The Illegal Marriage — page 52: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

44. THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. “Yes, dear, for your sake.” Mrs. Bond knew that it was useless to say more, and for some time sat stroking Cecy’s fair head, listening to her happy plans for the future. That night she prayed earnestly that Alfred Guerry might be a better man than she had reason to believe he was. Two weeks had passed since her betrothal, and Miss Morgan seemed very happy in her love; yet she had frequent fits of weeping, for which her friend could not account. Gladly would she have stayed on in the city, but the accounts from her father were unfavorable, and she began to fear for his health. One day a letter came from Doctor Trippe, advising her immediate return. Yet, despite her father’s illness, Cecy had to con- fess that she left Macon with reluctance. “It may be heartless,” she said to herself, as she thought over the matter, “it may be heartless, and I fear that I should be the first one to call it so in another girl; but I cannot bear to go away—I am so—happy here—at least I think that I am,” she mentally added, after a short pause. The thought that half the girls in town believed that she ought to be happy had its influence upon Cecy’s mind, and arguing upon it as her inevitable fate, she soon came to feel that she was, indeed, a happy and fortunate girl. | For all her reluctance, Cecy made her prepara- tions for departure. The last evening came all too soon, and Alfred Guerry had come to say farewell. In his presence she was truly happy, and every care fled from her mind, “Good-by, Cecy,” he said, rising; “it is late, and GComicbooks (Ee)