The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-26

MEETING AT THE FORD.
Brice, of the Mansion house-old Squire
Brice, as all the county called him,
though he wasn't more than so; and
naturally when they both came court
ing Margery, her father favored the
squire's suit most. But Margery fav-
ored Jacks. and showed it openly.
"A man may be as rich as Croesus,
but when he's choleric and up in
years-none too good in the bargain
he needn't expect to make much head
! way with a love sick girl OF 20. Long
|, legged Jacks good looks outweighed
the squires gold, but when her father
Mound out which way the wind was
blowing. ne forbade Marcy to see him
lAsiR. She said nothing, for she was
not a girl to talk. But every night
she wrote him long letter, that she
would hide in a hollow tree stump,
and that Jack would come and take
away.
Sometimes, too, in the early morn
ing, hardly daylight. she would jump
on her bay mare Hornet and dash two
miles down the river to the ford, where
Jack would be waiting, and would
swim his horse over from the other
side, just to have five minutes talk
with her.
"Ah, but they were in love, I can
tell you! And 1 never saw a better
matched pair-both so good looking,
both so full of life!
Whether my uncle ever heard of
their goings on I don't know. But he
stopped talking against Jack, and
Urging the squire's suit He only told
us, Marcy and me both, for 1 lived
1,o+ o1I no. hi IN
his power and could ruin him, and now
that she wouldn't marry him, he was
going to take his revenge.
Then he fell sick, and seemed
likely to die. and my poor cousin was
in a terribly quandary.
she loved Jack, but she loved her
&sther too. And she felt it was worry
~ was killing him.
4he terrible night, when We were
almost expecting my uncle to breathe
his last, Marcy fell on her knees and
pSbmised she'd marry the squire, and
he at once began to get better with
astonishing Quicl1ness.
She wrote Jack one letter, one curt
cold letter, that she sat two days over;
and that he tore in half and sent back
to her, and then left the country on
top of it.
This left the field of love open to
the squire, and he made the most of it,
coming every afternoon to our place,
Spruced up like young man in a light
black suit, and with his hair combed
over his bald spot.
HE would send Marcy splendid
presents, too. And sometimes a love
letter, a fine proper love letter, calling
her a red rose with the dew on it, a
biack-eyed gypsy or some such pretti-
ness, all of which you may be sure
though only I ever read.
Meanwhile the wedding arrange
ments were going on with wicked
hurry. My uncle seemed like one
possessed to have it over with. And
fMargy, numb with misery, and worn
to a shadow with longing for Jack said
nothing. Perhaps she was afraid if
too long put off she would lose courage
TOR the sacrifice; perhaps she was all
the time hoping and praying-as
women can pray sometimes-for the
very daring thing that did happen.
THAT night 1 remember it stormed.
The wind howled, and all along the
country road the big oaks swung their
arms and creaked as if ready to fall
on our rumbling old carriage.
at was Thanksgiving night, a festi-
val not in favor in the south in those
days. and We were going to the Man
sion house to q. family dinner. The
wedding was only three days off now,
and the squire had taken a fancy to
keep it in honor of his coming happi-
'aess.
J when We rolled up to the open
doorway, there ne was magnificent-in
a rosebud satin waistcoat, and with a
flower in his button-hole; for ali the
world like a bedecked old turkey cock!
p" Welcome to the Mansion house
heA said spailx- I bundled
stairs first.
And then to Marcy, though quite
loud enough for me to hear: In three
short daysi-meaning of course. the
marriage that was to leave her in his
home forever.
"She WINGED as if he had struck her
her face as white as her muslin frock
and l verify believe that if he hadn't
walked her into the dining-room on his
arm, she would have fallen.
What sor+ of a dinner did thew
have? Why the best in the world, you
may be sure,
THE Mansion house was the finest
place in the county-for that matter in
all South CaroIna-and the squire
knew good living, and the big mahog-
any table fairly groaned under cut
glass and silver.
Uncle and 1 were at each side. and
Marcy was at the foot in the place OF
honor; where, three times a day. she
was soon to face old Tom, until death
>Sfould mercifully take one or the other
of them out Of the world. None of US
talked much, none, even my uncle. who
was emptying goblet after goblet of
wine to drown his thoughts. And
when the squire stood up suddenly
with his champagne glass to toast the
bride-a frozen bride that looked ready
for the tomb almost welcomed the
interruption that followed.
To the brider repeated the squire,
gls SIS high in air, and was echoed by a
drsadful laugh
To the devil you mean; to the devil
You old villainv said a voice. He gave
You money enough to buy q wife, SO
toast him deepr
And there in the middle of the floor, |
landed by a jump through the flung
up window, was Jack, his clothes COW
cred with mud and Satan in his eye.
True love poisoned by wounded /
vanity, you see my dears. may sleep /
drugged for awhile, but the time win |
come when # will fight like a tiger for
what it feels Its own.
And this had been the case with |
Jack, who was now almost maddened |
with thinking over the coming we'd
ding.
- You young puppy roared the
squire, 'oidn't l tell you not to come
here AGAIN.
\. That for your tellingr said Jack,
Tlabolically cool; and with the whirl |
e a long whip in his hand, the squire's ]