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

initials in small diamonds on the back.
It would not be mean testimonial, eh,
mother? You will see to it, won't you,
RAMP
II think not sir. 1"
He was beginning to twist the ends
Of his mustache with restless fingers
q sure sign of ebbing patience. Amy, p
always peacemaker by preference,
hastily concocted fresh scheme.
"How would it do to invite her to
lunch, mamma? Just you and I and
Mrs. Strong, who has known her al.
ways"
"And is, so to speak, acclimated."
"Oh, Ran, what an absurd ideaP'
"There is but one objection to youf
plan, Amy"
"Well?"
"She would not come"
would not come?'
Mono more than you, or mother,
Or any Randall, or any Chambliss that
ever lived would 20 to house on such
terms"
Mrs. Chambliss arched her finely pen
ciled brows and leaned back in her chair
with folded hands.
Randall, you can he very exasperat-
ing when it suits you. Perhaps you
will be 80 good as to make your own
wishes known in this matter. Right
fully you should be made to bear the
entire vexation, as it all springs from
your reckless obstinacy in taking your
father driving behind that wild brute. "
They were ouriously alike, that moth
or and son; alike in their tall, supple
forms full Of sinuous grace; alike in
the delicate, clean cut contour Of their
refined faces, and were possessed, in
common, Of domineering arrogance
which, in the mothers case, had never
been ameliorated by friction with other
potentialities. In her own narrow do
minion her Judgment had heretofore
been considered equal to every emer-
gency. Evidently no more suggestions
would be vouchsafed by her in the pres
ent one Randall responded to her de-
mand for an expression Of his own
wishes composedly.
II want Amy to call on Miss Martin
with me, mother"
With-youl"
with mel as fathers representa-
tive, Amy as yours. If you went, it
would involve the mother, and that
would be asking too much Of you"
And after this call?"
Nothing. Royalty will have acquit-
ted itself becomingly. You have from
now until II o'clock tomorrow morning
to digest the proposition in. l think
will run down day after tomorrow to
New Orleans and take the fall races
in"
Randall
Eyes, gir?''
Randall turned his head In the direc-
tion of that explosive sound. His father
was shaking his whitened head vigor-
ously.
"I'u be hanged, boy, II I don't be-
Heve you have fallen in love with old
Eben Martins girll'
"Mr. Chambliss! An overseer's daugh-
teri My son Randall"
Randall laughed lazily at his moth
er's disjointed indignation and pressed
his hands against the table by way of
propelling himself backward.
Father might have made worse
guess, mother, and your son Randall
might easily do more foolish thing.
see Thunderer Waiting out yonder, with
Abe in the saddle. l am going in for
the mail.
The entire family followed him
through the long, open windows to see
him depart Randall never offended be
yond the possibility of forgiveness. To
see him mount Thunderer was one of
their daily mild excitements The bat
tie for supremacy between man and
beast was perpetually being waged on
the Chambliss lawn and perpetually be-
ing decided in Randal's favor.
After his usual display of pirouet-
ting, plunging and bit champing Thun-
derer suddenly realized that he had
been saddled to take his master out to
Sessumsport for the semiweekly mail,
and with final toss of his shining
name, accepted the obligation for that
time His rider turned at sound Of his
mothers and Amy's voices.
Don't stay later than o'clock, son,
mail or no mail. l can never draw
comfortable breath when you are on
that brute's back. +"
"You promised to practice that vio-
lin solo for Mrs. Cathcarts party Ran.
Don't forget
Don't worry, dearest, Thunderer'
bad temper never lasts long. All right
Amy II l find Adrien out there, I'll
fetch him homo to supper. Shall l!'
A pinkish hue suddenly suffused
Amy's plain, sallow little face. Adrien
Strong was the one romance of her con-
tracted life 1t was sufficient to make
the afternoon brighter for her, just that
bare possibility that perhaps when the
lamps were lighted and the dull. event
less day was done Randall and Adrien
would come riding home together In
the cleaning, and Adrien would stay to
tea, and the evening would be made
charming to her, and perhaps to moth
or, by the spirited talk of the men-
father and Randall and Adrien. Men al
ways had SO much to talk about. They
saw SO much and heard so much and
did so much. So much more than she
and mother ever did. She only waited
for the big front gate to shut Randall
and Thunderer from view when she ran
quickly down the steps at the end of the
gallery with pair of garden shears in
her hands The chrysanthemums Were
in gorgeous bloom. She rememberet
once hearing Adrien say he liked then
better than any other flower. Their fra
GRANGE was all their own They had al