Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-01-28
TWAS THE WIND.

Sitting by the FIRE waiting for the
new year to come in, golden haired
Gertrude crouched on the hearth-rug,
roasting herself in the blaze, her head
pillowed in the lap of her aunt Jane.-
She is a saucy young lady Of 18, this
Gertrude, with short upper lip used
to scornful curling; but she is charming
enough when she smiles. Aunt Jane is
IS. with the pensive, softened face We
lstsa 10 a&sszire iEs sa-.; vssasi. ~
Polly few years older-sits ON the
farther side; and in the old leather
covered armchair is Uncle Ned, his
brown meerschaum pipe in his mouth,
in a sort Of haze of tobacco and medi-
tation. Uncle Ned is not profoundly
impressed, possibly. with the solemnity
of the occasion. He is used to sitting
up till midnight, and good deal later,
and does not trouble himself much
about the past, except in its geologic
or historic aspects. But Aunt Jane is
a sensitive, gifted creature, profoundly
sympathetic, with dark, morbiic face,
and deep, luminous eyes. She is in the
habit of holding forth on matters con-
nected with love and the relationship of
the sexes with great feryor. On these
occasions Gertrude generally makes : an
tomimic gestures, as though she were
beating the big drum; but Aunt Jane
goes on with glistening eyes, needless
of the irreverence of her Junior.
Gerty, however, is rather silent and
solemn, tonight Perhaps it is that
the thought of the ruthless flight of
time had come home to her, or haply
she is sobered by the reflection that she
is still unaffianced at the end Of her first
year in society.
1t is long, irregular, many -cornered
room, in an old fashioned country house.
At one end is window that looks upon
a lawn and large garden. Inthe furth-
er angle is a door, letting in a volume
of cold air and the sound of distant
church bells.
Bother the girlr growls Uncle Ned,
shiverinS 'Gerty shut the door
Gertrude let go the handle of the
door; 4 gust of wind caught it and
slammed it to with loud bang
Aunt Jane jumps and turns little
raic, Polly, too, is startled, and looks
significantly at her sister
DO you remember, Jane 2 she asked.
Aunt Jane sighed softly. 'Ah, YES
she said.
Mysteries. cried Gertrude. sinking
down into her place again. What do
Won remember, Aunt Jane? Come, tell
M
It's very old story, dear
.All the better for that; let us hear
it. But first tell me what reminded you
Of it.
'Ah, tell it, Jare.' cried Polly; 1T
will be lesson for these young peo-
pie
A lessen they don't require said
Aunt Jane, severely; but as you'll tell
it, Polly. if | don't, and as / couldn' t
bear to hear you tell it.-well:
1t was eighteen or twenty years ago.
Gerty, and your grandfather was alive
then. He wasa physician; and welived
in big house in the Clarham road
There was nice garden about it, and
close adjoining was another large house
whose grounds were divided from ours
by high wall. 1t was an old fashioned
house-your grandfather's- 's-witha a wide
passage right through it. and a glass
door leading out into the garden direct.
ly opposite the hall door. In the other
house lived an Indian nabob, hot.
tempered fiery man, but he had a son
Benjamin, who was very nice-at least
! thought So then. Papa attended o,
this nahob, and by degrees we bccam,
quite intimate with the family; not will
him for he would never 20 out. but
with the sons, and especially Ben, VIII,
was the Youngest, and only :ear Older
than L.
Well, we grew up together. girls ant
boys, and somehow Ben and | wer,
thrown good deal together, and h.
seemed to take fancy to me-"
All. you were pretty fond of him
don't tell me- cried Polly.
We'll. perhaps 1 was, said Aunt Jane
with another sigh. AT all events. thi
went on for three years, and Ben ha.
never said anything TO me-not any
thing in particular, you know
Three years : cried Gerty, inamaze
n,ent. Fancy, and never proposed. -
Goodness me! I'd have brought hin
to book in three months
'Ah. we were very differently brough
up in those days. Gerty. Why. wa.
quite baby in such matters, yer,
child, compared with YOU: and vet
was about your age, if not older. VIII,
don't think I'd said a word TO him al
those three years but just. Yes, Ben.
and No, Ben Yes. | was little fool
dare say. Gerty; l can seeit now. W,
would 60 out for long walks together
too. and Ben would talk all sorts O
nonsense 10 me-about love. and So on
and all l could say TO him was. +Oh
Z Ben, YOU shouldn't say such things
oh, Ben. you shouldn't indeedr Ben
how can you:' Ben, you mustn't
All, l could shake myself now to thin
Of it,
But, one New-year's ere-yes. it wa
Just eighteen years ago-Ben came an,
spent the day. And We had a httl
carpet dance, and Ben danced with IN
ever so many times, and we danced tn
new year in together; and when th
time came for him TO 60 went to th
Il u l.