The Monmouth inquirer., 1889-09-19
OWENS WIFE.

Cameron, when she sought the hollow where
the tents were pitched, with half dozen
other frightened girls and laughing boys one
summer morning, and Maggie was super
stitious for girl of the Nineteenth century,
yet she accepted Owen Mayne on her way
home. The darkest Of the dark, eyes like jet,
hair no ravens wing could outvie, the skin Of
a Spanird, strong features, and temper that
leaped up at touch, and did not cool again
In haste.
He was older than most Of the party, and
bad more experience He had been in the
far west; he had fought the Indians once or
twice; he had met with desperadoes who
would have robbed him had he not left them
dead on the spot. A tall, slight man, grace
full and agile; as good dancer as he was a
fighter-he had taken Maggie's heart by
storm.
He knew how to make love, too; he was
not one of your timid lovers.
"Your gypsy told you to beware Of dark
men, did she notg" he asked Maggie as they
walked home together.
'sYes,n she said, because they are jealous;
but, for my part, should not like a husband
who was not jealous of me; should think he
did not care enough
"You are right" said Owen. without
jealousy there is no love. Marry me, Maggie,
and I think 1 shall make you happier than
any chilly hearted fellow who only wanted
you to cook his dinner for him could. Marry
me- Maggie, and have no fear of a Jealous
man as long as you are true to him, for he
win not suspect you without cause"
And Maggie put her hand into his, and,
though no doubt all the others saw him do it,
Owen kissed her
And so they were married not. long after,
and for year were as happy as mortals
could be.
At the end of the year there was a little
baby in the little home, and the young couple
were as proud of it as young couples usually
are.
Owen was an engineer, and off and away
much of the time. But when bis train passed
the little cottage where his wife dwelt, he
always gave her signal In the shape Of q
whistle she had learned to know.
II wonder what that whistle means" peo-
pie on the cars often asked each other, never
guessing that it was the young engineers
signal to his wife and baby.
The child grew and throve, pretty crea-
ture, with its fathers dark eyes and it's
mothers golden hair; and except for thefact
that, like any other engineer, Owen took his
forth to win his bread, there was nothing to
trouble Maggie.
1.-THE dark man has never been jealous OF
me once she used to say to herself. 'But,
to be sure, I never look at any one else, and
be has no cause.
The home where the three dwelt was In
byt beautiful lake.
s<k
home Maggie used to go to meet him by
what they called the Lake road
At first she carried the child, then she
pushed him ia the little wagon; but at hast
be Yves able to walk beside her.
He was a sturdy little fellow, with no fear
Of anything, and Maggie had rAuch ado to
keep him in good order, but she was very
proud Of him
Maggie was ON her way to meet Owen, when
her attention was attracted by an unwonted
sight Beside the lake an easel was set UP,
eld an artist was seated before It making
sketch OF the surrounding scenery The place
was 80 out OF the way OF tourists or summer
boarders that this thing had never bsen seen
before, and Maggie, who was vary fond Of
pictures-though she had seen but few
paused. and watched the painter from a{ar
he was an elderly man, and wore velvet
coat and large slouched hat. When he
saw Maggie standing at a little distance he
turned and smiled kindly upon her.
Come" he said, with strong French &C
cent; "come and see, If you hke-come.n
Maggie approached the easel
"Oh, how prettyrn said She 'I don't see
hcw you ever do it, I'm sure-all with that
little brush and some paint.
"And some brains, " said the Frenchman.
~Oh, Of course you must think it all out"
said Maggie-"the sky and the cloudsand the
water. What lovely little wavesIr
Maggie stood watching him as he worked.
and for the first time in her life she forgot
her child
The little creature wandered away, going
nearer to the water than his mother ever
permitted him to go, and shortly waded in
further and further down the gradual slope
Of smooth sand, until sudden dip took him
of his feet, and at his scream his mother
turned to see him struggling = sinking
drowning before her eyes
The next instant the Frenchman had
thrown of his coat, kicked of his shoes, and
was In the water. He seemed to be good
wimmer, soon grasped the childs garments
uIto Tet1in6u 'tu9 6{lOt0 Wlgu u1Iu.
Maggie clasped her boy TO her heart, and
finding the little fellow unharmed, and now
laughing, flung herself upoiBher knees be-
fore his preserver.
"How shall | thank youa" she said "Yon
have saved my boys lfen
"Oh, 1t was nothing, it was nothing y the
Frenchman repeated, resuming his coat and
shoes. "A plunge hurts nobody this weather.
go home to dry myself, that is ALL y
Maggie, however, could not look upon the
matter calmly. She had expected to see her
child drown before her eyes, She was trem-
bling from head to foot; and. after striving
In vain to restrain herself. she burst into a
food Of tears which ended IN At Of hys-
terical laughing and sobbing,
"Oh, these women" said the Frenchman to
himself, but he was too gallant to express his
feelings.
Placing Maggie upon his sketching stool, he
knelt beside her, applied a little smelling
bottle to her nostrils and shortly restored her
to calmness.
snow, little mother, do not cry any more"
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