Middletown transcript., 1896-09-12

: : : : : : ! ! ! ! !. ! !
i ~ nOt ehUOWeu II
1 9 with a single
Z artful furrow ol
n E/I-SM wrinkle where
/ }WadEM NSZM in secret might
i NVNSV(ENF hide. It was a
! WSGy\MN0 beautiful old
| S@fo< face, too, with
a fringe of white whiskers all around
under the chin, wide open, mild gray
eyes and ruddy cheeks. Yet did a
harmless deceit lodge there but mo-
ment the eyes laughed and twinkled,
and all but called aloud: s.Here it Isl"
and the next instant the secret was
dislodged and scurrying off in plain
sight of everybody. and nobody more
surprised than Mr.. Petit himself.
Consequently, when Mr.. Petit
stepped into the kitchen upon a GER
tain June evening, and hung his hat
upon the peg behind the door, Mrs.
Petit, suspending the kettle high in
air from the operation of pouring boil
ing water upon the tea, said, in tone
of conviction: 'tEphraim. you've got
q letter from John.''
"Well, new, I want to know!" said
Mr.. Petit, throwing an appealing
glance around upon an imaginary and
admiring audience. "If women don't
beat all! I was saving that letter till
after supper"
"We can just as well have it with
our tea,, said Mrs. Petit. pulling the
cosy over the teapot, and leading the
way to the supper table. 'sJohn must
| have something particular to say. We
had letter from him this week.
The two snow-crowned heads were
bowed for moment in simple grace,
and then, as Mrs. Petit poured the
fragrant Hyson into the old-fashioned
china cups, her husband proceeded to
open the letter.
Not very much after all. Two square
| yellow tickets and one 0 f these short
notes that are always portentous:
CHICAGO, ILL.,, June 10, 1895.
'Dear Father and Mother: l enclose
you two round-trip tickets for Chicago,
which expectyou to make use of right
away. Our boy is to be christened next
week, and the christening can't 60 on
without you. Your loving son.
JOHN PETIT.
stP. S.-Telegraph me when you
start. -. P"
Mrs. Petit dropped her hands into
her lap with look of blank dismay;
"Why, Ephraim." she protested, 81
can't 60"
s'John wouldn't like it,n said Mr..
Petit, softly, confining his gaze to the
careful stirring of his tea. "Its our
first grandchild, you know.o
Involuntarily Mrs. Pettil's gaze
wandered through the open window to
tiny hillock, which, with its marble
shaft showing dimly through the twi-
light, told its own tale of "Eleanor,
aged seven"
81 have never left her," she said
with troubled eyes.
"She would wish it," said Ephraim
gently. "John knows all, and he
wishes it. Sixteen years is long time
for grieving, mother. She is grown
woman in Heaven by this time,n
Nothing more was said after this.
The soft dar kness of June night be-
gan to fall. The katydids called from
the grasses; huge June bug beat it.
self noisily against the window screen;
the CIV lowed from the meadow with
out.
At last Mrs. Petit pushed aside her
untasted food and said, with pitiful
tremor in her old voice: "We'll 60.
EphraIm. It's wicked of me to be
staying at home grieving, and neglect
ing the loved ones that need me. We
will write to Johns tonight and tell
him so"
Thus it came to pass that few days
later certain train pulling out of Will
sons Ferry carried with it quaint
old couple with whem we have to do.
The old gentlemen wore his whiskers
after good old country style, and
look. over his silver-bowed glasses
with the most benignant eyes in the
world. As for the old lady, fellow
passe ngers glanced idly upon her, and
then tnrned to gazs again. Such q
sweet old face scanned with added
years and care, btu beautiful withal in
its frame Of clustering gray curls. No
one smiled at the old fashioned bonnet,
the long, slender-waisted black dress,
or neatly folded shoulder shawl. No
o1e seemed to think Of the oddity of
the black silk mitts with their short
fingers, although they had not been put
on before since Eleanof's funeral. Every
one seemed kindly interested in the
big b.own basket with cover and two
handles. Before the journey ended it
had opened wide its hospitable cover
to soothe with ginger cakes and tarts
the cries Of more than half-a-dozen
travel-worn babes, and had won the
earnest blessing of as many tired
mothers.
Six hours of rumble noise and dust,
Rlimpses Of waiving green fields and
distant towns, a 1eeting acquaintance
with strange faces and other lives,
good bys mid youth and laughter and
silent good bys with tears, and the
train steamed slowly in Chicago.
It seemed to be the final destination
Of all humanity. Such crowds of peo-
pie, such noise and bustlei But fortu-
natelv the trend OF humanity seAmal