The Argosy — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

Some Leaves from a Life. 1&9 Margaret came: a fair, sweet, gentle girl, with Philip’s eyes and Philip’s smile. Oh, how she brought back the love to me !—the old love as well as the new. And now life has once more a deep, living interest for me, and hope is springing up afresh: not for me, but for others. I have grown again to love the dear shadows that haunt this, my childhood’s home, and not to shrink from the memories of the past. There are many changes in the old time: the boys and girls are become men and women; the men and women are married and gone: some grey heads are laid low, and I read well-remembered names on many a memorial stone in the churchyard; but Uncle William is hearty still. My child, my Margaret, is a solemn, holy trust; a never failing source of interest and pleasure ; for she is all I could wish her to be —good, pure, fair, gentle, loving and very tender to me. Sometimes I wonder if she knows. And now that I have done with plans on my own account, I am beginning them over again for her. When the primroses are dotting the grass, and the pink blossoms are in the trees, and the soft spring twilight falls on all around, often, as of old, the green door opens, and another Philip and another Margaret are wandering side by side in the pleasant garden. I have rheumatism occasionally now and am afraid of the dew ; the dew which does not hurt them ; and I sit indoors and pray God to bless them—my children: and, if it may be so, guard them from such a sorrow as that which desolated me. Perhaps some day they will take my place here, for the Priory shall be Margaret’s, and glad young steps fill the old rooms with joyous life. ‘The Shadow of Death for me will have passed away and given place to the blessed Land where all is sunshine—to which Philip has gone on before. COMMICcoOokKkS.c©