News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-01-31
lost control of herself and staggered
/ al, Ill.

"Just so," he remarked in his abrur
fashion. "Now let me talk. My nam
is Morris McMorris, and am reporte
for the Daily Journal. The sergeau
here will vouch for me. lam not an ol
man, but want to adopt you. My me
tive is to lift you from the gutter.
propose to give you good home, cloth
you and educate you, in return fo
which shall expect you to prove you
self worthy. Is it bargain7"
l was prepared for almost anything
but not for that. 1t staggered me an
almost asphyxiated the sergeant. Th
girls dark head dropped, and her nery
GUS hands clasped and unclasped them
selves in her lap. l saw tear fall an,
glisten on her soiled finger like a dia
mond in the dirt.
"Come, speak up" he said, kindly
and her streaming eyes sought his face
/ ''It is all $3.50 strange, sir. You ar
so kind" she sobbed.
''That is not what asked
'If-if you mean it, sir, really ant
truly, l will go with you. There is NJ
place else"
"Not so very flattering, but eminently
satisfactory" said Mac, with laugh
"Well, so he it. shall constitute my
self your guardian, and be answerable tC
these gentlemen. But should you fai
me-"
"Never fear, sir" she replied.
''Well spoken" Then, turning tc
me, he said: "Watch things for me, ole
man, while take her over to the house
and put her in the old lady's care
When he returned he was quiet and
thoughtful, and did not question him
but when, after the papers had gone tc
press, We dropped into q cafe and chatted
ever an appetizing lunch, asked:
"Mac, what was there about that girl
to catch your fancy!"
"She bears striking resemblance to
my dead sister, who would have been
about her age had she lived. 1 haven't
kith nor kin-no one save friend or two
like yourself. Why shouldn't look for
some ono and create tie :"
zone does not usually search the gut
ters or police-stations for friends or fos-
ter relatives, remarked, dryly.
"And yet, jewels are often found in
the gutter. AS for the police-station
what would have become of her, poor
cIl1ld, had she been handed over to the
tender mercies of that baggard turnkey,
and put with thoss drunken beasts' Sure
my boy, one night in there would have
served to send her down the HILL"
The speech was unanswerable.
In the following three years-during
which time we still "trottel in pairs, 3"
until each won the advancement he
sought-nothing happened out of the
ordinary. L received nightly reports of
Maggie-or MACS girl" as she was
known to the boys-for we still lunched
together at the old cafe when our noe
turnal labors were Mt an end. She
gradually developed into remarkably
fine-looking girl, with very sweet and
expressive face, and certain womanli-
ness which of itself would have been a
most powerful attraction. knowledge
came to her to be easily absorbed and
retained; needlework was her forte; mu-
sic was a natural gift, and cultivation
gave new power to her lark-voicH. 1
know, because Sunday afternoon invar-
iably found me at Macs lodgings, and
l had every opportunity of watching the
satisfactory development OF her better
nature. Besides all this, she had her
share of Irish wit, and was fond of pok
ing fun at us in her way, calling him
"Guardy" and me ''Uncle'; but could
not take umbrage at the elderly title (for
l was only thirty and her playful utter
ances delighted Mac.
'1'm not giving her fancy educa-
tion,' he said, one night, "but a train
ing that will be of use to her, so that she
may make some lucky follow q good
wife"
"Why not marry her YOURSELF" | OBJ
served. 1 had never thought of it be-
fore, but the words came quite naturally
to my lips.
Nonsense, man I've never thought
of such thing"
'Isn't it about time r.
81 don't know but what you are
right" he said, moodily. 81 have
knocked around for years, not caring
what happened so long as there WAS
roof to cover me and shilling in my
pocket; but since took the colleen in,
verything has been so difi'erent-I have
had something, some one, to live for.
Still, L have never thought of marriage"
''Then what will you do when she
leaves you?" 1 asked, watching him
"Leave mel" he exclaimed, wheeling
about in his chair. ''Sure, she will
never do that.
Said 1: "Perhaps. You forget that
she is woman-a girl, and q very pret
ty one, indeed. Such prize-for she
is prize-cannot remain long unwon.
Some day she will come to you and tell
her story, or send another to say the
words for her, and will slip from your
arms into the embrace of others more
loving. You will realize it when it is
too late. Goodnight"
He did not speak, nor acknowledge
the courtesy. As passed out I turned
to look at him, and saw that his head
had fallen upon his folded arms. I
missed him for several nights first
in many long day. When 1 saw him
again could scarcely repress an ex-
clamation of surprise. His face was
haggard and wan, and there was a dull,
vacant look in his fine ewes. He drop
ped YEARLY into his usual seat without
q word. l did not need to ask what had
happened, but merely uttered the mono
syllable:
"Well?"
shall never forget the look he gave
me as he said, "You were right, Lyn-
you were right. / ought to have known
it; but, sure, 1 didn't know my own
heart until your words touched secret
spring there, opened its doors and show |
ed me the colleen's sweet face within, |
But the rose will be taken soon, and for
me there will be nothing-nothing but |
leaves"
"Indeed Who is hel'
"My God l wish l could take it as
coolly as you do, said Mac, pathetical-
Iy, yet half inclined to quarrel with me
because of my apparent indifference.
1T Is young Brown-you know him-a |
likely young fellow, and one to whom | |
could not refuse to give her if she willed |
il so. He came to me the day after our
chat, and told his story. / listened with .
\ breaking heart, but gave no sign, not |
even when he said that he felt assured
Of the possession of her heart, while he
owed her to distraction. What could l
,ay What could [ do but treat him
kindly for Maggie's sake, give my con-
Ient and God speed, and accept the bit
er cup like mnn2 All, when she is
zone my life will be empty-more bar
'en than it has ever been before"
There were tears in Macs honest eyes;
,ould not speak because of the lump in
ny throat, and felt my own eyes grow
lin.
1t was a week later, and we sat in the
hief's office at police headquarters,
as of old, with our friend the
(now q lioutenant, to see
whom we dropped in now and then.
And while we were talking about old
lines and the changes in our fortunes,
he fire-alarm sounded in the operators
Dom. Macs face frightened percepti-
by, and he sprang to his feet.
l,1o1o L. b, .cka