Ballou's Monthly Magazine, Vol. XXVII, No. 1 — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

70 when I was so happy in anticipation, in spite of all the difficulties of the situation. What is it Byron says ? “But sweetest far is love—first, passionate love.” And he’s entirely right, although I don’t sup- pose he knew anything about the better sort of it. There is nothing in this dark world so beautiful as the spectacle of an honest-heart- ed, manly young fellow, and a pure-minded girl, deep in love with each other. They are the most hopeful, trustful and devoted people imaginable; all the miserable selfishness which finds a place in the hearts of every- body else, is driven out of theirs; they live and enjoy life only for each other, and if there are difficulties and discouragements in the way, they only love and hope so much the stronger, in defiance of parents, fortune, and the world generally. So, at least, it was with Mag and me. When I made her under- stand why I could never join in the society of the quarters, upon which my heart was set at first, she opened her blue eyes to their widest, and then set her white teeth together, and stamped her foot in the most determined way. .“And you are suffering all this for me?” she said. “Jack Martin, you dear, good boy, you are worth more to me than the whole pack of them, and I love you a great deal bet- ter for what they make you suffer. Don't you believe it? There!” What do you suppose she did? She reached up and put her arms round my neck and kissed me—once, twice, three times. Ah, Mag, you darling, I wonder if we shall know each other by-and-by, when it’s all over with me, and I go toward the land where you’ve gone ? } The major wiped a tear from either eye, coughed, kicked his ankles violently against the lattice, and continued: ‘Well, we were not slow in devising a sys- tem of secret meetings; and with the aid of two of my chums who heartily sympathized with me, we managed to meet as often as every other day, without exciting the least suspicion. I was zealous in the performance of my duty, and apparently took no thought ef the society of Mag Maxwell or anybody else; in fact, Sykes reported to the colonel that the scheme was working admirably, and that Lieutenant Martin was in a fair way to be cured of his nonsense; and the colonel twirled his gray mustaches, and said, “I Why the Major never married. thought I knew how to manage them, Sykes.” As for Mag, she seemed the gayest of the gay; she danced, walked, rode and flirted with the subalterns indifferently, setting them all by the ears, and treating them al? with such equal favor that her father was de- lighted with her. “That's right, girl,” he would say (as she told me); “break their hearts as fast as. you like; I wont let them get to blows; and by-and-by you shall have a member of parliament for a husband.” “That was news to me,” she said, looking up innocently into my face. “You don't mean to join the civil service, do you, Jack 2” The colonel, and Mrs. Maxwell, and the rest of them, saw how Mag conducted herself, and set their minds at rest; but they did not dream of our stolen interviews, and of the thousand and one plans to overcome our dif- ficulties with which we bothered our simple heads. Elopement was out of the question, because there was not a priest on the island at that time, other than our chaplain, who would not have been frightened to death at such a proposition. “If we could only conciliate your father,” I sighed. “T’m fearful we never can,” said Mag, echoing my sigh. “He has repeated that odious idea about marrying a member of parliament, as much as fifty times. The | other day I asked him if a bishop wouldn't: do; and do you think, he seemed to consider it all in earnest; for he answered, ‘ Yes, pos- sibly; some man who stands high in the church or state; but never a soldier” He has the most unaccountable prejudice against my marrying one of his.own profession—all because my sisters are soldiers’ wives. But he hasn’t half as good a son-in-law as I could give him.” She always made me laugh when I felt the most doleful, with one of her queer sayings. Thad not done laughing at this one, when she clapped her hands and cried out, joyfully: “Such a happy thought as I’ve just had! I verily believe Aunt Deb can help us ever so: much.” ee } Deborah Maxwell, whom I have named_ once before, was one -of the ladies of the ° Maxwell household at Malta; a tall, angular’ spinster, of the:most uncertain age; although ' from certain dates which some of: the officers ° had gathered about the Maxwell clan, she : was thought to be not less than forty-seven. - She was the colonel’s youngest sister, and a lady well known to every officer who had - COMICMOCKS.CO