West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-07-12

horseplay. Margaret raised her sweet
blue eyes TO Mr.. LOomls and said:
When we are settled / should like
10 take up line OF work which have
often thought OF. / think IL would be
the means OF doing real good. You
see those hig boys down there. Well,
no one seems 10 want boys around
have noticed II Ia homes and else
where. ana here today 1 have thought
that much good might be DONE
lin what way may I askT" said he.
his face growing hard and becoming
squarer In outline at once.
We'll. would give n little reception
every fortnight TO this kind OF boys
and some girls | know ana your Bible
class, and in that way they would
learn to enjoy themselves in a proper
way and keep OF the streets and out
| OF bad company"
II have listened 10 you patiently. but
would wish to state. and most emphat-
ically. that entirely dlsapproyc of any
such plan. Tint Is the duty OF par
ents./ Young people are too noisy. Be
sides. | shall require you 10 assist me
| Tn hunting up notes and references
ana looking up authorities aud also to
|
the reporters"
"Ah. and anything elsef" asked
| Margaret with dangerous sweetness.
| Yes" said lie. falling into the trap.
| just like any man. Il have 10 doubt
that with the management OF my
household and the line of reading |
shnll lay out for you. ana sewing your
| clothes and doing what | have lust
said. In aiding me In my arduous la
bors. your time will he too much occu-
pied for frivolous things, so there will
be EG receptions told you do not
like noise. Your sisters are very noisy.
| always giggling. ana call that Il r.arl
| OF lcvlty. Therefore | wish to have
you tell them so, and that caa..ot
have your time nor mine bro..cn In
| upon by frequent visits. Once n month
IL quite enough"
Two red spots burned I'm MurEnret's
checks as she took or the riug ~, was
wearing and handed IT to him, saying:
Here IL your ring. sir. Our engage
ment Is nj an end
Seeing that he made 10 effort To take
1t. Margaret threw the ring to ;he
| ground. For a moment he stood dunn;
then he looked at her, saying:
Young woman, think what you are
doing! You are losing mer'
Margaret turned away. seized by an
insanity desire TO laugh at his panied
| surprise. While hc was searching I'm
his slow brain To find some suitable
| phrase Margaret had disappeared up
the winding path to the hill among the
trees until she reached dusty clump
| or bushes and crcpt under them to
| think. What would her sisters say?
What would the world sayT She had
| thrown away the best match OK the
| season, but she was glad of It, She
was free. She hated the pompous man
who had told her what her slavery
would be. She never wanted to see
| him again. But what would her SIS
| tiers say! They We're poor. though
| trying hard TO appear otherwise. and
this match had meant much To them,
| aud now Margaret had thrown away
| her opportunity. She knew what
| awaited her-tears and wild reproachas
from them all for her contumacy. So
size crcpt under the shrubbery and
| wept until she was exhausted
The lnceascd clergyman left the place
| before the two sisters had found him.
He was in fine religious rage. lie
called to mind several of the most
bliShtlng maledictions in usage among
the early fathers, but they brought no
J relief. His vanity was wounded
The sisters, not finding him or Mar
gnret. thought they had doubtless gone
alone, after the manner OF the en-
gagged, so decided to return home. They
did so. but no Margaret was there.
While all this was going on some
one had seen Margaret and the clergy
man as they stood together and had
marked the return of the ring and
drew his own conclusions. This wa
the artist whose handsome face and
genial heart had been In Margaret's
mind long time. He had on this
great day packed up his sketchbooll
and betaken himself to the Wssahick-
on, perhaps to work and perhaps to
try to get glimpse of Margaret He
knew that all the flags lluttering among
the trees were flying to do her honor
and felt that the whole picnic was for
her. Her personality oyershadowcd
everything else to him.
1t was nearly o'clock. and the last
load Of uncomfortable, hot and sleepy
children had gone. 4 few early rock
| ttS b'Eull 10 lcul mo Ilc SKY IN the
distance. Under the shade of the trees
and bushes II began to seem quite
dark, and Margaret was afraid. so she
crept out. TO find herself facing the
young artist. who was making believe
that lie was sketchinG.
Then Margaret began to cry again,
which made II necessary for him to
console her and for her to explain.
She ended her story saying:
And don't know what to do"
I'll tell you. This is independence
day. You are of age. Declare your
Independence. have brother I'm
Camden, clergyman. and wen Just
go over and be married Mt once"
but what Will my sisters say?"
I'VE will find out when we come
back. We can get there and back be-
fore they know IL. Will you Gomez"
For answer she took out tiny Amer.
lean flag and waved II and pinned II
to her dress And then they started
for paradise by way OF a trolley car.