The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-06-25
zAiscci lanerus.
BY JAMES BUCKHAM.

| was flush of almost girlish color III
them as she BUSTED about her house
| work that briliiar June afternoon.
The oriole singing: i'll the elm that
brushed the farm house roof seemed
to voice her own hearts Joy; for was
not this day, the glad, long expected
day, when her daughter Georgia was
to graduate from the highschooI in
the village? How sweet and beautiful
the dear girl would look in her snowy
muslin, with a little bunch of red
roses at her waist Many Il hot,
breathless evening had Mrs. Pitkin
toiled over that graduation dress,
while the big black Jure-buGs came
laundering III at the open window,
and sprawled upon the snowy fabric
like iInps in srotless paradise. How
carefully, how lovingly, she had stitch
ed and hemmed and gathered the deli
cate stuff ,picturing her dainty Georgia
as the girl should glide forward upon
the stage of the exhibition hall to read
that wonderful essay, almost as dia-
phanous as her dress, upon The I'm
perishabie in Literature. And now
the dress was finished. and graduation
day had come, and the eyes Of the
proud and loving mother were soon to
be Toasted upon the sight of her dar-
ling in the moment of her triumph and
her eXaltation. What wonder that
the faded cheeks glowed, and a soft
| light, not borrowed from the June
brig htness, shcne i'll the eXpe:tant
eyes.
The exercises at the school-house
were to begin ut three o'clock, and al
ready it was almost two. Dinner had
been served to the summer boarders
| at half past twelve, and they were
now contentedly gossiping and read
ing on the piazza, while Mrs Pitkiu
and Flora. the hired girl, washed the
| dishes, set the tea table, and put the
| house to rights for the afternoon.
| Georgia had just departed III a barge,
with Il bevy of her whiterobed school
| mates, to put some finishing touches
! to the decorations ut the school house,
| and then futter about, in feyeriSh eX-
element, until the hour for opening
! the exercises should arrive.
Suddenly there came a timid rap at
the kitchen door, and Mrs. Pitkin,
rolling down her sleeves, went to see
who might be there. 1t proved to be
only little Sammy Williams, the eight
year-old boy OF one of the neighbors.
"Gran'ther Brown wants YOU" he
said, briefly, with boys lack of cere-
mony and protitless indirection.
| \ sudden shadow fitted across Mrs.
Pitkin's happy face. Wants me p
she repeated. What does he want of
me, Sammy"
Il dunno replied the boy, run
ming his bare toe shyly along the edge
of the doorstep. He wants to see
you"
Did he send you to tell me that -
yep"
Didn't he say anything else ~
Said to tell you he wanted to see
his little Georgy graduate.
"Oh ~ The shadow, as of Il sudden
great disappointment, deepeued on
Mrs. Pitkin's flushed face. But she
stepped back into the pantry, got two
cream cookies, and handed them TO
the little messenger. You're "A good
boy, Sammy" she said. Thank
you"
With a joyful whoop the boy was
off across the yard and over the fence
before Mrs Pitkin could get back to
her work. Then he dropped down be-
hind tree and proceeded to devour
the cookies.
How suddenly the peace and beauty
of the June afternoon had been dis
|
kin \ sore struggle was going on in
the good woman's heart-how sore
and how relentless none may know
who has not had some experience of
the agonies of a New England con
science in a strait betwiXt stern, self
sacrificing duty and overweening de
sire Sammy Williams message had
suddenly reminded Mrs. Pitkin of
poor old doting Gran'-ther Brown, the
self-appointed godfather of little
Georgia, since the child was first able
to toddle down the path across the
pasture to the old mans cottage in the
lane. 1t had been Il case of love at
first sight between the old man and
the chiId-of evcr-increasing, worship
full devotion on the part OF the man,
though of late years the girls expand
ing life had somewhat weakened her
affection for him. 1t was strange that
none of the family, nor even Georgia
herself, had thought of poor old Gran
Their Brown on this supreme occasion.
For weeks, no doubt, the old mans
loving, trustful heart had been antici-
pating the joy that would be his when
Georgia's graduation day came
around, and lie should be taken to the
school-house-perhaps by his pet her
share of enthusiasm to her success.
Never once did doubt enter his mind
lest he should be forgotten or over,
looked. Surely some of them would
come to get him ready, to guide his
trembling old arms into the stiff black
coat and waiStcoat, to tie the long
"choker," and button the old-fashion
ed gaters-garments he had treas
ured, even in his utter poverty, fol
inst such days as this. And now the
. bright summer morning had passed
and the sun had begun to slope west
e ward, yet none Of them had come tC
prepare him for he great event.
About one o clock the Old man haG
hobbed painfully out into the lane
hearing the sound of giriish voices anG
. laughter in the distance. and had sect
the barge pas. down the main road
toward the village. Then he knew
: that Georgia had gone, with hel
= mates, to the school house; but though
his heart sank within him, he began
straightway to make loves excuse!
f for the girl. She had not forgotten
! him, but, lacking time, had bidder
d some other attend to his needs an(
bring him to tie school-house. HI