Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-11-27
Mechanrtown Frederick County, Maryland Thursday November H. 1890

lOnSeu 10 selZe oah anu ehIei Ih'o 'no
sport with the other youngsters" he
said to himself, smiling grimly as he
remembered his gray hairs He looked
around for the little church which once
stood facing the green, where he had
swung restless, ocyish feet through many
long sermons. There was church there
on the old spot. Herbert was sure it
was the same building, for ne recognize
ed the harrow, round topped window In
the beltry, but the high steps, which
were so slippery in winter, had dlsap-
peared, and the entrance was level with
the sidewalk an addition had been
built at one side the building had been
PAINTED brown--it was white in the old
days-and modernized in various ways.
The old grave yard was a half mile
from the church. Herbert remembered
that it was reached by q country roan
that branched off from the turnpike
The turnpike had become the main
street of the town, and he noticed by
the sigus Oh the corners that it WAS now
Broadway. New streets crossed it in
all directions, and he was at loss which
to take A group Of boys were standing
near the fence Watching the game.
"Will you kindly tell me which Of
these streets leads to the grave yards p
asked Herbert.
"The first to the right leads to the
new cemetery, SIR SAID the tallest of
the boys.
AS the boy turned toward him Her
bert started and came near saying,
"lello, Joe - but he checked himself,
realizing that the lad could not even
have been born when he left the town
After explaining that the old grave
yard was the object of his search, and
receiving the correct information, he
walked up the street. The houses grew
more scattering as he approached the
SPOT where the old inhabitants We're
sleeping and as he passed between the
two granite posts into the cllcle of son
Der fir trees which formed the entrance
to the yard he began to feel at home
Dried stalks of golden rod and asters
brushed his knees as he walked between
rows OF old gray stones carved wlth IL
miliar names. Here anl there IL white
marble slab bore the name OF some one
who had been in the full flush Of life
and health when he went away. He
began to wonder If all those whom he
hai known were dead. Standing OIL u
knoll near the centre Of the yard was
the massive granite monument he had
ordered erected over the graves Of his
parents 1t looked pompous and pre-
tentlous to him now as he saw it among
its peaceful, humble surroundings. He
leaned against it and strove to unite his
past with his present His parents he
could not remember. They died when
he was an infant, and he had been cared
for by all uncle, kind in his way, us
Herbert now thought Of him, although
he seemed stern and hard to the lonely
orphan boy. As Herbert looked at the
mound which marked the old mln S
resting place he felt pang of remorse
that he had not been more grateful Tor
the home which sheltered his youth.
Suddenly his eye fell upon Il marble
slab, Sacred to the memory of Stephen
PhilIips.' So the proud old squire was
gone! Herbert had always thought of
him as living and rui ,g his family
with despotic hand forever. lie looked
anxiolsly at the names upon the stones
IN the old squire's family group. Was
Margaret, too, $. .eeplng under the grass :
With a sigh of relief he saw that her
name was not there.
Margaret Her face, rising up thro
the mist Of years, had been before his
eyes as he journeyed toward his native
town. How ridiculous it was. He
laughed to think that hoylsh fancy
should come back to him. Still he knew
he had never forgotten it. 1t was on
Margaret's account that he started out
into the world. Her proud father
frowned on him, and she was submissive
to the old mans will. He meyer asked
Margaret to be his wife, but lie was sure
when he left her tina; she understood
him. He intended to 90 back and claim
her when he had won riches to give him
the right. The riches came sooner even
than he hoped, but he never went back.
He wondered now why he had not done
it. He had never seen fair face that
did not grow less fair as be compared 1t
with Margaret. He had even cherish,
ed her memory as a secret grief which
at times gave him feeling of superior
ity oyer those of his associates who were