"
"Art Maguire," replied Murray, "you heard my intention, and I'll never
change it." Art then withdrew.
Our readers may now anticipate the consequences of the preceding
conversation. Murray and his wife having persisted in their refusal to
sanction Margaret's marriage with Maguire, every argument and influence
having been resorted to in vain, Margaret and he made what is termed
a runaway match of it, that is, a rustic elopement, in which the young
couple go usually to the house of some friend, under the protection
of whose wife the female remains until her marriage, when the husband
brings her home.
And now they commence life. No sooner were they united, than Art,
feeling what was due to her who had made such and so many sacrifices for
him, put his shoulder to the wheel with energy and vigor. Such aid as
his father could give him, he did give; that which stood him most in
stead, however, was the high character and unsullied reputation of his
own family. Margaret's conduct, which was looked upon as a proof of
great spirit and independence, rendered her, if possible, still better
loved by the people than before. But, as we said, there was every
confidence placed in Art, and the strongest hopes of his future success
and prosperity in life expressed by all who knew him; and this was
reasonable. Here was a young man of excellent conduct, a first-rate
workman, steady, industrious, quiet, and, above all things, sober; for
the three or four infractions of sobriety that took place during his
apprenticeship, had they even been generally known, would have been
reputed as nothing; the truth is, that both he and Margaret commenced
life, if not with a heavy purse, at least with each a light heart.
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