Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-04-28

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milliner side Of the house will soon be
eliminated, the madam SO desolate and
the old house so empty-really, the at
fair adjusted itself, Seth. Any goose
could have done as muoA. "
Liza was thinking about all Of this
herself, sitting there on the sunny side
gallery Of the big house, where the La.
1narque roses clambered. Dren s modest
assertion that his grandmother could
not do without him had made her smile
'and-remember She was thinking OF
that morning, 10 months since it had
dawned, when she, trembling with nerv-
business, had gone boldly into the mad
ANS presence and told her all there was
to tell her about Adrien's wife and
child. All, we'll, 1t had turned out all
right for everybody but Amy Chambliss.
poor Amyp'
"Poor who?"
She had not known she had sighed
the words audibly. She had forgotten
all about Dren. Forgotten that he was
still standing there watching his hat
grow" with his short legs planted far
apart, his tumbled yellow ourls, softly
moved by the wind that filtered through
the rose trellis lying in shining mass
cs on his shoulders, beautiful speci-
men of the young aristocrat, whose pie
beian strain was strangely and merci-
fully hidden so far from sight
Adrien was not given to long silence
himself, and distinctly disapproved of
g., a
the time being dependent for his enter
tainment.
my grandmother says my father
used to ride 'Stonewall jackson, nod
ding toward the tailless, eyeless and
maneless hobbyhorse, "but he wasn't
called 'Stonewall jackson then. He
was called Tim Just plain Tim. My
grandmother says when the men stop
fighting and all of her people come back
home she is going to make her carriage
driver break sure enough pony for me
not wooden horse. Her carriage driv-
er is Uncle Dolbear, only there amt
any horses here now"
"You are a fortunate boy, Dren.
What would you do without your
grandmother" said Liza, placing tho
hat crown softly on top of the shining
yellow curls.
"What would my grandmother do
without me?"
"You insufferable little egotist"
"What is All e-a-what?' Then,
oblivious of all genealogical interests,
II see your mother coming up the walk.
What makes her puff SO? My grand
mother don't puff and get red in the
face when she walks fast.
Mrs. Martin was In truth waddling
toward them at pace fuller OF vigor
than grace She sent her errand q few
feet in advance of herself:
mamie says, for PHYS sake, come
up to the loomroom, Liza. She's got
that leese in perfec' muss, and I'm
that green l CAM help straighten 1t out
Seth wants to put that warp in the
loom when he comes in for his dinner
I'll swap work with you.
II am stitching on Dren's everlasting
hat. This rough palmetto hurts your
pheumatic fingers. Perhaps you can
help Mrs Strong better
"Whae is she driving at today? I
must blow little before help any
body"
She had seated herself and was loos-
ening the strings to her calico sunbon-
net Adrien watched her gravely and
answered her question promptly:
"She is cutting up the parlor cur
tains, my grandmother Is. "
"Cutting up the parlor curtains?"
"To make shirts for the soldiers"
Liza supplied this supplemental in
formation, while rolling the loose plait
into coil
"Not them yellow satin damisk cur
tains, Liza"
eyes"
"Why, that stuff cost SIS yard.
It's satin brocade. 1t would a-lasted
lifetime. And them big, bare windows"
"Your sympathies seem to be with
the denuded windows, mother. Mine go
out to the men who will have to wear
the scratchy stiff things, with flowers
ON them as big as washbowls. "
"She might a-begun on the up stairs
moreen,' Mrs. Martin walled. "They
would alb en- good enough.
"All cut up into trousers-fearfully
and wonderfully cut garments they are
too. Look after Dren, mother. Annabel
is asleep and everybody else up to the
eyes in getting that box ready for Un-
ole Dolbear to take out to Sessumsport
tomorrow
whats going on at Sessumsport?"
Tomorrow is the day the women
are to meet at the courthouse, you know,
to make up all those gorgeous shirts.
Won't they make our soldiers look like
regiments Of marching sunflowers?"
"Oh, Lawd, Liza Martin, you can
make joke out of everything. AS for
me, don t see where the joke comes in. .
She plucked at the rutfied rim Of her
big sunbonnet, bringing it farther for
ward over her distressed face A chok-
ing sob and audible shifting came from
its deep calico recesses:
3. Mother! This comes Of your going
up to the old house 1t just makes you
miserable. AS long as we have torn it
all to pieces and consented to stay here
with Mrs Strong until the men come
back you had best not go there at all. "
II expect you are right, honey You
most generally are. But Eben and mo
were very happy up yonder in the quar-
ters, In the old overseers house, whore
every blessed child I've got was born. y
With gusty sobs and gaspings that
shook her ample form tempestuously
Mrs. Martin gave vent to her feelings.
IF only could have nursed em, my
dear, and asked Eben to forgive every
cross word I ever spoke or ugly look /
give him, could stand it better. But to