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

crept into her voice, but it twas exas-
perating to see that milliner's daughter
riding rough shod over everything and
everybody, just because she had come
on the scene at time when the madam
was that dazed and miserable about the
war and the niggors and Adrien and
everything that she wouldn't a-turned
a dog of Adrien's out of the house-no,
not even if it had took possession Of the
best bed III the spare room. Not that
the spare room looked any too good now,
with the carpet sent off for soldiers
blankets and the moreen curtains cut
up into soldiers pants Oh, Lord, what
times! There she gees now
This in reference to querulous call
that foated through the open windows
of the big parlor:
"Adriern
Here am mamma.
In the long aperture delicate face
was framed, and Adricn Strong's wife
glided through it toward the cane set
tee that stood winter and summer on the
front gallery of Sans Souci.
"Adrien, go ask Grandma Strong
please not to have the chicken fried for
dinner today am 80 tired of grease, "
abe said languidly. ..
Il want it fried said Adrien, COM
posedly preparing to mount his bobby
horse again.
"You bad, bad boy. Go instantly
She subsidized III graceful listlessness
upon the settee, arranging her long
draperies in graceful folds. Mrs. Mar
tin eyed her sourly. That silken wrap
per had been one of "the madam's
best" A wrapper that she had worn at
Saratoga and Cape May and elsewhere
in the splendid days when people had
lived at all But what could Adrien's
mother do, when his wife had been
dumped down" at her door, with just
one skimp black alpaca dress to bless
herself with? The girl did look pretty
in that soft apple blossom gown. Of
course Adrien had been gulled by her
and her mother. Oh, Lord, what fools
men were, to be sure.
Annabel yawned audibly. Life was
inexpressibly stupid-no men about at
all, save Seth, who scarcely counted for
any more than old Dolbear, She wished
Adrien could see her in that silk wrap.
per. When she did get hold of the
reins at San Souci,' she would make
things move at livelier pace, war or
no war So far she had been sustained
by sense of victory in having carried
this aristocratic stronghold so easily,
but that sensation was growing stale,
and she was pining for another.
eff knew where Mr.. Strong was to
be found" she said, addressing Mrs.
Martin for want Of better audience, II
should take Dolbear and the rockaway
and go to him."
"Oh, you would" said Mrs, Martin
crisply.
Eyes Adrien could stay here with
his grandmother and the rest of you. 1
should quite enjoy it,"
II don't doubt it. y"
Il think Dolbear could find his way
with me to Virginia A wife has a
right to seek her husband"
"Does the madam approved"
Annabel laughed lightly, and, bend
ing over, possessed herself of the brim-
less hat that Liza had left in her chair
Slowly she ran her fingers along the in
side. my precious boy To think his
darling soft little head should be COW
cred by such thing as this. -
ooh, Lawdp'
Mrs Martin was afraid to trust her.
self farther. She got up with jerk.
81 reckon the madam needs somebody
to help pack that big box. Old Dolbear
and Nam Lucy can't do everything
She disappeared inside the big front
door, leaving Annabel without an au-
dience. Another nap was her only re-
source. She composed herself as COM
Portable as the rigid conditions of the
settee admitted Of, and, drawing her
slippered feet carefully under the folds
of her silken train, closed her eyes Ian
guidly, submitting to the gentle influ-
ences Of the bees droning about the hello
tropes and the honeysuckles in Gabri
elias garden.
And up at the loom house the clumsy
hand loom stood still. The coarse pur-
pie and white threads of plantation
woven thread were in hopeless snarl.
Mamie Colyers day at the shuttle"
had not advanced the heavy texture by
single yard.
ut all came of this, Liza" She walk
ed cautiously from window to door Of
the loom room (the Martins old dining
room before handing Liza soiled and
carefully folded piece of paper. "What
do you think of that? l was sitting here
weaving away for dear life, wishing-I
must state parenthetically--that your
vaulting ambition had not inflicted
those purple stripes on me, when hand
was stuck up over tho window sill and
that thing flung right on to the loom. "
"What color was the handF'
"Black, I think, but 1 won't swear
to it. If it had been canary colored or
sky blue, it wouldn't have frightened
me worse l gave an awful jump, but
fortunately did not scream. You know
I generally do scream, especially If
there are mice or snakes in yiew." Liza
nodded assent. r,