The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-05-05
The Boats New Name
MISS MARG'RET hated to lea,

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MISS MARG'RET hated to leave
lvl Towertown in the spring, when
the lily of the valley bed was beginning
to be irresistibly sweet and the lilac
blossoms were still fecking the tender
green grass by the side porch. Still,
her brother Edward-the beloved BROTH
er Edward, whom she had never visited
since he moved to the city, ten years
beforehand written that he could not
AS usual come to see her that spring,
and so she must pay him the long-prom-
:sed visit that he and his family had
hoped for so long in vain. Miss Marg'-
ret always smiled at the mention of
brother Edwards family" 1t had
been the hardest thing in the world to
make herself believe that the pretty
pink-and-white girl was really wife,
and that the sturdy three-year-old boy
was Edward, Jr. The ''baby'' she had
never seen, for the tiny maid had ar
rived since the family" had been down
last May for it's annual visit at Ed
wards old home. Mrs. Edward
lie, as her husband always called her
wanted to take the new daughter back
cast to see it's maternal grandparents
in few weeks, SO the sojourn in Tower
town would have to be dispensed with
for that year. Consequently there was
nothing left for Miss Marg'ret to do but
pack her little trunk and set off for
perilous journey to the great and awful
city to see Edward and Edward, Jr.,
dimpled, sweet-1nouthed Lollie, and
best of all the new baby, christened
Margaret, in honor of the prim, little
spinster aunt down in sleepy Tower
town.
1t was drowsy, sunny spring morn
ing when the train trailed into the
clustered little lady on the platform.
At the sound of the stopping of the huge
grinding wheels Miss Marg'ret's thin
fingers gripped closer the various bags
and parcels which she insisted upon
leaving to the care of no one else in the
world, much to the distress of the frecl-
led Tom, who edged close to her and
wondered why the ''missus'' had all at
once come to the conclusion that he was
not capable of managing her affairs, as
he. had done since her father died 20
years ago. It was great point of woe
to Tom, too, that ne was not allowed to
go clear to the city with Miss Marg'ret,
for she hadn't gone as far as the hill
farm or even to the cemetery in all
e., ~ l. ~
the city, without the company of her
faithful servant. Still, she seemed bent
Oh taking things in her own hands and
Tom shifted about from one leg to the
other on the station platform, degree
more uneasy than was the worthy trav-
eler herself.
AS the train pulled out, with the
trembling Miss Marg'ret holding her
breath in the seat where the solicitous
porter had deposited her beneath her
bundles, the poor lady's eyes caught
a last fleeing glimpse of the old house
on the hill, up the slope from the sta
ton; there was an indistinct blur of
the messy old stone walls through the
lace-like trees and the purple clouds of
lilac blooms and in the very foreground
rose a view of poor Toms rough, red
face, drawn in a tangle of knots and
wrinkles. which reminded Miss Marg'ret
Of the day that her father, the old doc
tor, was carried out to the hillside
graveyard, to sleep among the friends
whom he had known since Towertown
had first welcomed him 60 years be-
fore. Miss Marg'ret craned her arch.
ing throat for glimpse of the GENE.
her that she had left that place miles
behind by this time, and that her train
was already speeding through scenes
she had not seen since her father had
taken her to the city on that one mem
orable visit to the great outside world
Just after her mother had died. But
the most unreasonable thing that had
come over poor Miss Marg'ret's fond
sid heart was the memory of boy who
had, 20 years before, set out from this
same Towertown on just such spring
morning, over this sef-same road. He
too, was going to the city. But he never
came back and perhaps that was why
there never was much springtime il
Miss Marg'ret's heart after that, NJ
matter how bravely the trees buddet
and the lilacs waved their fragrant
plumes.
When she was finally tucked safely
In Edwards home, only three hour:
later, with the big Edward smiling in
diligently, the little Edward munchine
the seed cakes she haG brought him
Lollie's pretty white hands making tn
most tempting tea, and, best of all
the rosy little namesake doubling he:
fists right in the very face of her ador
ing old auntie, poor Miss Marg'ret won
lered why she had dreaded it all. Blu
that night, when Lollie had finally
tucked her g1eefully in bed, almost a.
early as the jewellers of the nursery
Miss Marg'ret could remember only
one thing distinctly of all the doings o
the wonderful day. And that one thins
was a mere name which had stood on
before her surprised eyes as they hal
passed the mouth of the river on tn
way home from the station. She hat
not had time to do more than be Ger
tain that she was not mistaken in tn
long, black letters across the spotles
white Of the vessels hull, for the cal
was lodging in the most reckless wa,
among the wagons and other cab
about the railway depot. Besides, Ed
ward was talking away in terrif
fashion about the wife and babies wait
ing at home to welcome her. So sh
hadn't said word about it to anyone