The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-03-14
1Misccl lanrnus.
Come Together mt Last.

Miss Carney walked up the long green lane
on her way home from tea party. She wore
a brown silk dress and a brown bonnet, and
carried Il large brown parasol in her hand.
The browns were of different shades, and ran
softly into each other, like the tints upon a
dove. All the lines other figure were smooth
and rounded. She was a very pretty old lady
indeed, and must have been very pretty
girl, though she was a spinster, and people
who believed that all unmarried women were
left upon the bough of single blessedness be-
cause they tempted nobody to pluck them,
must have owned that it could not be so in
her case.
Down the lane, coming towards her, walk
ed gentleman. He was tall and broad, his
hair was grey and his hat was grey; and
his summer suit was grey his beard was grey
also. He, oddly enough shaded off into anotl-
er sort of dove. The green trees were all
about them both, the green grass beneath
their feet. The roses nodded over the fence
If these had been two young people instead
of two old people, one might have fancied il
Il lovers rendezvous, but they were old OF
course there could be no romance about
them.
In the middle of the lane, shaded by great
chestnut trees, stood an old house Honey
suckle draped the porch. There was an old
fashioned sweep in the well. 1t was altOgeth-
er thing of the past-no modern cottage OF
architectural mysteries. 1t was so old fash
toned that it must have been the same when
those two people were young. Yes, when
their parents were born doubtless it stood by
no means new house, just as it stood now
The pretty old lady in brown reached the
gate of this house first She lifted the latch
and stood looking down the road, thinking
thnt lln hn old i,,,r
had lost his way and would inquire Other, for
the lane was no thoroughfarc because fence
and gate and sign, with "All persons are
forbid to trcspass upon these grounds" nail
ed upon it.
The lady's father had put up the sign the
day after the pedlar had stolen all his pears
No ncighbor minded ii, but strangers did So
the old lady waited courteousiy to tell the
stranger that he might take the short cut
through the orchard if he chose.
"He walks like somebody | know. Who
can it beY" she asked herself. Then she
suddenly blushed and looked prctter than
ever. Yes, certainly, it could not be because
no one desired to pluck her that she remained
faded rose upon the branch-Miss Carney,
not Mrs Anybody.
On came the old gentleman in his grey coat
and as he looked at the little old lady he dof-
fed his grey hat.
Madame" he said 'this is where Mr. Ed
ward Carney used to live, know. Does he
live here now ?"
But the old lady looked at him with sud
den start. ooh she cried; and added, mo
he does not"
"He is" began the old gentleman.
at is his tombstone that you can see under
the great willow in the highest part of the
churchyard," she said, pointing through the
the trees. "He was eighty when he died"
thine flies fast" said the old gentleman.
"Fearfully fast" said the old lady.
She was not looking at him now, but at
the flowers in the borders at her feet.
"Mr. Carney was a widower when knew
him, and had but one child-a daughter
said the old gentleman in grey. "She is liv
ing, is she not ?"
eyes" said the old lady.
"But she cannot be Miss Carney STILL" sat
the old gentleman.
"But She is" said the old lady, and looked
him in the face again,
Their eyes met. Her were brown and his
were grey
people alter out of knowledge in forty
years." said she; land how on earth | came
to know you don't know, for you look like
your own grandfather, Mark Turner"
"Ask the old gentleman to walk in, then
Miss Carney" said he, for he ought to b.
more weary than he used to grow on the sam,
road lifetime ago, coming from the mill
you remember Priscy every Sunday even
| ing"
"Did your" said she, pretending to forget
"Oh, yes of course will ask you to wall
in, Mr.. Turner"
She turned. He followed her They sa
down in the parlor-one on either side of tn
polished table.
Over it, between the windows, hung TIL
looking-glass with its narrow gilt frame. TIL
book case filled the recess. On the mantle
piece were some shell flowers under glass
There was the stiff sofa with the black cus
ion like the slice of fluted column; theI
| were the six chairs to match, and the claw
footed sideboard There had been no chi
dren to break or scratch things All was til
same as when he left ii last and saw Miss Cal
ney standing in the middle of the floor wit
her long black hair in curls about her SHOULD
ers, and blue ribbon around her taper girl
waist Now he looked at her, and she wa
really old and stout, but somehow she SCENE
to be nobody else, but Priscy Carney. Sl
saw him looking from the furniture to he
face, and interpreted his thought
"Yes," she said almost angrily, dis Il nc
strange? There are the bits of wood an
glass and china, just as they used to be-
There are the oak trees, only finer and greer
er. The very grass and flowers might be I'll
same; and here am !, old, faded, and lionel,
and my handsome, bright-eyed father dead |
his grave, and all | care for gone | wish
were gone also. think people who have nj
seen each other for forty years need not see
each other again. | wish they would ne
come to me after being all the same as dea
| for fDrty Vpars IL is nrecisplv like aaoip