The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-01-09
to lave what 20 have to yer own

| JoyIul CHOtlOlS, Out NOilli "ho P'"iAi
hard into the pcnts and did not see.
"I've bin takln' partner" Power
went on, "nn' it's our intintion to in
crease the business. Hes shmart
man, wild money, an he'll take some av
the work mfr me ovid shoulders" lie
laughed dryly, glanced round the circle
and replaced the pipe In his mouth.
"It's time, SIRE" said Mrs. Coyle.
'Ivc bin thnkin' ye might shpare me
wan av these childer av yours; not"
he added hastily, "a young wan, but,
say. Maggie here"
"Me!' Maggie called tho word out
Of dream. The dream was broken.
| flush, dcarlew said Mrs. Coylc, lean
Ing forward eagerly and trying to catch
Powers uncertain eye.
| shes fine grown girl, an 'ud do
we'll In the shop. 'Tis pity to lave her
here. In time she'd be grand help
to 20. In six months, or say nine,
afther she'd learned the business, I'd
pay her some wages, an in the mcnn-
timo I'd kapc her free intircly. The
thought just ken to me-" he added.
| "What'd we do widout Maggie mt
allT' said Conn. "Comc here, ashore"
She went to him ana sat on his knee,
with her arms round his neck and her
head sunk against his shoulder.
"'T'is fine Offer" snid Mrs. Coyle
vaguely.
"What do yo say. Mnggic?" Conn
| whispered In the girls car.
| "No. no." she pleaded; and again,
| mo, no." with shivcr that shook her
thront. She clung closer. Let me
shtny wild yc; let me shtny."
| Conn held her to him and allowed his
| pipe to go out. lie was poor man.
with many clamorIng mouths to feed:
| he was also Il man Of strong affections.
bitter struggle began IN him. Frank
Power watched cautiously.
"I'm thinkIn' the north mlghtnt
shutc the child" said Conn. can thin
| there's the young vans Who'll see
| ofthcr thlm?'
| "Surc, Bid,ly's fourteen an we'll able
| for It. Would yc shtnnd In the girls
| way, Cunni'
"God save us, what talk. woman!
Shtnnd In her way! Is It me harm the
child? Ach. Maggie, yc know we'll yer
me own hearts hlood"'
eyes," whispered the girl
II say thank yr kindly, Frank Pow
rr, nn' God bless yc for the thought nv
uS. Wen settle What we'll do tomor-
rrr. An to bed wild W, Maggie, ashore,
an lave us to think bit"
She slipped from Conns knee after
an embrace pitcous with rntrcaty, kiss
cd her mother and the uncle whom she
already regarded with n kind Of terror
and wont up quietly to bed. But q
week before she would have accepted
/ tho proposed change, not, indeed. with
out sorrow, but ns part OF the ncccsSa-
~ round of life. Now It seemed an
II utter uprootlnC, terrible rs tho idea OF
death.
!. 1t was decided that Maggie shoul,
u 60. Frank Power when ne maGc tn,
offer knew 1t was inevitable and con
h graduated himself on the brilliant idc,
k which had sent him to see Ellcn's cll
/. est girl Her nttrnctivcncss was hcyon,
L his hopes; even in his eyes she wa
10 pretty, and he saw no more than tn
u shell Of her. the accidents of fcatur
and Of health. He advanced mcngc
r sum toward the purchase OF the ncccs
!. sary outfit. to be repaid, he said whc1
d She Wa" earning for herself.
q Mnggic's parting from James PhclaI
u NhS u NtjS SlInIlt lllullcr ultcF all
. Her heart was too big for speech, ant
! his, If not that. at least prompted hin
, to say no more than might have beer
, overheard with safety by any passcr
by.
Mary CrCg2n. as lie knew, had long
ears and longer tongue; 1t was well
to b" discreet. But Frank Power. who
had habit of silent prowling. both
; saw and heard. He said nothing. but
j., that night his lean face looked lrancr
|. and his crafty eyes drew closer to.
:. gcthcr under bent brows.
q tonn's last words to Maggie were:
"Bc good. drarlc, an whin yr corr,
q back Wen be proud av yc."
Il The change to Maggie from Ba!ly
Il cloghcr to Belfast was like MOVING
y from FREQ air to n close room. Dis
|. | appointment met her on the thrcSiI
t, Old OF the new life, for the gloriou.
/. shop which she had ina gincd, with ,
d plated glass front and sumptuous dis
q play OF millinery, far finer than any
+. thing In Carmorc. proved to be darl
= little place In side street. with hardly
u moro room than Mrs. MacDonagh's.
= Maggie and n companion worked al
]
partner Mt another facing It. The new
; partner was an amiaDlc young man.
content 1t seemed, to work under his
seniors direction and appearing to
have no Ideas Of his own. Power ruled
: the place. He sat up late at night over
his books, long after tho household had
gone to bed. Once when Maggie came
down to fetch something she had for.
\ gotten, she found him In his little
counting house poring over rows Of fig
t urcs like man whose life depended or
t the solution Of some fantastic puzzle
At the sound Of her step he rose, white
and trembling. Then he cursed her for
n plague and drain on him. Afterwnrd
he made q whining apology. accom-.
panied with frigid cndcnrrncnta, which
' the girl understood less than his ruKc
She wrote to Jim OF course, but re.