The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-07-13
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The first days passed in the old town
were delightful. Cecile was amused
with every thing, the unsightly streets,
the large deserted squares, the shops
where old fashioned styles were fading,
and the wonderment caused by her
Partisan elegance among the few per-
sons she met. She declared that the
Accommodations at the inn were very
good. And one evening, when there
was an entertainment in front Of the
town house, a shooting gallery, three
touniquets, some wooden horses and the
carriage of Madame Prudence, she went
in to the somnambulists ard had the
cards drawn:
"No enemy seeks to inj ure you. You
enjoy all manner of happiness" E"
That's true as gospel she cried,
leaping on the neck of her husband, to
the amazement OF the fat woman.
And her heart was touched, too.
She plously visited the old house
where Rogers mother had breathed
her last.
"What apity we are not rich enough
to buy it again. she said.
She insisted on being tod the details
of their way of living; at what hour in
the morning they rose, at what hour
they retired; the several places at the
table occupied by the members of the
family; the evenidgs passed under the
lamp readinn aloud, the old lady try
irg to listen and falling asleep in her
big damask arm chail, with her feet on
the tiredogs. The garden interested
her still more She recognized the
well at first 81 hit and threw stone into
it to hear the sp'ashing of the water.
No nest Of turf doves could be seen
in the tulip tree. What a pity! But
she smeared her lips with the black
blood Of the mulberries behind the
hedge on the way that ID to the school.
These pleasing "reminiscences yelled her
eyes with tears.
Roger guided or followed, charmed
by these manifestations of sympathy.
However, he smiled but little and was
often silent, striving TO cover some hid
dan sadness. From the moment of ar
irving in the little town he had been
somewhat moplsh and absent-minded.
One morning he dressed hastily and
left the room at the inn while Cecile
WAS still sleeping He did not stop to
put kiss on her cheek which might
have awakened her.
He pissed through the village, be-
yond the last houses, entering the Gem
eterv, where the shafts and monument
al stones reflected the rays of the
morning sun. He paused before slab
on which was inscribed tie name
"Denise," and the age, ''lif'een years. %
He knelt down with his head in his
hands. He had not related to Cecile
all the exp ariences of his youth. She
did not know that when child, he
had loved child, that the poor little
one had died one autumn before tast-
ING the first kiss, and that h hal not
forgotten her.
B.fore that grave he form of Denise
rose as in life, with her d-liclte fea'-
ures and her dainty lips, which dared
not vet be rosy. He recalled the fur.
tive rendezvous behind the garler
hedge and the hour of suspense whel
he was waiting for the lie ter which
she slipped under tie gate every da,
on returning from school. And IN tn,
sll l,nc4 Of the cemetery he heard th
voice eff Denise, Then he realized tn,
bitter certainty that she was no moe
; He saw the vision of pale face will
closed eyes, resting on a pillow of flow
ers. He suffered by the side of he
tomb, after ten years, as he had suffer
ed at the first A film came over hi
his ewes. and tears fell from tn, Ii s.