The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-09-04
A RECONCILIATION.
BY MARY CLARKE HUNTINGTON.

The grass in the front yard had been
newly mown, lending an added trim
ness to the well-kept place. Tulips in
the borders on either side the long
gravel walk made riotous patches OF
color under the morning sun. Sugges-
ton of lilies of the valley drifted from
the south garden wall. Above the open
front door tall lilac bushes touched
tops, and the heavy odor of their bios
sens spilled itself upon the hush that
seemed to hang over everything
In the instant during which he
glanced about the familiar surround
ings this hush smote keenly upon the
senses of the man descending from the
rickety stage. but he turned with an
unchanged face to assist his companion
in alighting. She was tall, well-built
woman of 35, whose eyes and mouth
betrayed habitual dissatisfaction, and
whose vivid coloring was set off to ad-
vantage by her fashionable black. She
kept step with him as they went up the
walk.
81 feel quite tumbled to pieces from
driving three miles in that demoraliziDg
stage. 1t is ridiculous that the people
here in Bloomington do not insist upon
a better conveyance from the station
to the Center. 1t is positively a penance
to have to come here"
She spoke petulantly, glancing at
her husband as though he were to
blame for the occasion that had brought
them. He did not seem to hear, and
from an irritated desire to gain his at
tention, she went on: "Do tell me,
Gerard, if I am all in a muss."
"You can go at once to your room
and attend to your toilet" was his
brusque reply. Then he went eagerly
up the steps to meet an elderly woman
who appeared in the doorway.
"Aunt Ami" He stopped to kiss her,
still keeping her hand.
His wife held out the tips of immac-
ulately-gloved fingers, and, only waiting
for affirmative answer to question as to
their room being ready, swept her soft
draperies upstairs. Miss Ann Boynton
led the way into the sitting-room, and
sank upon the long haircloth-covered
sofa. Gerard took large chair oppo-
site.
81 began to fear you were not COM
ing" she said, TREMENDOUSLY.
"Only illness would have kept me
from coming. Your telegram reached
me duly, but Marguerite thought it nee
essary to order new black, and that de-
layed me-" There was ring of impa-
tience in his voice as he said this. "Is
there not something I can do? Are all
preparations made?"
"Au."
"At what hour is 1t to be?"
"At three this afternoon"
''I ordered some flowers sent on"
"They have come, and are arranged.
Will you see them?"
He made an almost womanish gesture
of dissent.
The sweetness of lilac bloom filled the
silence that fell between them. Gerard
remembered many springs ago of pick
ing every blossom, and cutting the
bushes, which were slender then, as
whips for himself and Henry. Despite
his two years jupiority he was ever the
one who rushed first into forbidden
things. He remembered also the pun
ishment that followed-as it usually
did follow his many needless acts of
mischief-and of how, while he was still
smarting from acquaintance with the
lilac whips which he had unwittingly
cut for his own undoing, his father had
sought him again, and holding his hot,
wet, angry face against broad shoul-
der whispered how sorry he was to
have to punish his little boy-whis-
pered also of circus in town the next
day, and that he and Henry might go.
Then he remembered walking down
through the orchard with small clinging
fingers clasped in large tender ones, and
tears dried by happy certainty that
after all his father was the best father
in the world.
The blur passed from his eyes. and
he found himself looking at picture
hung above the sofa in an oval frame.
1t had been taken during early man.
hood, but Gerard could trace strong re-
semblance to the face last turned to
him in fatherly welcome. Beside it
was the picture of a pretty young
woman with flowing curls-his mother.
She had died while he was very young,
leaving him only q drearAlike recol-
lection of kisses and soathings, and
touch of loose hair against his cheek.
Aunt Ann was the only mother he had
known. She, seeing now where his
gaze turned. took small leather case
from the old-fashioned stand beside
her.
This is the best picture your father
ever had taken. He was ADJUST your
age. The sands of his life ran long
time. He would have been ss in June" +"
Gerard took the case. The grave eyes