The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-02-28


| the Matter is Explained.
Miss Caledonia stood shaking the
tablecloth out into the yard and
scolding the chickens as they dartcd
about greedily clucking over the
ruin of crumbs that fell rom the
snowy linen cloud. The LAZY was
rather thin and her hair showed I
silver thread here and there IN its
brown, straight bands, but in Deacon
BIiffen's eyes she was very comely
still, in her neat dark dress plain
collar and white apron. which had
rather coquettish looking bow OF
ribbons at the waistbard, and hee
eyes were bright and smiling in
spite of the forty years of life S
storm and gloom they had look ed
out on. The deacon paused as he
was riding by and called good morn
ing.
La. Deacon BIiffen, is that you ?
said Miss Caledonia in reply, giving
the tablecloth a final shake before
folding it up.
Yes'm !; is OBJ diah at home? |
i would"
No, he's just gone. They're
patching up the fence over in the
meadow, and he's there. But get
down, deacon, and III blow the
horn for him.
TIE deacon alighted, and secured
his gray mare, but he caught Miss
Caledonia's hand as she put the
horn to her lips, Never mind about
calling him, ma am most likely he's
busy, but if you'll let me I'll just
take seat here IN your kitchen,
and maybe he'll comeback to the
house-for-for-some' hing he's for
gotten.
La said his hostess, eyeing him
in wonder. Then as a thought
struck her, her pale face flushed up
like girls and she said no more,
but buised herself about her morn.
ing work, chatting as she went to
and fro to the deacon about Widow
Green's COW, the Sunday school
work and the Dorcas Society. She
made no sign, but her glance fell
time and again anxiously at the
cloudy sky showing in gray patches
through the windows, and her
thoughts were busy depicting Oba-
diah's disgust and wrath il it began
to rain and he returned to the house
to find Deacon Blitfen sitting in her
kitchen at 9 o'clock in the morning.
That circumstance could, of course,
bear but one meaning, and Oba-
diah would call her an old goose.
She knew he would. and Miss Gale
donia shivered to remember how he
had laughed five years before, when
Lemuel Crane had come to call on
Sunday evening, laughed till poor
Lemuel had crept away never to
come back. 1t had always been
thus, even when she was a girl.
Obadiah, to whom she had looked
up and feared, had driven them all
away by his cruel jests at love and
matrimony. So Miss Caledonia did
her work, and talked away with
her simple heart fluttering like a
bird with a broken wing, but the
deacon, oblivious to the color in
her cheek and the apprehension in
her eyes, waxed friendlier and mer-
rier.
In the meantime Obadiah worked
away at the meadow fence till drop
like big tear splashed on his hand.
He wiped it off, but twenty, thirty,
fifty came pelting after it. So he
sent his men away, and stood un-
decided for a moment He wanted
to see Deacon Bllffen about that
mortgage Harker wanted on his
mill, and his advice as to the value
Of the mill. The rain was likely to
drive the deacon home, too, SO he
could not do better than to step
over to his house-it was as near as
his own-and talk the matter over
with him. He had to run for it, for
the rain was falling heavily, SO he
tore up the deacon's steps and rap
ped at the door with quite glow on
his heart at his boyish run.
Is your pa at home ? he said,
smiling with unusual pleasantness as
pretty Kitty Bliffen opened the door
Strange he had never noticed before
how very pretty the girl was. Why,
her hair was like spun gold and her
eyes as those flowers Caledonia was
always tending. What were they
Oh, yes, torget-me-nots. No, the
deacon was not at home, but Mr..
Crump must walk in, for it was
raining SO hard it would wet him
through. This with many bushes
and dimple playing in and out OF
her round cheek. What did it re.
mind him of
Mr.. Crump sat and pondered this
for quite minute as he drew off his
dripping coat and put on the dry
one of her fathers Kitty brought
him. Then he remembered with a
pang such as his heart scarcely un-
derstood. More years than he cared
to count he had sat, a bare-footec
little lad of nine or ten, in the ole
log school house set high on sunny
hillside, glancing shyly across the
room at a little girl demurely intent
upon her book. Just a certain houl
each day long shimmering ray fel
softly through the window anc
turned to gold the little maids fail
boir oh VEG he re,oenharad !