The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-07-11

street of the village, and Hattie, with ros'
| pinned in her hair, sat at the table, smiling
a sweet welcome Mr. Mayfield glanced Al
the board
Poultry, ell ?" said he
"Stuffed duck and olives" said Hattie
Sand dish of scalloped oysters. hope
you'll like them, for made them myself"
"My DEAR" said Mr.. Mayfeld, isn't this
rather elaborate for family of three? ?" '
"Three don't want to be starved to deatl
more than thirteen" said Hattie. ..,l.
my Maria never had any poultry except
| on Sundays" said Colonel Hopkins. "Oul
table nowadays is dreadfully extravagant !
Look at these olives And see the plum
taTts! | tell you what, Maurice, there has
got to be reform, or we shall all be in the
poor house."
"Oh, by.theby," said Mrs Mayfield, ig
noring the remarks of her husbands father.
in-law, shave you heard anything about the
surprise party at the rectory? ?"
YES" said Mr.. Mayfeld, coldly. "But
declined to have anything 10 do with it."t
'Did you y cried Hattie, with rising color.
Il am sorry to hear that, because l am. go.
ing there"
II think not, Harriet p
ii told you SO, said the Colonel in an a,l-
dible aside
"But | am" said Hattie. The Rector's
wife is my dearest friend. | am the one who
proposed the whole affair, and intend to
60" '.. 500 da0tn.a aua..0
mot with my permission" said Maurice
without it then" said Hattie.
Harriet p said Colonel Hopkins, sepulch
rally-"Harriet! recollect yourself!'
Maurice" said the young wife, with a
culver in her voice, "may not go?"
mo |" said Mayfield, sternly II do not in
tend that my wife shall be a village CAD.
aboutr lI..'.|. i.. IH
81 will gor' cried Hattie, exctedly.
1--WE shall see about that" said Mayfield.
"My Marin would never have rebelled in
this way against her husbands authority
croaked Colonel Hopkins, shaking his head
Hattie was resolute. Mr.. Mayfield, in his
way, was equally obstinate and when she
dressed herself to 60 to the surprise party
and found the door locked on her, she quietly
opened the window, made an impromptu
ladder of the wistaria vine, and tripped away
across the meadows.
There p said she, "I'll stay in no house
where am not the mistress. Wen see how
Maurice and the old Colonel will get along
together-cspecially since they dismissed the
hired girl because My Maria always did her
own homework 7"
For Hattie's spirit was reused at last.
"Since Harriet has chosen to leave us in
this way" said Mr.. Mayfcld, sternly, she
may remain away until she returns in a prop
er spirit of humanity and repentance"
Hopkins. my Maria would never have
dreamed of setting marital authority at def
ance in this manner" ''.'
for Hottia ahn won't nhanrfullu fn uicit
her old aunts.
81 will not go back until can go back on
my own terms" said she Affairs had to
come to n crisis sooner or later, and perhaps
it is just as well that clopcd on the night of
the surprise party"
The garrison held bravely out for three
days. AT the end of that time Colonel Hop
kins fell sick with rheumatic fever.
81 wish Harriet were here" he moancd.-
"NObody has ever nursed me SO well as Har-
riet did when | had that carbuncle on my
neck"
The inefficient "help" who had been in.
stalled in the kitchen departed with most of
the family silver; two of Mr. Mayiield's col
lege chums came to visit him without notice,
and Maurice knew not which way to turn.
$50 after Harriet" said the poor old Colo
mel, who was twisting and grooming among
his pillows.
"She will not return, fear" said Maurice,
despondently, "unless we stipulate to let her
do rs she pleases for the future"
"Stipulate anything" groaned Colonel
Hopkins. "Tell her | won't NEEDLE any
more Say you've seen the folly of your
ways. Oh, dear! oh, dear why did we per-
sist in tormenting her? can see it all now,
poor child We are completely in the wrong,
you and |. We were pair of tyrantsp
81 am afraid we were," said Maurice
"But, in asking her to return, we shall be Sc.
riously compromising our dignity, shall we
not?"
Dignity be hanged! said the Colonel, as
particularly sharp pang searched through his
bones. Harriet is the sunshine of the house.
We can't get along without her. We must
have her back again"
Mr.. Mayfield went to his wife. Hattie ran
hands
Hattie" said he, we want you to come
home again."
"And want to come" said Hattie, eff"
"Oh," precipitately interrupted Mr.. May
field, "il will be all right. We have made a
mistake, the Colonel and l. But it shall not
happen again" .
"You don't think did wrong, MauriceG"
said Hattie wistfully. u..I'. ,...
NO" said Maurice, 81 think you did per-
fectly right"
And this ended Mrs. Mayfelds rebellion.
She had won her freedom, and that was all
she wanted. sHun.oa aI.
The ShOt-(iun Policy I'm GeOryja