Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-03-30
MARGERl'S SITUATION.


bic appearance with Inadequate means
to support it.
Upon Mrs. Emerson and Harry. the
only SON. the yoke did not weigh hcav-
lily. but ii Sorcly CALLED Mr., Emerson:
and Ma-.ery. the Only daughter. chatHi
against it With all the Intellectual inn
patience of her seventeen years.
Life would be so much easier if we
could only give up prctcndinS. she
cried; bat her mother and Harry
Scotfrd II her philosophy. The striving
and pretending. the Shaving off Of one
debt and getting into another went on
aparr.
Lying alone in the hammock in the
fragrant twilight OF 4 late May day.
Margrry w;lS thinking over things i'll
general with 4 noble discomfort, when
suddenly from the room beyond she
heard the voices of her mother and her
father. Mrs. EmrrSon'S tones were
conciliatory as they We're apt to be
when she sought some new favor: her
husbands accents We're Shrll and I'M
patient, as if his last thread of ell
durancr We're strained.
Il thought. Harry. you'd like the idea
of Mar-cry taking this "trip with the
Pages"
Like it? Yes. immensely: but |
think we shall Ill he called upon to
take Il trip to the pnorhouSc instead.
l came to that conclusion this morning
whcn three of Master lIarry's bills
Wei" forwarded me- each of them four
times larger than it ought to be-
"NtII Inn Harry Nnu can + Il Il
young man to get through Harvard
without bills"
The concilatory tone was dashed
with defiance now. and the sharpness
OF the answering voice WAS increased.
Il don't expect il. Considering the
sort of young man Harry is. | should
be fool if | did And Yet l don't
blame him half as much rs blame my
self. | started him wrong. He'd be
twice the man he is now if he had been
making his living for the last two years
instead of wing With millinnlircS' sons,
actln% as though my poor little bucket
or resources We're an inrXhlu>tihlr
spring. And though it is different with
Margrry. the principle is the same.
With All that her private schools have
don" for her. doubt if she could earn
Il dollar for herself. and who knows
how soon she may Heed it:"
All this was Sn wildly unlike her
much enduring. inlulg"nt father that
for Il moment the unwilling listener on
the piazza felt inclined to doubt both
his identity and her own; but hrr dis
position was SO like his that she felt
an impatient pity for the fccblencss Of
her mothers reply.
But Henry. Harry will nc sure TO
repay you some day: and Il girl as
bright and pretty as Margcry cannot
fail to marry Well"
NOW, May" he answered, with
added vchrmrncp. that's just where
the rottcnncSs of our system comes in.
harry will never repay me. for he has
not been brought UP to any sense Of
moral obligation. If he would put his
shoulder to the wheel. 1 could manage
to get through somehow. But | have
no hopes of him.
way. to-day my friend Sinclair pro
posed giving Harry place as clerk for
the summer in his summer hotel in
Maine But none Of that sort of thing
for my son and heir. Fl" is going with
a party to the .Alirpndncks.
"Margrry-bleSs the child.-wOull
take L chamhclmaih's place. I brirvc,
if she thought b. doing 50 She could
save mo one panG. But doubt ii she
could do even thar. All her chances.
II seems. are Slak"d on Il wealthy nlar-
rlasc-a pretty poor ambition, il strikes
me. for days like thes.
Then it was that Mar""ry like some
modern Joan of Are. heard Il voice
which whispered OF Il conflict beyond
With TIE hope of Il victory. Then il
was that, leaning over the piazza rail,
she said -: rrrSrlf:
II will. ~ rive Harry Il chance
first, for he could save papa more than
half this worry. If he refuses to help
me, I'll Civ" him il lesson he will not
forget very soon.
The next evening Harry came home
to spend Sunday. Margery attacked
him with all Der might and main Keep
ing he own project completely in the
background. She appealed to his sense
Of justice. his sympathy. his manlincs>.
and every ulit"r virtue it might be pos
Siblc for him to possess: but there was
not IL Sh'i"" of care upon HarryS
handsOm" t:::H as he said:
"NOW, Mr!@"rT. You We're always an
agitalor, hhr | think it's a littl unfair
to work on ny fec 01gS so near the end
Of the year. You'd be eaten up with
felnOfSc II you got me so u1STflllT tIHt
1 couldn't pass. And anyway old girl
fathers all right. This sort Of thing
has been going on ever since l can re-
member. There's always more or less
Of Il racket, but We got there. just the
same"
And to save him q little of the
rackct-tO show him that. after all. he
needn't despair of you-you'll not take
this position with Mr. Sinclair. instead
Of going to the Adirondacks?
Harry only laughed. Il wasn't made
for a hotel clerk. Margcry. ! haven't
diamonds enough: and besides. prom
Used Fitch and Morrison months ago
that I'd go with them. A gentleman
never breaks his word. you know"
He lightly tried to kiss her then. but
the scorn in her eyes deferred him, and
his laughter subsidized under her reply.
But the gentleman may break his
fathers heart one Of these days, or
tempt him to try how fast bullet can
take him out of his troubles
Harry gave 4 long whistle. MAR
gerry" he cried. what is fellow to do
under a tongue like yours?'
NJ %1,o{