The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-28
CHAPTER v.
The PASSING of MARGARET.

The Passing of Margaret.
The day after the return of Mr.. San
ders and Francis Bethune from the war,
Gabriers grandmother had an carry
caller in the person of Miss Fannie Tom
lin. For a maiden lady, Miss Fanny was
very plump and good-loodng. Her hair
was gray and she still wore it in short
curls just as she had worn 1t when a
girl. The style became her well. The
short curls gave her an air of jauntiness,
which was In perfect keeping with her
disposition, and they made a very pretty
frame for her rosy, smiling face. Socially
she was the most popular person in the
town, with both young and old Indeed,
| the community would have been a very
dull one but for Miss Fanny; In return
for which the young people conferred the
distinction of kinship on her by calling
her Aunt Fanny She had remained sin
gle because her youngest brother, Pu-
laski, was unmarried, and needed some
one to take care of him, SO she said. But
she had another brother, Silas Tomiln
who was twice a widower, and who
seemed to need some one to take care
of him. for he presented a very mean
and miserable appearance.
Miss Fanny plunged at once into the
business that had brought her out so
early What do you think Lucy? Mar
! garet Gather and her daughter have re-
turned. They are at the Gather Place.
and Miss Polly has just told me that
there isn't mouthful to eat in the
house-and there is Margaret at the point
of death. Something must be done at
once, that's certain. l don't know what
| Margaret's feelings are with respect to
me; you know we never were bosom
friends. Yet I never really dislil1ed her.
and now, after all that has happened.
! couldn't bear to think that she was suf-
fering for anything. Likely enough she
would be embarrassed If called and Of
fered assistance. What is to be done?'
Wouldn't it be best for some one to
call-some one who was her frlend?'
The cool level voice of Gabriers grand
mother seemed to clear the atmosphere
Whatever is to be done should be done
sympathetically. If 1 counld see Polly
there would be no difficulty"
well, l saw Miss Polly" said Miss
| Fanny, land she told me the whole stu
alton, and was on the point of saying
that l would run back home and send
something over, when an upper window
was opened, and Margaret Gathers
daughter stood there gazing at me-and
she's beauty, Lucy; there's a chance for
Gabriel there. Well, you know how deaf
| Miss Polly is; If had said what I wanted
| word"
IF Margaret is i'll she should have at
tention. 1 will go there this morning. y
| This was Mrs. Lumsden's decision
I'll send the carriage for you as soon
as l can run home" said Miss Fanny
With that she rose to CO. and hustled out
of the room, but in the hallway she
turned to remark: Tell Gabriel that he
will have to lengthen his suspenders now
that Nan has put on long dresses"
'Oh, nor protested Mrs. Lumsden.
I'VE mustn't put any such nonsense in
Gabriers head. Nan is for Francis Be-
i thune. If it isn't all arranged it ought to
be. Why the land of Darlington Joins
the land that Bethune will fall heir to
some day, and it seems natural that the
two estates should become one" Ga
| briefs grandmother had old fashioned
| ideas about marriages.
| Miss Fanny went home, and in no long
time Neighbor Tomlin's carriage came to
! the door. Gabriel helped his grand
mother into the carriage, climbed in after
her and in a very short time they were
! at the Gather Place. The young wo-
man whom Gabriel had seen in Mr.. Good
| lett's hack was standing in the door, and
| the little frown on her forehead was
more pronounced than ever.
Good morning" said Mrs. Lumsden.
II have come to see Margaret. Does she
receive visitors?'
MY name is Margaret too" said the
young woman, after returning Mrs.
Lumsden's salutation, and bowling to Ga
| briel. But of course you come to see
my mother. She is upstairs She is in
| the room in which she was born"
Il know the way very we'll" said Mrs.
Lumsden. She was for starting up the
| stairs, but the young woman detained
her by gesture and turned to Gabriel.
Wont you come in?" sac inquired.
I'VE are old acquaintance, you know.
Your name is Gabriel-wait-Gabrie Toll
liver. Don't you see how well l know
you? Come we'll help your grandmother
up the stairs. This they did. The young
woman led Mrs. Lumsden to her mothers
bedside, and presently came back to Ga
briel.
I'VE will go down now, IL you please"
she said MY mother is very ill-worse
than she has ever been-and you can't
imagine how lonely 1 am. Mother is at
home here, while my home, if have any.
is in Louisiana. 1 suppose you never had
any trouble?'
my mother is dead" he said simply.
In a little while he heard his grand
mother calling him from the head of the
stairs. Gabriel. jump in the carriage
and fetch DR.. Darlington at once He's
at home at this hour"
He did as he was bid and Nan, who
was coming up town on business of her
own, must needs get in the carriage with
her father. The combination was more
than Gabriel had bargained for. For
some reason or other the young man was
inclined to fight shy of Mans father, and
there was nothing he liked less than To
find himself in DR.. Dorrington's company
more especially when Nan was present
too. Noting the quizzical glances of the
physician. Gabriel like great BOBBY, be-
gan to blush, and in another moment
Nan was blushing too.
Now, fEther"-she only called him IA
Their when she was angry. or dreadfully
in earnest NOW father! IL you begin
your teasing, I'll jump from the car
riage."
Her father laughed gaily. Teasing
Why, l wasn't thinking of teasing. 1 was
just going to remark that the weather is
very warm for the season. and then L In
tendedl to suggest to Gabriel that, as ]
proposed to get you a blue parasol he
would do well to get him a red one"
And why should Gabriel get a para
sol?' Kan inquired.
"WhE, simply to be in the fashion. y
her father replied. II remember the time
when fou cried for hat because Gabriel
! had onle; l also remember once that when