The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-10-19
ide of the sheet, you don't spose he

the old man, eXcitedly land beside |
have become interested in an invest
ment that can do elsewhere as well
as here, and better, 1 am told" the
two old faces were very near the paper
how-''in fact if you and pa will CO.
operate ! do not see why | cannot
carry it on as well at Breton Centre as
anywhere"
"Silas!'
80 ma, dear" and the old hand treln-
bled well now, and mas glasses were
very dim. Still they read on.
Il am not going to tell you what the
business is, but my coming to Breton
with it, will call for small building
or number of rooms of some kind.
You have often talked of building an
ell ON the old house but do not re-
member of your ever having written
that it was done"
Whats the use of a new ell for us
old folks interpolated Silas; there's
room enough to be lonely in now"
and Agatha nodded her head. ''-now
this is my project (the letter contin-
ued), if you will build that new two
story ell and reserve three or four
/ will write further regarding the
share in the expense / am willing to
undertake, and assure you l will do
the correct thing. Then we can settle
on the plans later l warrant that
this will be nothing you or pa will be
ashamed to have your son interested
in. | shall want to hear from you
soon, and l will try and be better
hand at writing. l want to see you
and pa more and more each day, and
when this chance offered and l found
could come east | could not give up
the idea of seeing the old place and
you two, for all have been away so
long"
Poor silly boy" murmured Silas,
and Agatha gripped the big hand I'M
der the table.
81 like the west, but 1 have got over
the wildness of the feeling that made
me leave home SO long ago before /
had done anything for either of you,
although 1 have tried to make it up
since have been able, but l was no
more than boy, you know, mother"
YES, silly boy" said Silas.
-"Many's the time those first two
years l would have come, but it was a
long journey, but 1 was poor and
proud, too, l expect; then later
would not leave, and then when 1
might possibly have come there were
things | thought held me- But those
days have passed, and now l want to
come as badly as ever, and | am com
ing home. Your boy silly has been odd,
know, but he has never been bad,
mother. r enc mber that. This letter
is for father, too, and 1 know you will
read it together. Write soon. l shall
wait impatiently to hear. Good-by.
Your affectionate son,
''SILAs BALDWIN, JR."
ltseemed to neighbors that summer
as if Silas and Agatha Baldwin had re-
newed their youth. 81 ust to think
that Mis- Bald'in was pindlin' at one
time" said Mrs. Sawtelle to Moses
Beams sister, land / up and asked
her one day what was the matter of
her, she looked SO weakly. / told her
| she needed to doctor some or she'd be
| way down where she couldn' git up;
| but declare to goodness l think twas
| jest one of them spells she always had
when she'd git thin kim er Sly so fur
away. Cause now he's comm and
she's lost that mauger look, and seems
so them curle er hern dangled harder'n
I've seen 'em aence silly went Off"
The rebuilding went steadily on.
| The old ell was pulled down and when
the carpenter came to consult Silas
and Agatha about the new one, he re-
marked:
Its goin' to leave yer main house
way down out err sight. Couldn't think
er raisin' that could ye? It's goin' to
leave yer main house way down out er
sight"
Silas and Agatha looked at each
other. Then Agatha said:
why not? Mebbe Silyll want it
sometime for his own use. He's young
you know, Silas."
Yes" said the old man, land it
isn't prob'bl he'll alwers want to live
| alone" So it was agreed, and the
looks of satisfaction bestowed upon
his plan, and the smiles of approval
which passed between the old people
Us they watched John Willis perfect
his suggestion convinced him that he
had spoken happily.
The time of completion at last ar
| rived, and one lovely evening in early
| August, after the last trace of building
and painting had been removed, Silas
and Agatha walked around their new
domain and were content.
'Nobudy'd suspicion that ell was
anythin' more'n an ell to any house,
would they, map said Silas, his hands
on his broad hips and his head on high;
folks amt got much satisfaction out
or me regardin' Sily's affairs. 1 tell
'em l amt at liberty to tell. It's true,
too, amt it? l reckon f I can wait to
know, they can; N they know it amt
anythin' monstrous or dishonest, or he
wouldn't be comm to his old home to
do it."
"Tain't nothin' but an ell, anyhow,
| Silas," said Agatha, after seconding
Silas' remarks by numerous shakes of
| the head, which set her curls in mo-
| ton; Il should never think, even goin'
| through it, that it was to be n Office or
q mandatory. That po'celain sink
he wanted in that back room some
might take for 'sperimentin'-I dunno.
| o. course them open fireplaces in what
looks like his Office and private rooms
more for ornament than anythin' else.
| But we'll know in time ma We've