Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-30
MAGGIE'S WEDDING GIFT.
BY,AMELIA e. BARR.

GA mans hat in his hand never did
him any harm, Stephen, and wish,
dear, you had been little more civil to
Uncle Joseph"
"Nonsense, Maggie, darling. / don't
like Joseph Hawick and his ways, and l
am not going to pretend do"
ellis ways are very good ways. No
one can say wrong of Cncle Joseph, Ste
phen."
s'That is justit; they are too good. /
rather think | am old enough to know
what am doing, and what | want. l
have a good farm, don't owe penny,
and never mean to ask favor except
of YOU, or of my own hands. If / palav-
cred over Joseph Hawick, he would be
the very first to say wanted the tribe OF
money he may have saved"
Maggie sighed, and then looked up
into Stephens handsome face and smiled.
Stephen, of course, was right; man
with such eyes and such figure could
not, in loves sight, be wrong. He was
brave and confident, too, and had that
way of assertion which only very cool
and sensible people can resist.
Uncle Joseph sighed, too, but it was
different sigh from Maggie's. He loved
his niece with wise and tender atfec-
ton, and she had not chosen the husband
that he would have chosen for her.
Stephen Gray was indeed "w ell-to-do, "
and had fair character but the keen old
man saw radtcui defects I'm 10.
"He listens TO no one but himself, and
so he hears no advice but flatterer's, "
said Joseph, "besides, Maggie, he is so
/, | 7 hafc n
have tumble"
But. uncle, he has big heart, and
he's good farmer, and even you can see
that he is the handsomest man in the
, Dales."
"That is all true, girl, but God does
! not measure men by inches. I"
However, in spite of all disaffection
Maggie Hawick's wedding with Stepher
GRAY came off with great and widespread
! hospitality. Joseph Haywick had beer
: for forty years the physician and frienC
= of all the Dale families, rich and poor
q and not one of them missed an invitation
n The gentry feasted in the oak-raftereC
! parlor, .and the shepherds and cotter
a In the big barn. But all were merry ant
n full of good wishes for the pretty brid
and her handsome husband.
The number of the bridal present
Manpie received testified to it. Ste
~ phen's sideboard ond buffet would b
= bright with silver tokens, and his presse
!. full of snowy damask and fine-spun line
er and blankets. But, upon the whole,
es rather mortified him. He could not fec
the loving kindness that sanctified tn
gifts, and the obligation was not pleasaI
to the self-sufficient young man. II
m had assured Uncle Joseph voluntarll!
a. and with rather unnecessary pride, thu
ia he wanted nothing with Maggie, neithe
OK gold nor gear nor land; and yet, for a
that he looked rather anxiously for II
old mans offering.
IS Joseuh Hawick was believed, in spit
,st Of his eccentric attentions to poor pi
es tients, to shave money!" and Stephe
felt that handsome check on kenda
Bank or few government bonds woul
mt not be out OF place; for he had been
ed some expense in refurnishing the
farm house, aud he was very anxious
try some new scientific experiments WI
his WORKOUT land.
But Maggie said nothing about b
, uncle's present, and Stephen was far
{ proud to ask her, until nearly a ye
Q after their marriage. But one day
2 had long talk with old Squire Twai'
IA about "high farming" and then the "
or men driftcd into the discussion OF sol
81 scheme for the draining of Druid's No
o Then stephen, thinking it all over as
% smoked his pipe by the blazing ing
= saw untold wealth of harvest from
81 rich alluvial soil and fabulous whe
I2h fields growing where men now caue
W leeches or shot wild fowl.
% II he only had money! II he only !
q one thousand pounds in cash! Thwai
81 and he would buy and drain the MC
y He sat dreaming over the project
. counted the acres aud bushels over
% over, until he began to look VI
So Druid's Moss as the one thing upon
70 earth to be desired.
~ "Maggie," he said, suddenly, to
81 little wife, sewing and gently rock
~ herself beside him, Maggie, what
70 Uncle Joseph give you for q wcdd
Is present2 You never told me-"
i 81 thought you would not like
1874 Stephen"
coz VERY likely not, but neverthel
~ what was it?"
90 "A Bible.
~ "Just like him; and we had two
80 lily ones to begin with, not to speak
NV the little ones you have in almost @
"a ROOM"
.csn "In the same way, stephen, pc
~ gave us napkins enough for three &c
y. AZ atoms, and silver mugs enough TO 8
Ca all our friends. Unclc's Bible was b
W means an ordinary one.'
80 "How not?"
.2s sTt has been in the Hawick house
~ since A. ID. 1915, aud contains the
81 lily register for more than two nun
AZ wears am the last Of our bra
Ioo nncla fhourht would like to have \