DAISY'S JOURNAL
NEW YORK, June 14, 18--.
To-morrow I am to take my old name of Thornton again, and be Guy's wife
once more. Nor does it seem strange at all that I should do so, for I
have never thought of myself as not belonging to him, even when I knew
he was another's. And yet when in that dreadful night at Saratoga I went
to Julia's room, there was in my heart no thought of this which has come
to me. I only wished to care for her and to be a help to Guy. I did not
think of her dying, and after she was dead there was not a thought of
the future in my mind until little Daisy put it there by asking if I
would be her mamma. Then I seemed to see it all, and expected it up to
the very day, six weeks ago, when Guy wrote to me: "Daisy, I want you.
Will you come to me again as my wife?"
I was not surprised. I knew he would say it some time, and I replied at
once, "Yes, Guy, I will."
He has been here since, and we have talked it over; all the past when I
made him so unhappy, and when I, too, was so wretched, though I did not
say much about that, or tell him of the dull, heavy, gnawing pain which,
sleeping or waking, I carried with me so long, and only lost when I
began to live for others. I did speak of the letter, and said I had
loved him ever since I wrote it, and that his marrying Julia made no
difference; and when I told him of poor Tom, and what I said to him, not
from love, but from a sense of duty, and when I told him how Tom would
not take me at my word, he held me close to him and said: "I am glad he
did not, my darling, for then you would never have been mine."
I think we both wept over those two graves, one far off in sunny France,
the other in Saratoga, and both felt how sad it was that they must be
made in order to bring us together. Poor Julia! She was a noble woman,
and Guy did love her. He told me so, and I am glad he did. I mean to try
to be like her in those parts wherein she excelled me.
We are going straight to Cuylerville to the house where I never was but
once, and that on the night when Guy was sick and Miss Frances made me
go back in the thunder and rain. She is sorry for that, for she told me
so in the long, kind letter she wrote, calling me her little sister and
telling me how glad she is to have me back once more. Accidentally I
heard Elmwood was for sale, and without letting Guy know I bought it,
and sent him the deed, and we are going to make it the most attractive
place in the country.
It will be our summer home, but in the winter my place is here in New
York with my people, who would starve and freeze without me. Guy has
agreed to that and will be a great help to me. He need never work any
more unless he chooses to do so, for my agent, says I am a millionaire,
thanks to poor Tom, who gave me his gold mine and his interest in that
railroad. And for Guy's sake I am glad, and for his children, the
precious darlings; how much I love them already, and how kind I mean to
be to them both for Julia's sake and Guy's! Hush! That's his ring, and
there's his voice in the hall asking for Miss McDonald, and so for the
last time I write that name, and sign myself,
MARGARET MCDONALD.
_Extracts from Miss Frances Thornton's Diary._
ELMWOOD, June 15, ----.
I have been looking over an old journal, finished and laid away long
ago, and accidentally I stumbled upon a date eleven years back. It was
Guy's wedding day then; it is his anniversary now, and as on that June
day of years ago I worked among my flowers, so I have been with them
this morning, and as then, people from the town came into our beautiful
grounds, so they came to-day and praised our lovely place and said there
was no place like it in all the country round. But Julia was not with
them. She will never come to us again. Julia is dead, and her grave is
off in Saratoga, for Guy dare not have her moved, but he has erected a
costly monument to her memory, and the mound above her is like some
bright flower bed all the summer long, for he hires a man to tend it,
and goes twice each season to see that it is kept as he wishes to have
it. Julia is in Heaven and Daisy is here again at Elmwood, which she
purchased with her own money and fitted up with every possible
convenience and luxury.
Guy is ten years younger than he used to be, and we are all so happy
with this little fairy, who has expanded into a noble woman, and whom I
love as I never loved a living being before, Guy excepted, of course. I
never dreamed when I turned her out into the rain that I should love her
as I do, or that she was capable of being what she is. I would not have
her changed in any one particular, and neither, I am sure, would Guy,
while the little ones fairly worship her, and must sometimes be
troublesome with their love and their caresses.
It is just a year since she came back to us again. We were in the old
house then, but somehow Daisy's very presence seemed to brighten and
beautify it, until I was almost sorry to leave it last April for this
grander place with all its splendor.
There was no wedding at all; that is, there were no invited guests, but
sure, never had bride greater honor at her bridal than our Daisy had,
for the church where the ceremony was performed, at a very early hour in
the morning, was literally crowded with the halt, the lame, the maimed,
and the blind; the slums of New York, gathered from every back street
and by-lane and gutter; Daisy's "people," as she calls them, who came to
see her married, and who, strangest of all, brought with them a present
for the bride, a beautiful family Bible, golden-clasped and bound, and
costing fifty dollars. Sandy McGraw presented it, and had written upon
the fly leaf: "To the dearest friend we ever had we give this book as a
slight token of how much we love her." Then followed upon a sheet of
paper the names of the donors and how much each gave. Oh, how Daisy
cried when she saw the ten cents and the five cents and the three cents
and the one cent, and knew how it had all been earned and saved at some
sacrifice for her. I do believe she would have kissed every one of them
if Guy had permitted it. She did kiss the children and shook every hard,
soiled hand there, and then Guy took her away and brought her to our
home, where she has been ever since, the sweetest, merriest, happiest
little creature that ever a man called wife, or a woman sister. She does
leave her things round a little, to be sure, and she is not always ready
for breakfast. I guess she never will wholly overcome those habits, but
I can put up with them now better than I used to. Love makes a vast
difference in our estimate of others, and she could scarcely ruffle me
now, even if she kept breakfast waiting every morning, and left her
clothes lying three garments deep upon the floor. As for Guy--but his
happiness is something I cannot describe. Nothing can disturb his peace,
which is as firm as the everlasting hills. He does not caress her as
much as he did once, but his thoughtful care of her is wonderful, and
she is never long from his sight without his going to seek her.
God bless them both and keep them ever as they are now, at peace with
Him and all in all to each other.
THE END
* * * * *
NEW JUVENILES
By Famous Authors
_Bound in Cloth; decorated cover designs; printed on extra book paper;
burnished colored edges; handsomely illustrated._
* * * * *
THE MANOR SCHOOL. By MRS. L.T. MEADE. Ten Full Page
Illustrations.
A sweetly written and popular story of girl life. Full of fun and
adventure. Told in a manner to interest and amuse young people of
any age.
Very few authors have achieved a popularity equal to that of Mrs.
Meade as a writer of stories for girls. Her characters are living
beings of flesh and blood. Into the trials and crosses of these the
reader enters at once with zest and hearty sympathy. Mrs. Meade
always writes with a high moral purpose. Cloth. 12mo. Price, $1.25.
THE DEFENSE OF THE CASTLE. A Story for Boys and Girls. By TUDOR
JENKS, author of "Imaginotions," "World's Fair Book," "Boys' Book
of Explorations," "Galopoff, the Talking Pony," "Gypsy, the Talking
Dog," etc.
This is a good, lively, fighting story, but not bloodthirsty. It
tells of a boy and girl who, during the absence of their father at
the Crusades, with the help of an old soldier defended the castle
from the attack of an armed force led by a treacherous relative.
The time is about that of Ivanhoe. Cloth, 12mo. Price, $1.00.
WITH BOONE ON THE FRONTIER; or, The Pioneer Boys of Old Kentucky. By
CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL.
This tale is complete in itself, but forms Volume I of the
"Frontier Series." It relates the true-to-life adventures of two
boys who, in company with their folks, move westward with Daniel
Boone. Contains many thrilling scenes among the Indians and
encounters with wild animals. Written in Captain Bonehill's best
style, and will most likely be the boys' book of the season. Cloth.
12mo. Price, $1.00.
UNDER THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER. Story of a Boy's Adventures in the
Spanish-American War. By CAPTAIN F.S. BRERETON, author of
"Dragon of Pekin," etc.
A vivid and accurate account of this memorable struggle. The hero
leaves his home in search of work, finds it on a Cuban plantation,
is denounced to the Spaniards as a spy, makes his escape to the
American fleet, and afterwards joins the Rough Riders and
participates in the battles around Santiago. Cloth. 12mo. Price,
$1.00.
THE MERSHON COMPANY, RAHWAY, N.J.
* * * * *
FLAG OF FREEDOM SERIES
By CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL
Volumes Illustrated, Bound in Cloth, with a very Attractive Cover, Price
60 Cents per Volume
* * * * *
WITH CUSTER IN THE BLACK HILLS; or, A Young Scout among the Indians
This is a complete story in itself, but forms the sixth and last
volume of Captain Bonehill's popular "Flag of Freedom" Series. It
tells of the remarkable experiences of a youth who, with his
parent, goes to the Black Hills in search of gold. Custer's last
battle is well described. A volume every lad fond of Indian stories
should possess.
BOYS OF THE FORT; or, A Young Captain's Pluck
Captain Bonehill is at his best when relating a tale of military
adventure, and this story of stirring doings at one of our
well-known forts in the Wild West is of more than ordinary
interest. The young captain had a difficult task to accomplish, but
he had been drilled to do his duty, and he did it thoroughly. Gives
a good insight into army life of to-day.
THE YOUNG BANDMASTER; or, Concert Stage and Battlefield
In this tale Captain Bonehill touches upon a new field. The hero is
a youth with a passion for music, who, compelled to make his own
way in the world, becomes a cornetist in an orchestra, and works
his way up, first, to the position of a soloist, and then to that
of leader of a brass band. He is carried off to sea and falls in
with a secret-service cutter bound for Cuba, and while in that
island joins a military band which accompanies our soldiers in the
never-to-be-forgotten attack on Santiago. A mystery connected with
the hero's inheritance adds to the interest of the tale.
OFF FOR HAWAII; or, The Mystery of a Great Volcano
Here we have fact and romance cleverly interwoven. Several boys
start on a tour of the Hawaiian Islands. They have heard that there
is a treasure located in the vicinity of Kilauea, the largest
active volcano in the world, and go in search of it. Their numerous
adventures will be followed with much interest.
A SAILOR BOY WITH DEWEY; or, Afloat in the Philippines
The story of Dewey's victory in Manila Bay will never grow old, but
here we have it told in a new form--not as those in command
witnessed the contest, but as it appeared to a real, live American
youth who was in the navy at the time. Many adventures in Manila
and in the interior follow, giving true-to-life scenes from this
remote portion of the globe. A book that should be in every boy's
library.
WHEN SANTIAGO FELL; or, The War Adventures of Two Chums
Captain Bonehill has never penned a better tale than this stirring
story of adventures in Cuba. Two boys, an American and his Cuban
chum, leave New York to join their parents in the interior of Cuba.
The war between Spain and the Cubans is on, and the boys are
detained at Santiago de Cuba, but escape by crossing the bay at
night. Many adventures between the lines follow, and a good
pen-picture of General Garcia is given. The American lad, with
others, is captured and cast into a dungeon in Santiago; and then
follows the never-to-be-forgotten campaign in Cuba under General
Shafter. How the hero finally escapes makes reading no wide-awake
boy will want to miss.
* * * * *
Press Opinions of Captain Bonehill's Books for Boys
"Captain Bonehill's stories will always be popular with our boys,
for the reason that they are thoroughly up-to-date and true to
life. As a writer of outdoor tales he has no rival."--_Bright
Days._
* * * * *
THE MERSHON COMPANY
156 Fifth Ave., New York Rahway, N.J.