The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-18
A BIT OF REAL LIFE.

NJ
c. ia Ohio were amazed to learn that
Mr.. Warner, an old and respected citizen,
had gone off and married Margaret Dorm, a
woman very much his inferior, with moth
ing to recommend her but a bright com.
plexion, blue eyes and a pretty Irish face.
Margaret Dorm occupied o small but
neat cottage not far from Mr.. Warmers
home, and any morning she might be found
picking the weeds out of her little garden,
gathering flowers to brighten her solitary
home or clipping the withered leaves from
the bright yellow marigolds that bordered
tho path leading to the little white door on
which the brass knocker shone SO brilliant
ly in the sunlight.
People for miles around would stop at
Margaret's door with orders for fancy
work, menaing, embroidery, etc. Her
marvellous ability with a needle had been
the means Of supporting her comfortably
for years.
Mr.. Warmers maiden aunt was a pa
troness Of Margaret, and often asked her
nephew to call for or leave a package on
his way to or from business. In this way
Margaret and Mr.. Warner became quite
good friends. The latter, being suscepti-
IN NAtQA ASAA
the pretty Irish woman.
Ere long Margaret learned to watch reg
ularly for her admirer. Months passed,
and four or five nights q week Mr.. Warner
would find his way refund to the little cot
tage where Margaret strove to make things
as homeIike and cozy as possible, in order
not only to fascinate her lover, but to en-
nance his infatuatien.
One winters eve, when the wind was
blowing a perfect gale and hailstones were
beating against the pavement, Margaret
and Mg. Warner drove off to the sherim's
house., situated In O beautiful park, where
the courthouse stood.
After knocking and knocking, but all in
vain, Mr.. Warner was about to turn away
and go home, when Margaret, weeping
pitifully, pleaded with him to rap again.
This last frantic knock succeeded in
arousing tho sheriff, who grufiy demand
cd, 'sWho's thsre?' st am Mr.. Williams,
and 1 want you to marry me to this wom-
an"
The sheriff lighted D lamp, unbarred the
door and admitted tho couple. A goldpiece
slipped into the magistrates palm silcnced
his tongue, and he sulIenly and sleepily
performed the ceremony, ~pronouncing
them husband and wife.
A more uncanny scene cannot be con-
ceived, as the rain beat on all sides of the
carriage which conveyed the weeping bride
and indifferent husband to their respective
homes.
MIR. Warner had made Margaret his
wife, and then cruelty left her on that aw-
full wedding night-he to make his abode,
as usual, with his aunt, and she to care for
herself in her own little home.
As Margaret became less able to work
Mr.. Warner sent her checks from time to
time, which enabled her to employ a mid
die aged woman as nurse and h~ousekeeper,
and when, a few months later, a little girl
was born Margaret felt that at least now
she had q daughter to work for and to love,
even If her husband had deserted her.
The mother regained her strength, car
ing for and neurishing her little girl, who
was such a comfort and a joy in the little
home.
Three years passed, and Julia, toddling
about the house, playing with her little
toys, was a familiar figure, or prancing on
the lawn with her pet dog. Passersby of
ten halted to admire this bright, ~viyacious
little girl who was SO radiantly lovely, her
little bingham froek and huge %sunbonnet
seeming only to add greater charm to her
freshness and purity.
The child had inherited her mothers
beauty which had captured the father in
years gone by.
Mr.. Warner kept track of his daughter,
and one morning, when her mother had
just stepped in the house for a moment, he
enticed the child to follow him.
julia was installed in tho kindergarten
in connection with the young ladies' sem
mary in the town, and IN extra amount
was paid for tuition, with the understand
ing that close vigil should be kept over
her.
AS for the mother, when she found that
the only light of her life had been extin-
guished and fully realized her inability to
recover her lost child, grief o~verpowered
the poor woman and wrecked her health SO
materially that she was confined to a hos
pital for months, and when conyalescent
was removed to q sahitarium.
The instructors learned to love the child,
who was not only beautiful to look upon,
but brilliant of intellect Il an apt scholar.
AS years advanced their charge steadily
progressed.
It was Julia who was appointed to sing
little songs or play upon the piano for the
entertainment of the boy students, who
were invited from a neighboring college to
attend the seirees given every Friday for
the mutual improvement and amusement
of the boys and girls.
These evening fetes would close with
dancing and a collation., and the boys and
girls brought together in this way formed
stanch friendships.
Julia, like many other girls who were
bright and witty, had a dash Of diablerie
in her makeup.
Her fancy inclined toward one of these
boy visitors, q senior, when she was but a
girl of 10, in enc of the lower grades.
When out pronenading, she would steal
away from the class to catch a glimpse of
Howard at his study window, who, know
ing the hour for recreation, was on the
alert for the young ladies with their tutor.
Sundays, by special permission, the
young ladies were allowed escorts to and
from chapel, and on these walks Howard
poured forth his ardent tale Of love into
the willing cars of pretty little Julia, who
was just about to enter a new path of life
full of adventures.
Little did she know how wholly incapa-
Bile she was of ,treading the strange fields
that swept before her. .
Howard correspondent with his sweet
heart by tying notes to the nj of a
weighted string that Julia would throw
fn1.s. Io. .,,1rr 80