Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-12

under the window. the 'scounterfel1
presentnepts' Of OhrintoDher. 0he
drew near; one arm rested On the SIN
the other hand darted forth swiftly
surely. and came hack with vignett<
between Its fingers. The vignetta VA
In her pocket; and she glided away
from the window, and passed Chris
TOPPER on the road.
"Ohy' cried he. spologetic. once
more; ''are you going? So sorry, but
business must be attended to. you
know. Goodbye"
Again their hands met. He lifted his
hat. Victoria. who did not know Mar
garet except by sight, regarded her
with that impertinent schoolgirl stare
reserved by some young women, who
are all smiles and bushes before their
masculine adorers.
Mlargaret's face was statues; and
she went her way quietly, as though
she had not seen the look
Don't you think she's dreadfully
funny?" queried Victoria, little anxi'
GUS to dispaiage.
I've heard her called fine-lo0king,'
said Christopher; ''but she is SO cold
no animation"
Victoria bestowed her arch look upon
him. and said:
''She is cold; perfect iceberg; hor.
rid / think" and gathered up her
reins, and drove the pony of, looking
SO archly that Christopher's brain Went
in whirl for hours.
Meanwhile, Margaret had made her
adieux, and was whirling cityward,
with Christopher's portrait next to her
heart
Beautiful, but so cold, said those at
the Seminary, of Margaret. And be-
cause Of this GOODNESS friends were
few. But Margaret's voice could not
so for nothing, any more than her ex-
quisite face.
She had her admirers, male and
female. She made a conquest In the
first fortnight; had an offer In a month.
and refused 1t.
So the years passed. She kissed the
stolen picture every night, and now
and then a tear dropped on
it. 1t was growing little yellow. as
photographs will. The eyes had al
ways been white, pale-blue eyes, the
sun will so record. The cheeks were
plump and bOyish; the nose had re-
trousse toss in the air. 1t was a
pleasant face, but not that of one
who would ever endeavor to do or be
anything; but it was pure perfection to
Margaret.
1t was August again-the very month
in which she had fitted from Fernley
three years before. The Seminary had
vacation, but she did not go home.
In the holiday she took long walks in
the city, always full of interest to her.
She went into the picture galleries and
whiled away hours at pleasant matt
nees, alone in the crowd
what cold face, but very hand
some" strangers said of her; and the
long yearning had made no mark upon
it, any more than had the dull throb of
pain at her heart
The face was never colder or love-
lier than when she took 1t one day
through the open door of a church on
Fifth avenue. Carriages were at the
door, gaily-dressed guests within-a
wedding was afoot; and what woman
will not delight in a wedding? Mar
garet sat in q seat half way up side
aisle-her modest attire had not
tempted the usher to lead her farther
front-and looked intently. The spec
tators whispered, fans fiuttered, eyes
were turned doorward. A carriage
rolled noisily up. There was Il
sensation. The bride was coming.
Margaret turned her stately head and
saw her.
1t was Victoria Lakewood. Her
heart gave one wild bound. She
looked at the bridegroom. 1t was not
Christopher-a very different man, i'm
posing, with large features and Won
drous mustache. Margaret could
scarcely believe it. Could Christopher
love any one and not be loved in re-
turn?-impossible.
Margaret watched the ceremony
through, and went out of door with
the rest; but the crowd was great,
and in the yestibule she was quite
pushed to the wall, and being so,
would not make an effort to stir, but
sood, still until the last bonnet had
vanished, when she quietly shook out
her compressed robes. and slowly fol-
lowed. Before she reached the door,
man with a pale, grieved face
rushed down the stairs of the gallery
and passed her. She had never seen
the face with that expression on 1t, but
it was Christopher's.
Margaret wept for him that night as
she had never wept for herself. She
kissed his yellow picture and whis-
pered soothing things to it. II would
have thought SO much of your love-"
she said, softly, as mothers coo to
children-"what heart has she, and
what is he beside you! 1 hate her-I
hate him--I hate them both! All,
Christopher and then she kissed the
paper and cuddled it up to her cheek
and slept with il over her heart.
She slept late. Those holidays were
resting times-she only awoke when
heavy knuckles struck the door and
someone without cried:
"A letter for your
Then she opened the door and took
1t in. 1t was from her aunt.
Dear Margaret"-so 1t rant want
you to come and see me. / am i'll and
doubt IL shall live long. You were a
troublesome child, but you've been a
very good girl since you grew up, and