Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1890-11-07


mother glance askance at him. In
stead of admiring the brave industry of
the true wife be had suffered whim-
sical prejudice to poison his mind
against her. He despised himself as
midnight spy and gossip-hunter, in the
recollection Of the orchard vigil The
patient, unreasonable told Of the sisters
became sublime.
WHO has not heard tho story of Me
drummer-bov Of Gettys5urg?" thundercd
the preacher, raising eagle eyes from
the manuscript laid between the Bible
leaves.
March jumped as II the illumination
were chain-shot. Mrs Gilchrist look
ing full at him, saw his color fiicker
violently. his fingers clinch hard upon
the palms Then he became so ghastly
that she whispered:
'Are you ill?'
"A sharp pain In my sidei 1t will be
gone in q moment" he whispered back,
his lips contracting into smile.
Rather sword In his heart The light
within him was darkness How foolish
not to have solved the mean riddle at
glance! Mr.. Wayt's sensational SER
mons were composed by his clever wife,
and transcribed by her as clever sisteri
| Here was the secret OF the sense of
unreality and distrust that had haunted
him in this mans presence from the be-
| ginning OF their acquaintanceship. The
| specious divine was fraud out and out,
and through and through q cheap cheat
| No wonder now, at the swift itinerancy
! OF his ministry His talk of midnight
study was lie. his pretence of scholar
ship . trick so flimsy that child
should have seen through it. He had
gone to bed, the evening before. and
taken bis rest in sleep, while his accom-
plices got up to order the patriotic
pyrotechnics for the next day.
No wonder that Mrs Wayt's eyes were
furtive and anxious, that there were
crowsfeet in the corners, and bistre-
rings about them after that July nights
work.
No wonder that the less hardened and
less culpable sister-in-law stunned
church servicesl
The sword was double-edged. and dug
and turned In his heart For the girl
who lent aid, willing or reluctant, to the
deliberate deception practiced in the
NAME which Is above all other names,
had = face as clear as the sun, and eyes
honest as Heaven. and he loved herl
The. main body Of The audience could
not withdraw their eyes from the mar
drummes-boy of Gettysburg The sto--
ry was new to all there, although he
had assumed their familiarity with it
1t was graphic; it was pathetic to heart
break; 1t thrilled and glowed and cor
ruscated with self-devotion and patriot
Ism; 1t Vas An inimitable illustration
Of the point just made by the orator
who was carried clear out of himself by
the theme. And not one person there
not even March Gilchrist, fiercely dis
trustful Of the man and all his works
suspected that 1t was an original Incl
dent homegrown. homespun and home
woven. Write 1t not down as sin
against the popular pastor OF the Fair
hill First Church that the Gettysburg
hero was a atwenty-four-year-old child Of
the speakers brain. II the will of the
Press, and the foundry Of Tradition
can not turn out illustrations numerous
and pat enough to suit every subject
and time, private enterprise must supply
personal demand
II think young Gilchrist was III in
church to-day" observed Mr.. Wayt to
his wife that afternoon, as she fed him
with the dainty repast he could not &C
to the table to eat
lie lay on the setteo in the wide, cool
hall. supported by linen covered cush-
ions. She had brought him. as per
suasive 6rst course. cup Of delicious
bouillon. ice-cold. and administered 1t
to him. spoonful by spoonful
HE changed color. and seemed to be
In great pain for an instant" he con-
tinucd. after another sip His mother
looked very uneasy. and, apparently. ad-
vised him to 20 out judged from his
fluctuations Of color that 1t was vertigo
| or . severe pain in the head He
would not leave until the services were
over Ihave few more attentive hear
| ers than March" Another sip "lf
should be the means of bringing him into
the church, it would be q happy day for
his pious mother. Should my headache
abate in the course of an hour or so.
will look in and inquire how he Is 1t
would only be courteous and neigh
borly."
In the adjoining d,n.ng-roOm. the
door Of which the draught had opened .
few inches. the family y-circle Of the so
licitous pastor heard every word OF the
communication, although his accents
were subdued by pain
Sharp-eared-and eyed Perry winked at
netty.
/
| "He won't find Mr.. March Gilchrist"
he mouthed in y fashion invented by
himself. to convey pert speeches only to
the person for whom they were invented.
'He went to New York on the five
| o'clock train. l saw him. He said he
| was going to dine with friend. heard
| him. A man asked him. Another slice
| of beef. please. Hettyl Rare, and bit
OF fat! Some gravy on my potatoes.
tool"
Hetty had Stunned the orchard since
the day OF the last sitting Seated be-
hind the shutters Of her chamber
| window, she had seen, almost every
day. Thor bound across the grass
in pursuit of figure partially
| hidden by the lower branches Since
March frequented the spot, it was no
resort for her. She had no time for
play, she told Hester. gently, when she
pleaded for . return to the pleasant
lounging and talk under green-apple
boughs." Homer could draw the car
riage down the garden-walk and through
the gate and leave the cripple there
with books and color-box. whenever she
wanted to go. Hester often brought
back stories of chats and readings and
painting-lessons with the brother or
sister with both. Occasion
ally. March came to the parsonage with .
message from his sister to the effect that
she had taken Hester home with her for
the day or evening, and would return
her in good order. He was apt to insist