The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-08-19

one vi tHt =" dillS VI NV li'"'i hN'oNi
had v.nturch to "ask" Daphne: but she
had drawn herself up stittlv with an
air of #, ntlcd dignity and said simply
Il am already engaged. sir. 1t was
al easy matter 10 Irmrmhrr that story
and repeat it often rs the Years passed
without bringing II void OF the rCcreant
d.. Til V laughed sly ~ about
Dal:l.nr> waiting. remark, d that
Daphne WAS get nr old. and aughc'l
as Il tlat were Il SIR, wl witticsr
wh.!c Unrir SIias said. solcmnly;
"Dlp..nr u,l4. 1T to hnown it ) onl V the
n.,l j, .nny !! hat l"turn>.
Th r. we've many IN rv speech, s
and sly "Ianc,s toward Daphne. when
+ " l.carl tie news OF .Inrs home
conlnr. She ST, med peri ctl\ uncon,
5 ..ouS. As I watched her l,a.e face
thin now. accrnt,taling tie hiyl.-chcek
b ,nys and wide mouth. and met II {
Ii ,ht of her bright. steel v-h.nc eyes, no
on would have had the courage to ac-
cusc her of sentiment. The problems
of getting the utmost value from 4
barrel of flour and comprcssing one 5
necessities till they can be sheltered toy
pennies are likely to axe away one
appetite for romance. 1t would Ger
tainlv be worth while. they said, laugh.
inr. to tell her Joe had been seen foot
ing it up from Stanton to Crowinshield
and see what she would say
They found her busy kneading
bread She was never known not tO
he busy. rs she worked slowly. with
endless precision. The unexpected
visit was only Sli- hit ripple in the
current of the morning work, tor her
visitors protested against "hindering.
and she continued her employment
willie they sat about her in the sunny
kitchen. Her little grandniece, Lena
was clinging to her gown with one
hand, while in the other she held fiat
bodied, cloth doll of Daphne's own dc
vice and workmanship. She was teas.
ing Daphne for little dough for her
own miniature baking. and Daphne
face flushed slightly, and her laugh
sounded rusty, like the closing OF !;
long-unused gate, rs she handed it tC
the child.
Anything for peace nova days,
she said
Her callers began on the subject OF
indulging childrep, and rambled Oh
into personals of all sorts and condi
tions, as their experience furnished
illustrations 1t seemed as if they ha
forgotten the object of their coming
when one of them exclaimed, hastily
"Oh, Daphne! Joe Barlow's comm
home! Tom Wiggin saw him down in
Stanton
Daphne set the bread away to rise
"Oh, is that so!'' she said, quietly
"What was it you was sayin' about
spoilin' grandchildren, Mrs. Waters?'
The call was failure surely, and
rs they went home. the callers admitted
the fact.
touches had been added to the house
work, Daphn; donncd her better gown
she had three, poor. better, and best
and, having carefully reconnoitered
to make sure that no one was observ
ing, stole at halc-runnng pace down
toward the Barlow house, quarter o
Il mite b, lDw She had piece OF cheese
cloth and broom in her hand.
IL must clean little, she thought
lust to make it seem bit hOmclike.
She soon began operations i'll The
room where the chair stool waiting
and became 50 Z'alous in her task o
removing the dust that lay, a GrAN
/ scum. over all things ll; t Tie time
| slippcd away without her realizing it:
pace Suddenly she stepped, 70 Il maj
was turning in toward the house. Sh,
recognized him at oncc,-grey- hairct
and rou.h-hcarlcd, but Joe. Sh'
| leaned against the wall. where he coult
not see her when he first entered tn,
| house. and waited. breathing will
parted lips.
Joe made no haste about going in
The lightcst fact and incident of hi
journey was of interest to him. ii
had chosen to walk, because he ''wantc,
to feel the old soil under his foot one
more" The very dust Of the waysid
vas II precious memory; the stone
called out greeting; the familiar lool
on woodland and flower was incXpre-
sibly pleasant to him: he could hav
shouted salutation to the houses h
remembered, though old and sunker
some OF them and staring hlindly from
their broken-pancd windows. lie ha
often on that home journey taken iron
his pocket picture of his old home
and studied once more the dimly-out
lined woman : face perring from Il viii
dow facing the street. Some unknowl
friend had sent it 90 him, telling hin
that lis mother WAS still waiting
! would he never come To release he
from her lnn' watchI
There was nothing in the world th;l