Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-10-22
BRETHREN.


cts you that's cruel, Teddie
Blake {"
'Cruel, Nellie, dear-Nellie. you
little demonI Why, / wouldn't touch
a hair of your head, barring the bit
/ want to cut of to carry with me 10
India, aud YOU'RE leasing the life oitt
Of me with your contrWiness an
making it much harder for me to 90
than even you dream Off
''And what do You want TO go for
leaving your home and your regiment
that you were so proud Of and the peo-
pie that know you and the girl"
here Miss Nellie breaks down with a
little sob, and it is all Ted lie can do
to remember his promise to her father
and keep his two arms from going
round her.
"And the girl-whatg' he says,
huskily; for the life Of him he can't
resist that much.
THAT was broughtup with you and
has been a sister to you all your life, "
chokes Nellie O'Malley.
'IlI tell You what it is, Nellie, "the
poor, young soldier says. pulling him
self together aud speaking much more
severely than he really feels, 'you
must try to understand my position,
and then we'll say no more about it,
if you please, once and for all My
nncle's dead Heaven rest his SOUL,
and he's left the old place 10 me, but
it's up to the chimney pots in debt,
and unless / let it to this English fell
low I'll never lie able to clear it all
my life. Then, if l don't exchange
for India, | can't keep my place in the
service at all, and besides, Nellie, with
the old regiment quariered at Thomas
town, it would be mighty hard for me
to see another man fishing my salmon
and shooting my birds and sitting in
my chimney corner eveiy day Of the
week. With his great ugly face look
ing over pew ct you on Sundays
/ conldn'I 10 X, Nellie, not even to re-
main near ,s.e the friends I've
known evepsinpe l was baby. So
that's all 3.hest it, and you mustn't
make it harder for me than / can bear
do you see?"
1t was a good thing tina. Aunt Ellen
calledtbeIo ia-ta.ssussner at this mo-
mont. Nellie had one OF me- .eisi.-o
fits on her, trying by this means to
hide her heart-break at Teddie's de-
parture, and her perversity tried poor
young Blake sorely. He had prom
isel her father, the rector, that he
would not, by word Or act, reveal his
feelings toward her. They had been
children together, almost brother and
sister, for nearly 20 years, since Teddie
first came to Moyliscallan, and this
state of things must be maintained,
Mr.. O'Malley decided, till Teddie' :
fortunes should bear closer and more
satisfactory inspection. Perhaps a
few wears OF Indian soldering, while
'.e old castle was let to ieh Eng
fish tenant. might put tbss i fortunes
on their feet; ineanwhilV lingering in
the old reetory garden Ia danger
Gus occupation, and nv Ellen did
wisely TO ring the supper bell cut Of
the hintllN.
Presently the parting came. 1t was
Sunday evening, and the rectory kept
early hours. Supper was over, and
the O'Malleys were making their fare
wells to Teddie, the almost son Of the
house, for he had to get back to Thorn
astown that night and start for Eng
land next morning
There's something want to take
with me" he announced, stoutly, be-
fore them all, "a lock of your hair,
Aunt Ellen, and another of Nellie's.
You know you two are the only wom-
ankind / have or ever have hal. Give
me each bit of a curl, and I'll have
them put in a locket together and
wear it on my chain, and you won't be
sorry to think I've got it when I'm
away from you."
He looked at the rector rs he spoke.
II was all open and above board, and
the old gentleman nodded and reached
down pair OF scissors from the man
telshelf, which he handed to his sis
ter. Aunt Ellen eut her little lock
carefully, as BELTS lady of fiye-and-
forty, whose hair is still abundant and
ornamental, if not so bright as it has
been. Nellie whisked her bunch of
curls over her shoulders and shipped
off thick brown ringlet. Teddie
twisted them together in his pocket
book aud said, with feeble attempt
at a joke: "rhey'll go with me every
where and bring me back to Moylis-
callan. Don't let me find you've been,
either of you, flirting with Strange
ways while I'm away, or putting him
in my place.
Then he kissed the two ladies, as he
had always doneon great occasions, at
New Year or on birthdays, ever since he
was three years old, shook hands
with the rector twice over and hurried
off to Thomastown and thence to In
dia And, oh dearl it was dull at Moy-
liscallan without him.