The Springdale news., 1889-01-18

it better late than never, and Tn after years, perhaps, we shall both look back and see how 1t was for the best that we neve~ married.a
 Maggie dear,n returned George, 'I don't quite understand you In this quiet life of ours we don't know much of excitement and our love is not of that sensational char acter which l always imagined belongs more to town and city life love Bo5t better than any other woman and well enough 10 ask you in all good faith to become my wife. It is what l have looked forward to for some years past, and if you will not be welded to me 1 shall be sorely disappointed. Think again, Maggie, but do as you deem proper would not have you marry me unwltlinglX.h
 They walked side by side silently for some time Rachel and young Tobey were on ahead and the sun was now set. Presently they came to a bend in the road entirely secluded. bordered by budding hedgerows and covered in by tall elms Here Maggie stood still and putting her hand on George's arm she said:"Say good bye to mc. George. as your, so-called. sweetheart and greet me as sister who. wlll ever care for her brother George as If he were of the same flesh and blood 7"
 George was vsiblv affeC-ed and ehoked
 
 pretty lips. Maggie, too, felt the good-bye kiss more than she had anticipated and there was suspicious sparkle in her al- ways bright eyes. No sooner had George kissed her lips than she turned and kissed his meek
 Brother Georgei'
 But the Sister Maggie did not come.
 So Q Ink al one end of the Mill HiIl family chain was broken and new one forged at the other end.
 Poor Georrel He had said that he knew nothing of red hot consuming love, but he loved Maggie more than he himself well knew, and long years afterwatd he often silently regretted that he gave her up with out more of q struggle. But then ho was too good hearted to stand the least bit in the way of the happiness of those for whom he cared and so ne sealed hs own fate when he kissed Maggie as his promised bride good bye and afterward greeted her as his sister
 They parted company with Fred Fooey at the cottage, George walking home with both Rachel and Maggie, and very quiet trio 1t was George was unusually dull; Maggless efforts to be merry might be termed sick. and Rachel, guessing the cause et such low spirits in her companions, took the infection and said nothIng
 That night Maggie cried herself to sleep thinking tb4U she had behaved very badly to George. Really, the girl could hardly tell hersclf what had persuaded her 10 take the decfsive step she tad now taken. She orly knew that she felt a longing for an un- known somethin, and she knew. t99, tn at George Foster did not satisfy that longing. It did not occur 10 ask herself if there was anybody-man or woman-whe could.
 cgtlr~ eighteen years oid-and simple country lass at that The next time sue saw George Foster she was just as merry with him is ever and hardly seemed to real1e the change in their relative positions
 Both Matthew Wilson and hls son Tom felt a little sore about the match being broken of but the old farmer was far too indulgent father and too sensible a man to make his daughter marry against her will or to punish her by petty persecution for not marrying the man of his ch9oe. Two years before Tom would probably have been angry with fierce, unreasonable brotherlv anger, and would have made his sisters life miserable by teasing her all the time; but, though he now felt somewhat an noyeds Inc said very little, and in few
 .5rt weeks, for reasons best known to him- self and hereafter to be explained 10 the reader, he appeared rather pleased than otherwise, and was particularly kind and brotherly 10 Maggie.
 News of broken-off engagement soon spreads in such place as Mill iill, and the day following that eventful evening tho rector heard the whole story with slight variations from half a dozen different mouths He said little or nothing, but a great hope spraug up in his heart, which almost as quickly passed away. Of course, if Maggie had given up George Foster she had q good reason for so doIug, and the most natural conclusion to arrive at was that she had found man who had more at traction for her than plain George Foster. Thus thought the rector, and continued: !" "Ii George Foster is too dull for her, what would Lawrence Eoyejoy,the book worm and Anti-Corn Law Leaguer, be! \ man of one idea to think of wooing, much less winning, a lovely, bright-eyed fairy like Maggie Wll- son What does she care about church, books or politics. They are just what are 10 her the b1res of life Still, faint heart ne'er won fair lady and you, Lawrence Lovejoy, just brace up and enter the hsts if you would attempt 10 carry of this prize.a
 But the next day the rector left Mil Hill on a visit to Lancashire, taking Tom Will son with him, so that his suit with Maggie had to stand in abeyance He was gone over month, and then it was that little Maggies tell-tale heart began to whispers name iu her ear which soon became very pleasant to her. and that name was Latr- renee L2uejou How long the time did seem while he was gone away, and yet the day that she knew he and Tom would be home she contriyed to spend witha neighber some miles distant
 ITO HE coNTISUED,l