The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-11-27
THE M A GIG
STONE
BY KATE ma TER SON
>OoOoooOoOoOo<

II Baltimore lOr neT HrSt suihihci
at Narragansett her Aunt Jane pre-
senicd her with the fairy stone. 1t
was an odd-looking blue oval, Opaque,
set in Tuscan gold and hung on q
slender chain of the sape metal.
Nowadays we don't believe in such
things, my dear" said Aunt Jane;
"but there is n cave in Virginia where
these stones used to be found over 100
years ago. My grandmother gave
this to me when | made my debut,
and / have had it ever since. i be-
lieve in it. 1t is supposed to be n
potent charm against evil, and it has
the power of giving n girl an insight
as to the character of her admirers.
1t helps her to select the man she
Is to marry. 1 was always guided
by it,"
"But, Aunt Jane" said Marjorie,
"you never married. And mother al
ways tells me you were a stunning
girl! Why didn't the fairy stone help
you to choose?'
"The men l met didn't stand the
test" said Aunt Jane, sadly. Let
US hope you will have different
story to tell"
Marjorie had only been graduated
the year before, and had travelled in
Europe with her mother. But this
year was to be so different! Boxes
Of gowns, trunks of hats and boots
and finery of all sorts had been
brought over for this seasons
launching; for, to Baltimore girl,
summer at Narragansett is far
more important than a winter at
home.
Marjorie had read about summer
girls, and she knew that every girl
was supposed to get engaged to men
that she never intended to marry
during season at the seashore, and
while she could not quite understand
how it was all to happen, she knew
that she was going to have really
good time and would do as she other
girls did.
Two days after she reached the
pier she met Tom Hartley. He was a
poetic-looking chap with n rich
father. He had his yacht and his
horses and traps and autos. and
seemed to be a favorite with the
younger matrons. He danced with
Marjorie once. and that seemed to
settle the matter. There was a hyp
uotic charm about Marjorie's dane
ing that the season developed. She
acquired any number Of slaves among
the dancing men. Her reddish
Brown-Pottery hair had a way of al
ways seeming in danger of tumbline
down as she moved, and it had ar
odor of violets that was most intox
icating.
Hartley gave yachting parties II
Marjorfe's honor until her mother de
elared that it was becoming alto
gether pronounced. But Marjorie
called her attention TO the fact tha
Miss Cresswen, the pretty, sleepy
looking girl who hsped. was enter
tanned Just as much almost. Thi
Mss Cresswel was the only DIT
who gave an evidence on disputint
Martorie's reign az . belle. Sh'
mooned about the piazza durinl
dances and didn't mind being talke'
about.
hartley proposed to Marjorie tn
third week. 1t happened like thii
He had taken her out tandem dri'
ing. They came 70 beautiful bi
Of road with a meadow perfectl
white with daisies. She wanted som
Of them, and he sent johnson. tn
footman. 10 gather them. They gre,
tired waiting. and he suggested
walk down the lane. A real prett
lane II was, ike a stage setting.
II was funny bow serious thing
e.ypened. He helped her from th
high seat Of the trap, and the hes
Of her white shoe caught In Som'
thing and she stumbled. He esugt
her and held her hands tightly. Ma
joriel" he said. She laughed. II ws
the fr.t time he had called her By he
rame, and IL amused her 70 think q
bis dong 30 without asking pernii
sioA Girls hate 20 seem TO H'
perxsr:oa for things without . 70
Ea' YsVssa-
TIE, rA-y WALKED down the isl
end be ted has lax he lo,-sd n
and asked her % he his vif~. u
saih ths. they had known each osh'
Tor such 8 short time that the W
w& yrspss,e1ous, but finally q
agreement WA made between tha
Tor al entirely sab-ross sngsesnsa
pn,li he might ask her mother. To
ssie b. was the hsppiest fellow
the world, and hey drove homo I
gether quite radiant, With Jobzss
sitting behind mountain Of dsisi
On the back He was Q wise ma
~ tsa besD NTH Tom some TN