Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-04-07

cape. It was mere cowardly putting of
Of the evil hour She was Sinking.
Breakfast was over before she had con.
cluded her verbal self scourging She
could hear the subdued jollity about
the open doors Of the big smokehousa
The buzz of ration giving and receiving
was already begun The sight of the
plenteous store revealed by the opening
of the barnlike doors always had an ex-
hilarating effect on the "hands. "
Breakfasting alone was one Of her
Saturday privileges. One OF her COM
pensations, she called it. After awhile
her father and the boys would mount
their horses and ride into Sessumsport
with sense of freedom from all care
and responsibility for a whole day and
q half. She could not discover that they
found anything more exciting to do In
Sessumsport than to- sit on tho store
galleries, whiting fresh notches into
the long enduring benches and to ex-
change crop items But they always
came home with holiday freshness
about them that was reflected pleasant
~ tu0 utbAOopAASAo'
And after awhile again she and her
mother would tie big, blue check bib
aporns about their waists MANDY not
infrequently plumb forgot" hers) and
would 20 into the pantry to make the
soft gingerbread and the sweet potato
pies that the men looked for every Sun
day. Then careful supervision OF
coarse socks and heavy shirts which
mad q tendency always to make mel
wish herself in a nunnery.
And 80 they would 60 on, she sup
posed, forever and forever and forever.
She stood in the broad open hallway
after finishing her breakfast, thankful
that no halt nor lame constituent had
hurried her through with it. She could
see the smokehouse activities without
turning her head. How large and hand
some and capable man her father
looked to be so ignobly occupied. The
physique Of Roman gladiator, the
soul Of serf. The familiar sight stirred
her to fresh rebellion at the discordance.
She did not move when her mother
came softly up behind her and clasped
caressing hands about her slim waist.
Honey, this bas' fits you like you
was melted into 1t. And to think you
done 1t all yourself. !"
Liza turned clouded, distracted face
toward her, saying inconsequently:
"Mother, why did you ever permit
my father to 90 into such business as
thisp''
Mrs. Martin removed her caressing
hands and fell back step or two,
frowning perplexedly
go inter it? Why, chile, he was
born inter it. The Martins have been
overseein for the Strongs, father and
son, as far back as the days of this Gov
ernor Strong's grandpa-and him in his
seventies. Not Martin, he amt but 60
year old The Martins and the Strongs
JUS seem hatchery to belong to each
other. And when my Eben is gone (may
70 flrst), and the old man up at the big
house is gone, too, reckon my Seth
and my Charlie will be carryin the olo
place on for Adrien same as ever. 4"
This with note Of pride in her voice
both exasperating and inexplicable to
Liza.
"But have you never had any am
bition for him or for my brothers to DO
something else - something better -
mother?'
Mrs. Martin twisted her apron strings
refectively She could see Eben and
the boys from where she stood. There
was nothing in the sight to stir her to
vain regrets or to futile dreaming
Eben-with a pair Of heavy steel
bowed glasses astride his nose for great
or accuracy In weighing, his coat off
for freer play Of his muscular arms
was placidly batting the hand scales
with a fresh slab of meat, whistling
the while, with cheerful discordance, a
measure from Captain Jinks of the
Horse Marines. His cheerfulness was
reflected in Mrs. Martin face.
"That's a mighty nice, fresh lookin
chunk of pork. Eben better be lookin
out fur my $50 room too. y
She stepped to the end of the gallery
and lifted her voice arrestingly:
"Ole man, know a good piece Of
meat when l see it. Save some outer
that barrel befo' it all goes.
Then she returned to Liza:
mo, honey, can't just say as l
have. If you suit this sort of business
and 1t suits you, it amt so bad Now,
your pa does suit the business, and 1t
does suit him. He don't know nothin
else. Him and this plantation have
growed about each other like the bark
about tree. And then, sick or well,
rain or shine come hard times, come
easy, he is dead shore Of his 81, 400 a
year, rent free, and as big a garden
patch as we care to tend. 1t amt every
sto'keeper nor lawyer nor doctor neither
can say as much. "
"But the social ostracism, mother.
Rebecca's mild blue eyes wandered
wistfully over her girls pretty, cloud
ed face Dissatisfaction was written
there in q language she could under
stand plainly enough, even though Liza
had couched it in one Of those mysteri-
GUS "book words" which were perpet-
ual stumbling block and offense to her.
Her humiliation was complete whenever
she needed to have Liza s fine phraseol-
ogy translated into her sort Of English.
She blushed shyly.
"The-what, honey?"
1--WE are nobodies, mother, absolutely
nobodiea
The mother laughed pleasantly and
shook her head assentingly.
"That's so, honey. There's no deny
in that the Martins don't count for