Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-09-13

ness nad DOCn pathOS anu dignity
Such tall, straight, large-eyed woman
could not be easily approached by th'
gossips, so they left her alone with th'
music of the pine trees signing around
her lonely house, thinking of her boy
getting him closer to her intense
strong heart, and skipping all the in
terval, and living in the time of his re
turn when they should grow each tx
the other as the acorn grows to it's cup
It was a leafy, blossomy day in Ma,
when the lilacs were out, and the snow
balls were beginning to bleach, ant
birds trilled in the bonghs, and thu
sky softened over the young woods
The great particolored balls of carpet
work lay at Patience's feet, and th'
Bible, with it's worn, leather covers
open at the family record, and date O.
her boys birth, was placed on the stan(
by her side. With his dry, peculiar
ahem !! and the shuttle and stumble By
which he was won't to mount the steps
Deacon Spicer got upon the stoop, anG
pushed at the half open door. He wa
a shambling old man, dressed in ;
baggy suit of butternut brown, tina
seemed to have been cut quite by acci
dent.
"Good day, widder, good day." Their
was a half-tremble in the old man.
voice, that made Patience involuntari
ly ask, "What is it ?" as the work drop
ped from her hands.
"Now DON'T" said the old man, in I
coaxing tone, as he reached out ant
almost touched her gray hair. "Goot
news never killed anybody as I've hear(
tell of, and I guess you can stand this.
He fumbled in his capacious pockets
in an aimless sort of way; but ever,
heartbeat seemed century to Pa
tience. "You see there was scrim
mage t'other day, and Alvin run righ
into the mess, just like such hair
Drained young fellow; he must hav
fit with all his might and main. Yol
see the Cap'n he has went home, ant
Alvin has got promoted for gallantry
And the boy, you see-bless my soul
it beats all what I have done with tina
letter-the boy got scratch on hi
arm, and they've give him discharge
and shouldn't mite wonder if b
was home here by tomorrow"
Patience turned upon him, trembl
ing and pale to the Ef5ee
"You are not deceiving me-" sh
gasped "my boy has not been
"Deceiving of you, widder? Why
nc" responded the old man, in extrem
astonishment. "D'ye suppose I'd hav,
the face to show myself here? Any
thing unfortunate that way woult
stick in my throat, and choke me t.
death. I tell you he's on his way home
and in a fortnight will be as hearty a
ever he was in his life"
It was indeed true and Patience pu
her hands before her face as if the blis
coming so suddenly was almost to-
much to bear. The old man wander
ed on: 81 mistrust there's somebody
else, over the hill, yonder, will be glat
to get the news" But Patience scarce
ly heard him when he took his leave
She sat there in the red light of sun
set, with tremulous shadows spottins
the coarse plaster wall, her bosom heav
ing, her eyes dilating, a glad youne
look growing in her face. She wa'
dreaming Of the time when Alvin was
a baby; how he played around hel
chair, and plucked at her gown, break
ing out into bursts of infantile glee.-
And now he was coming home, tai
young soldier, and would kneel dowr
at her feet, and put his head in her lar
as he had done a hundred times. Shf
could almost feel her fingers in his
crisp, curly locks, touching his fore
head, and caressing his cheek. And
she sat there in a blissful dream unit
it grew dark, quite forgetting she had
gone without her supper.
That night Patience scarcely SLEPT
at all for joy. She was up betimes IL
the pale dawn to busy herself getting
ready for the homecoming of Alvin
She swept and busted the old house
She could almost see the grass grow
where the motherly punches of purple
ilacs pushed into Alvin's little room
window. Everything had been KEEP
sacredly, just as he left it, the fishing
tackle on the wall, the few books OF
their swing-shelf, the empty squirrel
cage on its nail, and even an old, tat
tered straw hat hanging beside it,
There was cookery to busy Patience's
hands; she remembered all her boys
likings, the seed cookies and favoritt
pies. But when these were dispatched
a great margin of time remained, anc
Patience was too unquiet with happi
ness to sit down to any work in tht
house. She went out into the pine
grove, where the tassels on the old trees
all wore a fresh, new green the housi
tonia and wild columbine were blow.
ing at her feet; and she could not hell
lifting up her voice in deep, glac
chant, ''the Lord has been my dwell
ing-place in all generations"
The path led a quarter of a mile be
yond the grove, through leafy copses
where the dogwood here and there hac
pitched it's snowy tent, on hanging
bank above the highway. Patience
wandered on until she gained look
out through the boughs, down the roac