The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-18

farmers about us at prices we could
afford to pay, and, as for potatoes,
when the old years stock had given
out one would have been obliged to go
without them had we not bought the
few we needed from Margaret.
When the summer was drawing to an
end man drove mp in wagon one
morning and asked if Margaret Sayles
was in. Margaret was out in the gar
den, and / sent him there. Later l
saw him digging the potatoes, putting
them in gunny sacks and loading them
on to the wagon. did not notice the
mans appearance particularly, but he
wore slouch felt hat art a pair Of
overalls. l don't know how many
loads of potatoes he took away with
him, but he was all day at the work.
That evening l asked Margaret how
she was coming out on her crop. She
said that she believed she would do
very well, since potatoes were increas
| ing In price every day. l replied that
l was well aware of the fact, to my
cost She added that she had been So
| lcited by the neighboring farmers to
hold her property for better price,
but had declined. She did not believe
in the principle and would risk losing
all she had made. The price might
drop and the potatoes might rot on her
| hands. l told her l thought she was
wise.
| We returned to the city on the 1st
Of September Margaret continued to
serve me faithfully till the end of the
year, when she notified me that she ex-
pected to be married in the spring and
would leave me whenever / had found
another servant to suit me. OF course
this was great disappointment, but 1
had no blame for Margaret. l asked
her whom she was to marry, and she
told me her betrothed was the man who
had carted away her potatoes, adding
that he was a practical gardener.
When she told me this | was sorry
that had not more carefully noticed
the man. l was trihe disappointed
that she was not to marry some one
in IA higher station. for both my hus-
band and | clung to the Idea that Mar
garet was fitted to fill almost any
grade In social life. | asked a number
OF other questions about her betroth-
ed, but she was as reticCnt about this
as she had been about all matters per
tanning to herself
Margaret would not leave me till
had tried several persons to take her
place. Finally ! found "A woman who
was fairly satisfactory and / insisted
on parting with Margaret, for | knew
that she wished to spend her time pre-
pairing for her wedding. | felt that
was losing companion rather than a
servant. and she seemed to have form
ed some attachment for me-
Let me know when the wedding Is
to come off" said.
"You will certainly receive an invi-
tation," was her reply.
One morning in June 1t came. 1t
was an engraved note stating that
Mrs. Ellhu Sayles would be pleased to
see me at tho wedding of her daughter,
Margaret, at the residence of Mr.. VIII
liam Ferguson. There was nothing
about 1t that bespoke the servant. In
deed, there was everything indicating
that the parties concerned were of the
better class.
ON the day of the nuptials | drove
up to the house OF Mr.. Ferguson, which
! found on II first class residence street.
Other vehicles were arriving and those
alighting were In costumes appropriate
to II wedding In high life. There were
perhaps fifty guests In all. At noon
| hn hafr hAf
the officiating clergyman, and In the
groom, attired In a Prince Albert coat
and gray trousers, recognized the
man who had carted away Margarets
potatoes. The bride was In travelling
costume.
After the ceremony | passed the
bride with the throng Of guests, and
her mother, saying that she would like
TO make me acquainted with her broth
er, Mr. Ferguson. took me to him. He
beckoned me to follow him to another
room and then and there explained the
mystery of Margaret and her potato
crop.
, "If / were II young man seeking q
helpmate," he said, 81 should consider
| myself most fortunate IL | could Sc
. cure my niece Margaret. Her father
brought her up in comfort, but prac
tically. He considered the basis of q
woman's education cookery and sepl
his daughter to n cooking school. Ht
died few years ago, and she has
since, up to the time she went to you
made her living by some plan connect
} ed with cooking. She became engaged
to the man she has inst married q
year ago. He has been studying agri
cdlrure and has just been graduated
, bat had no funds. Seeing your adyer
| tisement 1t occurred to Margaret thai
p, by accepting position with you she
: might secure the use of ground with
4 out cost on which to raise IA crop Sht
. sold her potatoes for $500, which Il
y the capital ON which the couple are t
J commence married life. Her husband
I will become scientific superintendent
OF genteman's farm at good sal
1 | ary"