:
VERY WE'LL Mr.. Cold will take the ring. Send
it as soon as possible to White Plains-you know
the address," and with reluctant little sigh which
she cannot account for, she puts down the money
and leaves the store.
Arriving at home in about an hours time she
enters large, cheerullooking room, which is evil
IDENTIFY library, and running toward the sole occu-
pant, who is sitting before huge, roaring fire, she
throws her arms around her and says caressingly:
"Oh, auntie, I've bought such exquisite
present with your money. 1t Is ring, a diamond
with pearl on either side Oft. am sure you will
like my choice"
Mrs. Courtney better known, perhaps, as Aunt
Jennie to the reader did not say anything, except
that she glad Margaret was pleased but a
shadow passed over her face and disappointed
look appeared in her eyes which not altogether
lost on Margaret, who pondered over it long after
she had said goodnight and gone to her luxuri-
Gus bed room, fitted up with everything that money
could give 1t strange, too that the first verse
for har
nightly chapter was this: "And whatsoever giveth
to the poor and wastoth not his substance on him
SELL shall be blessed in My sight"
That same night Margaret, for some reason or
other could not Sleep and at length she got up and
throwing light dressing sack around her shoulders
went toward the window, and pushing back the
shutters looked out upon the night II was bitterly
cold and the snow lay one or two feet deepupon the
frozen earth.
The moon, Just born, was shining like silver
crescent upon the whte-clothed trees, and the
scene peaceful and calm as it was, brought James
Russell Lowells description in of the verses of
that beautiful poem of his, 1.-THE First Snow fall"
to her mind:
Every pine and fir and hemlock,
Was ridged inch deep with PEARL
And the poorest tWig on the elm tree
Wore ermine too deep for an earl
Suddenly lurd light burst upon the horizon.
and fame after flame rose high and disappeared in
TO tiny little sparks:
at must be fire." thought Margaret peering
with eager eyes into the darkness without. We'll,
! hope will be hurt, and think may lust
as well go back to bed for it Is evidently at pixies
Peak, eight or nine miles away, and we can do
nothing" So she closed the shutters and slipped
into her soft little bed, being lost in the pleas
ant Land of Nod"
The next morning Margaret did not awake until
nearly ha!fpast nine and hastily dressing herself
she down the broad stairs and into the spacious
dining ROOM where large wood fire was cracklIng
and blazing brightly. But no one was to be seen.
Where were mamma, father and Tom? And even
Aunt Jennie had disappeared. Finally jenkins,
the butler, opened the door and said:
please Miss Margaret, Mrs Ainslie left word for
you to drive over in the coupe after you had
had your breakfast as possible, and bring lot of
cotton and all the sweet oil bottles in the house.
Will you have your breakfast now, miss ?" he
added
eyes now; but where are they all, and where in
the world am l to drive to? asked Margaret in
utter amazcment.
"Why didn't you know that the big hospital at
Pixies Peak had burned to the ground and hun
dreds of patients are burned nigh to death? So
your pa and ma and Mrs. Courtney, and Master
Tom, have gone over TO help the poor critters and
they left word for you drive with the things
as I've told you OF, rs soon as possible"
Margaret sat down TO her hurried meal half
dazed. How appalling it was! And, oh this ex-
plains that queer red light the horizon last night
ing:
"Yer, and it'll take a sight Of money TO build
another place for them poor, ailing souls and
shouldn't wonder but half Of them dies without a
home to lay their heads in"
BY this time Margaret had finished her breakfast
and jumping up from the table as If sudden
thought had struck her ran hastily 10 her room at
the same time calling loudly, Lucy, Lucy" When
She had put on her hat and coat, the maid ap-
peared, and Margaret said to her:
please get all the raw cotton you can find and
also some sweet-oil bottles Pack them in a hamper
and place them In the coupe, and by that time
will have returned"
Margaret hurried on her coat and hat and out In
to the bmcng air On and on she walked until she
reached the iewelry store Of Gold, Glitter & Co.,
where she had purchased her ring yesterday In
she went, and going to the head clerk, said hest
tatingly:
please, Mr.. Gold, have favor TO ask Of you /
| i have changed my mind about the ring, ana /
would be very much Obliged if you would let mo
have my money instead oft; will you, please?"
Mr.. Gold considered for a moment before reply
Ing but he knew very well that Judge Ainse was
one Of the weaithiest and most popular men In New
York, and that he could not afford 10 lose 10 good
customer, 50 he said smoothly
~ would not do It for anyone else but for you,
Miss Ainslie Why certainly will" and as Marga-
ret gave joyous little "Ob, thank you" although
tears dimmed her eyes as she put down the velvet
box containing the beloved ring, he went 10 the
safe and taking out the identical 500 bill handed
it 10 her, and tightly clasping It she hurried from
the store.
That evening, when every one had returned, after
helping and tending 10 the poor sick and burned
ones, Aunt Jennie noticed that Margaret could not
eatanything and that once or twice she tried 70
speak, but failed At length. however, when din
ner WAS over Margaret rose and going 10 Dir.
Ainslle, said
"Fa-mther, II want you please 10 take this
money and use II " help those poor people at Pixies