The Argosy — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

65 UNDER THE LINDEN TREE. A SKETCH. sg was a fine night, calm and peaceful. The moonlight lay on a fair scene in one sheet of burnished silver: on the distant woods, on the green of the common near, on the fair white villas scattered about: and lastly ona young man and a young girl who were standing by the small gate at the end of a garden under the linden tree. He was the eldest son of Captain Sefton, who lived with his large family in the large villa farthest off. On the morrow he was going away to seek his fortune, as many young men did then; and he was. now bidding adieu to his heart’s love, Mary Drummond. “Tf you should forget me out there, Edward!” she whispered, with a long-drawn sigh. “Forget you! ‘That’s not a very pleasant thought to part upon!” exclaimed the young man in resentment. ‘‘ Do you suppose I shatl ever see any girl that I love as I love you, Mary ?” “It is so very far away, out there. So far; so far!” “Or any girl that’s half as lovely as you are?” he continued, ** Mary, I swear that I'll be true to you!” ‘Oh, Edward, I don’t doubt you,” she breathed between her tears. ‘‘ Only we shall be so widely separated: you there, and 1 here: and you may be thrown with other girls and—and it may be hard to remiember me.” “Mary,” said Mr. Sefton, who had a strong objection to sentiment, ““why are you bringing this gloomy nonsense in our last moment ? Do you wish to put an end to our engagement ?” ‘You know better. You know that —— ” “That all your life’s sunshine lies with me. That is what you'd like to say, I suppose, only you don’t like to say it,” he added, with a smile, as he drew her closer to him. ‘‘Mary! I wish I could take you with me: but you know, my darling, that cannot be. Only think what a joyful meeting will be ours when I come back again !” ‘IT shall be thinking of it always,” she sighed. “When I come back a rich man—for I know I shall be successful. Rich, and able to marry. And now let us pligbt our troth to each other, Mary, more solemnly than we have done it yet. I have brought you this little ring,” taking one from his pocket set witb pearls, “and I shall take from you the plain gold one you wear on your middle finger.” They exchanged rings, ‘‘ Will you promise that it shall ever remain there?” he said, as he placed the pearl upcn ker finger. VOL. XLVI. F (C@) COMIC NOOKS