Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1881-06-02
The Golden Thread.
CHAPTER XIII.
ny wArFARER.

CHAPTER XIII.
Blossoms Of peace once In my pathway SPRING
ing,
Where have your brightness aud your swse,sssssss
gomez"
II was late before The household was
astir When Morley awoke, Ernest
was up and sitting BY sheyiarp ginIlsSl
reading, making il appear As natural as
possible for him 10 be there, for he would
not remind him that he had been a
watcher by his bedside under the true
circumstances. But Morley had ava
kened with foil recollection of his pre-
vious condition, and though he returned
the cheerful greeting Of his friend with
his customary pleasant manner, he felt
a constraint he did not seek TO shake
off and talked freely upon the cause Of
his misfortune, ending with the sad
confession OF the mastery his appetite
for stimulating drinks had gained over
his will
This confidence, which mortified him
10 make, seemed a relief 10 him, how.
ever, and the friends descended 10 the
breakfast room together as If nothing
unusual had occurred, followed BY
Watcher, who had slept outside his
masters room door in tt hall. And
thus all seemed by tacil agreement TO
regard It. Everything had been made
bright and cheering in the breakfast
room, fresh flowers arranged every
where around, and the table rendered
attractive as careful housewiiery could
make il. Never had home seemed more
cosy and lovable.
Bertha was the first TO meet hIm;
she bad been permitted to ring the
breakfast bell. aud the little thing was
sparkling with pleasure. "Me wing
bell, mart Orly; breakus weddy." He
stopped and lightly punched her cheek;
she skipped around him 10 her gladness,
and he made playful feint Of running
as the bell took up its ling.a.ling-ting
as she continued, losers do IN, the
pressure TO the invitation being sug.
gested by seeing her mother bringing IN
a corpulenf dish OF those luscious bi.
valves which none but she could pre-.
pare TO such perfection aud which Der.
tina, who knew what was good, thought
an lnducement 10 promote haste 10 Oh.
preaching the table.
Lucy and Mrs. Sloan were already IN
the room and laughngy congratulated
them on their escape from scolding for
their tagging by coming so well guard
ed by good humor and defended by
Berlha's winsomeness. Mary, waiter
IN hand, stood grinning pleasantly al
the back OF her mistress chair, and Ra.
ehel, as she deposited her appetizine
burdens upon the table, took 10 The
whole group with moiherly look CIV
ing the crinkled hair of Bertha q play.
ful pull as she sripped out with almost
girlish step TO look after The frying
pan tizzing under another burden.
That breakfast-table presented very
pleasant picture ofreal life. The beau.
tiiui young mistress in her white null
dress and purple ribbons and a bunch
OF heIiolrope IN her raven iresses, dong
the hostess with such pretty grace; the
plump figure Of the aunt, SO homeIike 10
snowy muslin 'kerchiefand cap, busying
herself with the tempting dishes around
her; Morley, with pale face vet lordly
manner, dispensing the hospitality with
his common courtesy, and Ernest adding
10 the good cheer with bon-mot and
humorous anecdote; Mary, in tidy dress,
gliding around with cups OF fragrant
coffee and dishes Of Maryland biscuit
and "Virginny batter cakes" while
Bertha, with tawny arm about the neck
OF Watcher and kinkled head resting
backwards on his broad, shaggy back,
added a sweet home feature in the
background of her masters chair.
As soon as It rested upon her broth
er, Lucy's eye had detected mortifca-
ton and sorrow hid beneath the CAV
humor with which be met their efforts
OF diversion, but she did not intend TO
give him time TO indulge the feeling, 80
initiated those pleasan.rIes that make
the'breakfast hour so tempting TO lovers
OF home. While the gentlemen smoked
their meerscbaums on the porch, Lucy
played at ball with Watcher, whom
practice with every body had made ex-
pert, on the terrace, and Mrs. Sloan
went to the poultry yard to see how her
white duck and its brood of snowy
ducklings had Jared through the night.
The servants were at breakfast in the
kitchen and Mary had just helped her.
sell beautifully TO the Injuries empiled
from the frying pan when something
out OF the window near her attracted
her attention.
"Lors ! what kind of cheen is dat
coming up de walk, mammyi" she
asked as distinctly as was practicable
with two large sized oysters under mas.
tlcation choking them down in sudden
laugh.
"A machine what's that got TO do
here = returned Rachel, making no
pause in pouring The coffee. II sup
pose II is some seller coming Tor master
Morley's recommendation, but | wish
WnUId a.. Al