Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-03-10
No AZ

II ain't goln t. admit that Pm scared
Of arcr man that walks, Ebcn Martin,
but when it comes to good, hard conf
mon sense that keeps OH Il level, that
knows how to regulate its voice and
amt liable to fly off at the handle ef
you do but look at it, give me Mrs
Strong every time. The old man amt d
patchin to her."
"Well!"
Ebcn tilted his chair back at more
secure angle against the gallery post,
lie was prepared to wait patiently for
Mrs. Strong views touching their Liza.
Becky was apt to be discursive always;
and today she was suffering from undue
excitement.
"Wcll, left the old man snortin and
prancin and went straight todcs tho
Horerocm, where I made sure Of find
in her. She amt the che that finds
time to talk politics and set on front
galleries You amt been through the
house lately, have you, Eben?'
"Not scnce I hclp'd put up that big
plaster tiggcr in the hole in the wall,
jest whar the steps take Il turn. 1t was
hcfty figgcr too"
"That figger's marble, Ebcn, solid
marble. No plaster jim cracks i'll that
house. I hear her call it Dianner.
Though mus say it don't look like
any Dianner I ever saw. I'd dmos' as lief
set up tombstone in my hall. But ev.
erybody to his taste. They've painted
the walls beautiful, Ebcn, just leauti.
full And the long parlor, that had the
yellow satin curtains and things, is all
been done over spick span new from tho
carpet up. It's crimson and gol' now"
"Thcy're fresh min up for Adricn,"
said the overscer with the air of imparts
ing valuable information.
Eyes, know. For A,lrien. Every
things for Adrien, and him Il boy"
"Mammy!'
A soft, rcbuking sound from one of
the rccumbent forms on the hard wood
tn steps
eyes, Seth. l know what You mean,
son. l can't help it always. Invent with
her up into his room, and helped her
put the pink Marseilles spread on his
bed, and helped her tie back the lace
curtains at the windows-with pink rib
bon broad enough and good enough for
girls party sash. Black Suzanne was
film the fireplace with fresh ribbon
grass and Nanny Nan was sprinklin
violcts and rose leaves in every blessed
drawer in the room. You would "a
thought king was comm to sleep in
that room, Ebcn, you would indeed. "
"Adrien's moren king to his moth.
er and his grandfather.
II couldn help contrastin that sweet
smellin lace trimmed bedroom that was
gcttin ready fer Adrien Strong with tho
room our girl was comm home to, old
man, and, the Lord forgive me. l did
feel ugly and bitter about it. l don't
know but what let some of If slip otf'n
ny tongue.
Ebcn placidlr knocked the ashes out
Of his pipe against the gallery post and
put the evil smelling thing in his coat
pocket
Il hope you did not make fool of
yourself, Beck
II skinned mighty close TO it, Ebcn.
l said, Seems like all this purple and
fine linen was filter for a girls home
comm than fur boys"
Purple! thought you said the room
was pink nanny"
"Don't take me so literal, Seth. ]
was talkin Scripture when I called it
purple and fine linen Ii was pink for
true.
ooh"
well, boys, could "a gone through
a augcr hole when the madam turned
around and looked at me with them
great, soft, brown eyes of hcr'n, for all
the world like a hurted docs, and said,
-snrtcr ketchin her breath: This was
Gabrielle : irAaSSH> 1t has never been
used since she left it. l think Adrlon
will like the view Then she walked
over to the windcr and stood there with
her back to me. You'd "a thought that
was her first look at the duck pond and
the lily pads and the blackberry patch,
she stared at EN- SO straight. "
"And what did you do, mammy?'
Seths interest in the answer to this
question was sufficient to bring him in@
to sitting posture, with his broad back
planted firmly against post and his
cuffless wrists claspcd about his gaunt
knees.
"What did do? Why, just stepped
close up to her and held Liza S picture
in front Of her, and 1 said: That's
what's pesterin me, Mrs. Strong. Look
at it, please What can 1 do with such
lookin girl in such lookin homer
She took it in both hands, bows, and
stared hard at it. could see she was
all took back before she turned round
and said, puzzled like:
"'You don't mean that this is Eliza
Martin-that little, round checked girl
with yellow hair and the quick wit that
my Gabrielle used to be SO fond of hav-
in up here from the quarters
[coNTINUED.l