The subject of Margaret's marriage, however, was on that precise period
one on which her father and friends had felt and expressed much concern.
Many proposals had been made for her hand during Art's apprenticeship;
but each and all not only without success, but without either hope or
encouragement. Her family were surprised and grieved at this, and the
more so, because they could not divine the cause of it. Upon the subject
of her attachment to Maguire, she not only preserved an inviolable
silence herself, but exacted a solemn promise from her lover that he
should not disclose it to any human being. Her motive, she said, for
keeping their affection and engagement to each other secret, was to
avoid being harassed at home by her friends and family, who, being once
aware of the relation in which she stood towards Art, would naturally
give her little peace. She knew very well that her relations would not
consent to such a union, and, in point of mere prudence and forethought,
her conduct was right, for she certainly avoided much intemperate
remonstrance, as afterwards proved to be the case when she mentioned it.
Her father on this occasion having amused them at home by relating the
tift which had taken place between Cooney Finnigan and himself, which
was received with abundant mirth by them all, especially by Margaret,
seriously introduced the subject of her marriage, and of a recent
proposal which had been made to her.
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