Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-06-19

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papa's eyes sometimes till the tear
come into them-just like when yol
look up at the sun, don't you know +
1t must haye hnyt Miss Patience S
too her eyes had filled up suddenly.
She pressed the little head down OF
her breast.
"And what does mamma say abou
the sunny curls-eh, little Lilias?'
Mamma? But | haven't got any
mammal the child aaid wlstfully.-
Why, haven't got any mamma ?
want one. All the other girls have got
enc. asked Norah why / hadu got
one the other day
"And what did Norah say p
The question was rather indistinct
Miss Patlcnce's lips were pressed among
the shining curls.
"Oh, Norah SAID may be papa would
bring me new mamma some day
But when asked papa, he just put lie
down off his knee. and went away, and
forgot to tell me if lie would. Do you
think he will, sometime
mo. no; not that, my Lily.belI-not
that! And you have your father, my
darling. You can do very we'll without
a mamma. Mammas are not always
good; they don't always deserve to
have Lily.bell like my darling
She was kissing the girls bright hair
over and over. Her voice bad the
sound of tears in it.
The chlld's brown eyes stared won
deringly into the fire, as If she were
thinking.
Nobody ever calls me Lily-bell but
papa,' she announced presently. "Dc
you think, If | ever got mamma, shc'd d
call me Lily-belI, too: Miss Patience,
hink-don't you think you would
come and be my mamma {?
Miss Patiencc's two hands were over
her face; the child was pulling softly
at them.
BECAUSE" she said, II think you d
be a very pretty mamma, without that
ugly cap and those big ugly ewes, you
know, and that queer hair. Oh, Miss
Patience, Miss Patience, you re crying
But that d never do for mamma, now
would it, papa
Nobody had heard him come in, but
there he was.
Llias took his presence as a matter
OF course.
Nov would it, papa: p she said a3ain
persstently.
Mr.. Ferguson came forward.
i beg your pardon for entering with
out knocking,' he was saying to Miss
Patience, whose back was toward him.
But ! never supposed the school-room
WIS occupied at this hour. / suppose
the heavy ram drowned my steps. 1t
came pelting down so, just as was pass
ing, that l was glad for refuge. And
then | heard the voice of my little chat
terbox herc-
tie broke off, for he was now stand
ing on the hearth, facing the school,
mistress.
Miss Patience had made one hurried
effort to reach out after her discarded
cap and glasses, which she knew, when
she lald them off, that she could easily
adjust at the first sound Of the approach
ing wheels of the hall carriage.
But the cap and front had slipped to
the hearth rug. Mr.. Ferguson had set
his loot inadvertently upon them.
Feeling something underfoot, and
seeing that the little schoolmlstress
made him no manner Of answer, but
kept her face bowed on Lllias's curls,
he stopped and in some amasement
picked up the grizzled front.
Certainly ne did not know what to do
with it. He looked askance at the
schoomistress' bowed head. Or was
the shining head hers, or was 1t Lii
ass? They both glittered alike, with
their wealth of golden hair, their in the
freight.
He let that griszled front tall from
his hold. He forgot all about it in
looking on that little schoolmlstress.
'Bell + he said very low; 'Bell'
DO you mean Lily-bell, papa ? asked
the child.
He did not even hear her.
Bell + he said again.
This time the schoolmisttess Fitted
her cleaning head. She looked up at
him with eyes wild with pain. Her
arm tightcned about the child.
Yes she SAID hoarsely, 4 know | will
have to 90 away. l know was mad
to come here. I was mad--wild and
mad for glimpse OF the child. But !