Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-07-20


best box in the ragged little house"
Another pause. and then he went on;
'Ah, Edith, didn't know what ! do
now, or | would have given double the
money they had in the little house to
have never gone in. They played the
whole thing with about half a dozen peO-
pie, and OF course it was very funny.
But presently heard voice-ah, sissy,
such voice. such liquid music!-and l
looked and saw such dark houri, as one
might dream of as inhabiting paradise.
She was beautiful beyond compare-such
superb black hair. with the paper flowers
in ii; such eyes. that melted before your
glance, But why need | go on with the
catalogue Of her charms?-she was sim
! ply the loyeliest woman had ever seen;
so sweet and perfect, so far above those
! with whom she was associating, that
! even at this time. when the cure
/ tells me | shall soon join her, l feel
! pang of pain that she vas not known to
me years before"
| Mrs. ChoImondely heaved a sigh. while
! her brother continued: There was no
need of A glass. sissy, where | was sit
| ting we were almost face to face. and
, think Fate must have whispered to both
- us that our way OF life must be to-
get, r. 70" we We're mutually attracted
to eaoa other To uake a long story
short, my dear Edith. = gave them all
supper at the hotel; found out that Mar
garet Duncombe was as good as she was
beautiful, and had supported her poor
old mother till she had del about a year
before. And then-then-my darling
came to me, for we loved each other so
dearly. l married her. and took ler ey-
erywhere. | was. in truth. mad with
happiness. But only for a year, Sissy
only for a year. She died in my arms,
after having given birth to a baby girl
a little Maggie-+the living miniature of
herself"
Here a heavy sigh broke from the dy-
ing man. and Mrs CholmoudeTy begged
him not to proceed. but her brother must
finish his story now.
Il wandered up the Mediterranean"
said he, back again through Spain and
France, to England, and there left my
Maggie, with two dear, cheerful little
ladies' Take down the address careful
ly, darling sister, for | am getting weak
Misses Henley, Buruham Beeehes,
Bumham. They have a little cottage
there. Let her be brought up there In
content. | pay a hundred Il year for her;
let it be always paid tnem. And let her
marry some good fellow, that doesn't be-
long to your world or TO mine. And il
harm comes to her, shield her love her,
my little Maggie. for my sake. You
promise. my pretty sister? / can't see
you very plainly '.tst now"
Il swear" sic replies, feryently.
Then he says Heaven bless you
and she presses her lips to his in pas
sionate kiss he grows very cold, and
she shrieks for assistance.
Too latei Too late. Jocelya Hugh
Damer is dead.
Changmoor Hall has been closed for
many year. and changes great and
small have taken place, not ouly in the
Devonshire village, but also in ether
parts through which we have travelled
Ernest Cholmondely is happily mar
ried, his little children come to their
grandmother for the pretty story of Mag
gle and uer shell; and she is always
plessed to put 4 to their little ears, that
they may dear it's murmur; and often
enough Ernest win tell his gentle wife
The sad story. winning grateful tears
rom her soft eyes.
They have not forgotten Maggie, any
more than Archie and Maud, whose sec
end boy Is called Duncombe and who is
a wonderful favorite with the old Colo
mel. who, taking the child on his knee.
will solemnly rehearse that scene at
Brighton, when Maggie saved his man.
mas life; and the old man pays tribute
10 her memory in passing tear.
She is not forgotte at Burnham, dear
old Ruruham The beeches are there.
the glades and the ferns but the old
maiden aunts are gone, let us hope, 10
meet Maggie and their nephew. in y
world of love and truth and constancy.
They faded gently away, doing works OF
gentle charity to the last breath. IL their
lives they were true and loving; in their
death they were not divided. Their
grave never lacks a garland. This trib
ute of love and gratitude is paid them
by little Susan, now prosperous farm
er's wife
And now for the last scene in this. my
long. eventful story 1t is autumn once
again. Little children are friskinr on
the lawn; old Mr., Royston sits in gar
NtN FHAlAa NdttAAAH Attii at pay
May and Randall sit side by side hand
In hand: Randall little older. with just
n few gray hairs sprinkled over his head:
May more sweet and beautiful than ever.
hut looking inetfahly happy; and the old
mansion looking just the same as ever,
only that windows are wide open, and
flowers in autumn brilliance of color are
blooming everywhere.
They had been abroad for some time.
and Changmoor House Ind been closed;
hut on the lawns aud slopes Of sunny
Provence. Randall had wooed and won his
fair-haired cousin, and then they had
come home.
\ little fairhaired girl is breaking or
some twics from a cypress that is rallied
in, and which waves solemnly 10 and
fro In the wind; and the old man calls to
her hastily, Maggie. come here, little
one" and the rest gather round. as the
child shows her branch triumphantiy.
The old man strains her to his heart.
this little child. and says. My pretty
| Maggie" Then they look over TO the
funerea tree where the summer house
stood in days Of yore. and they see again
the picture-only though the softening
| light Of a happy lite--of that dark, beau
| tlful girl, who. with her heart and new
| born love. had stakcd it against her des-
tiny, and had lost.
CHE endl
Burmese Were Ingenious.
n