The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-12-08
miscellaneous
IN BLACK And WHITE.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

| u MANI ~ LIN bhbbASs
"All aboardp' shouted the brake
men, taking the cry up one after tn,
other and making something like tn
chorus of a glee of it, "All aboard!'
! Everybody plunged into the cars o.
though the end of the world had com,
and this were the last train to heaven
Last of all very lovely girl will
her arms full of parcels and her hand.
occupied with the inevitable travelips
bag and um brella was. lifted, pulled
pushed and otherwise assisted to the
platform of the already moving car.
As she entered three young mer
sprang up at once, as does Jack ir
the box and she had but to choose
her seat, with THANK You" and 6
smile, distributed to all three, and the
one who was favored by the accept
ance of his proffer was envied by the
others. There are girls SO sweet
other women know it as we'll as mer
do-that their own personality sire WI
their way with flowers of courtesy
Mahala's face was, in that sense, he
fortune.
She had taught in public school,
| for several years, not from necessity
but in that commendable spirit of in
dependence common to the daughters
of New England families. But thai
was done with now. She had resigned
her position and was going home not
only TO spend Th@ aksgiving, but tc
begin the preparations for her wed
ding.
The course of true love had rur
smoothly in her case. Nobody OBJ
| jected to her choice; there was moth
| ing but good feeling all around.
No one could fail to like Edward
Percival or my own people. My OWL
people are go nics,n she said to her
self. II am so proud of father, SO fond
| of my darling mother. and Enos, oh
my splendid brother! Sometimes !
think he is dearest Of them all. And
| the brightest, best, sweetest little CIR
in the world is sister Lefty. 1t ought
| to be enough for any girl to have such
home people, and besides that l am
| engaged to marry a man like Edward
Percival. What happy girl l am
What happy grl!''
Soon she fell to dwelling on the per.
| fections of her future husband and re-
| tracing the chain of incidents that
led to their acquaintance. 1t came
about thus:
Two or three years previous hel
| brother was asking himself what
business or profession he should pur.
sue, iisiikipg the idea of farming, and
| certainly thet did not seem what
/ Enos was made for.
His mother had boped that he would
| have = liking for preaching and study
| theology. II should like Enos to be q
| dominic" she had said, and Enos
himself was thinking of tho law, when
a. runaway accident occ Irred, and il
| came 20 pass that Enos saved Miss
| Adelaide Percival's life ut the risk oil
his own. Mr.. Percival, i'll his gratitude
| had offered Enos position in the
| bank of which he was president, and
since then the young nan had beer
made cashier, q wonderful thing fol
so young man rs Eros. Edward
Percival had become his friend anC
had been brought home TO visit and
fell in love with Mahala-so he VOW
ed-at first sight. And, ah, how fonG
she WAS of him!
II think it is because father anC
mother are such good people that the
Lord has blessed their children" sale
Mahala to herself, smiling gently al
she gazed toward the roofs of hsl
native village, now visible in the dis
tance.
"Alumbridge!" shrieked the brake
man. 1t was the popular pronuncia
ton of Elmbridge. Mahala gathered
up her parcels and stepped out upor
the platform. Her trunk stood there
but she saw no wagon waiting TO-
her.
us the train early, Mr.. Doble2" sh,
asked the baggage master.
mo, Miss Mahalay," he replied
1.-THE train is little late. Your Wagon
is yonder under the trees" Mahalt
hurried across the intervening space
A girls voice came to her from be
hind the curtains, which were letdown
"Mahala, that you, dear2 l waited
here because Stupid seemed FESTIVE
Sorry to give Mr.. Doble SO much
trouble.n
AS Mahala took her seat beside he
sister, Lefty flung her thin young arm
about her neck and gave her q loDl
mug and lingering kiss. and Mahal'
felt tear upon rer cheek.
"Why, Lefty so glad to see me al
al that9'' she cried.
Lefty shook the reins and drove on
but Mahala heard her sob.
why, darling" she said, "has gu
old Stupid been FESTIVE enough t.
frightened you after all his quie
years2" The girls answer was 1
strange one.
"Mahala, he hasn't. l only sal,
that. didn't want to drive up wher
folks could see NE because my face i
all swollen up with crying. Stupi'
poked along just as usual, but
wouldn't surprise me if he had rul
away Black Peter bit me this morn
idg. Bit and scratched me, and
haven't seen him since. Mahala, i
wouldn't astonish Inc if you were t.
take out dagger and stab me to tn
heart. 1t would not"
"Sister Lefty" said Mahala, Is an
afraid you think we shall not be a
dear to each other after am married
, l believe that is what is upsettin
you. But there you are mistaken
darling. You will only gain brott
err"
"a brother!" repeated Lefty, an
: broke into fit of hysterical sobbing
what is it2--is mother ill-or-"-
: mother isn't sick.n
; mo. it's not that"
"Father?' whispered Mahala.
Father has his health, +" said Lefty
And you are here, it's not you.
must he Enos Oh, Lefty, it is Enosl
I walled Mahala. my darling brothe
nv own dear boy-tell me-"
: NO" said Lefty. 81 almost swol
:. | wouldn't until you got home.
= guess you feel bad enough to expet
: anything, now, if that's what the
: mean by preparing people. The
r said could prepare you d little.
guess / have"
They were now in sight of til
Pynchon homestead. The afterglo
: of the sunset was a soft, primrot
}. yellow. The old house, situated on
u high elevation, and the bare and grac