Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-11-16
MARGARET'S FEALTY.


employed. 1t had been an unusually busv
day for Margaret Desmond, as customers
seemed to prefer her to any other sales girl
IN the store. She was always pleasant and
obhglng. She was pretty, too. If ever truth
and purity shone in a face, it surely did in
hers Lei. figure was fine, and her eyes were
large and brown. As years went by, the
large, soft, brown eyes took on a deeper
meaning. Suitors came to her, but they
came in vain. And now, at 90, Margaret is
still unmarried. 'She will never marry"
said one admirer. "She is cold as an cicle,"
said another. "She doesn't seem to care
whether fellow loves her or not. can't
understand her at ALL"
But perhaps there is a reason for Marra.
ret Desmond's GOODNESS, and the world does
not read rightly the calm, Indifferent man
ner.
Margaret has spent the last day before her
vacation at the store. She has promised to
spend her vacation taking care of sick
neighbor, Mrs. Denly, and now, as she nears
her home, resolves to go that night Mrs.
Denly has lived near her for years, and Mar
garet Desmond had become dear to this
lonely woman. Mrs. Denly had at one time
been happy. She had two sons, Jack and
Robert. But one day great blow fell on
them all. Suddenly Jack Denly disappeared.
For awhile there were stirring times at
Mrs. Denly's home; lawyers were seen COM
ing often, then ceased altogether, until final
~ Jack Denly's name ceased to be spoken,
and he seemed to pass away from everybody's
memory. Then Mrs. Denly had long i'll
ness, and when she recovered at last it was
to 60 about the house the shadow of herself.
During her illness Margaret Desmond was
her nurse, and her tenderness to the heart
broken mother was inexpressible.
1t is night at Mrs. Denly's home The door
opens and Margaret Desmond enters Bright
as the room is, her presence seems to infuse
new light into it. Robert Denly greets her
pleasantly. Then she goes to his mother.
Robert Denly gazes after her with longing
eyes. His soul in his face, he follows every
movement. He loved Margaret Desmond,
and, coming back, as he had that day, after
an absence of several weeks in the city, he
had hoped to see some sign of emotion in
her, but her welcome, kind as it had been,
had not been kinder or warmer for him than
| for any friend. He was sorely disappointed,
| and said: eff anyone comes and wins her
think jealousy would drive me mad" That
same day be said to her: Margaret, love
you, worship you; will you be my wife,"
| He drew her close to him, so close that she
almost touched his lips; then suddenly she
resisted. Slowly, and with look of agony,
| he let her go. Il understand you, Margaret;
you don't even like me-" he said. Robert"
| Margaret answers, 81 do like you. You are
| dear to me as you are. l would have loved
| you as sister; in any other way l could
| not"
That evening Robert said to Mrs. Denly:
| Mother, don't you think Margaret is
| strange. She does not seem to care for mar
| riage at all"
Mrs. Denly looked closely at her son for
moment, then said: eyes, my boy, do
There is something about her that cannot
understand. She is worth loving; she has
had the best of offers; young and old have
been in love with her; but her mind doesn't
seem to run that way. My boy, wish you
could win her." II wish so, too" thinks
Robert to himself, laughing at his mothers
concluding remark. "Why, mother, have
letter to give her, and l came near for
getting it,
Robert finds Margaret and gives her the
letter. He watches the lovely face light up,
| the little hand tremble, and turning away,
exclaims: "By jove. She doesn't look in
| ter" Margaret went to her room, kneels
| for moment, perhaps in silent prayer;
| then reads her letter with flushed cheeks
| and sparkling eyes. Could her admirers see
| her now would they say she was incapable
of loving? l think not.
The radiant face at this moment tells \
| different story. A few weeks after this let
| ter came, Robert and Margaret were con-
versing pleasantly before her intended re-
turn home as Mrs. Denly had recovered
| from her illness, when the door opened and
| bearded man, with brown eyes, stepped in
Margaret stood for one moment as if para
| lyzed. Then, at one bound, she was in the
arms of the stranger, clasped close, and
sobbing for Joy, on his shoulder. A moment
after, before anybody had spoken, she cried:
| 40 Jack, dear Jack!" when warning sound
| and motion were both given. But Mrs.
| Denly had heard
"Jack!" she said, coming forward, with
strange, uncertain step. The stranger put
Margaret gently aside. Mother" he said
with arms outheld, and in a moment that
good. motherly face lay upon his bosom.
They thought she had tainted with JOY,
but she had only lost her strength. She soon
recovered it again, and was resting against
| the warm, beating heart of the son she had
thought forever lost to her. Eyes, mother,
| / have come to you after years of separa-
| ton, the same Jack Denly. l never took
that money, mother, but everything seemed
| to point toward my guilt, and i could not
bear it. l was desperate when / went away.
Twice l tried to kill myself, but this dear
face" and he turned to Margaret, ''stoed
between me and my despair. Her loyalty
saved me.
"She said: Jack, know you are limo,
cent, and nothing can ever change my con-
idence in one l have known since child
hood She was my pure, little love even
Their; and she never forgot me or looked
down upon me. And in this great trouble
she was my truest friend Her letters, her
affection have made me what am. We have
met more than once, but would not come
home until | read a published account of
the false charges, and my own proven inno-
cence. / have brought the paper with me
for all to read" Robert Denly listens at
tentively to Jacks interesting conversation,