Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1899-02-16
TWO NIGHTS IN JUNE

dS, Ny lawn Va -
French easement from the crowded re-
ception room, he found himself In the
pleasance. Softly the thrill Of the dis
tant music rose and fell upon the still
air. Less tunefully sounded the nearer
hum of conversation and laughter, tina
vague yearning for sympathy that had
lain like cord round his heart all day
gripped him close. Then an affected
laugh stung in his ear, and BruntOn
turned afresh toward solitude.
Brunton was young; his soul, new
fledged, was immature, nebulous, and
his emotions still of the crudest. Yet
as he looked skyward his spirit sunk
at the thought of leaving so much
beauty and sweetness for-he knew
not what. Tomorrow he would leave
England to join his regiment, and few
seemed to know or care. For the first
time he felt constrained to mourn the
lack of near relatives to fuss and weep
over his departure. His coming to
Mrs. Derrick's "At Home had been
a mistake, too. Having a few hours
TO fill in, he had come with the, idea
that it would pass the time pleasantly.
Now he felt annoyed at his folly In SO
1oing
Taking out a cigar he lit a MATCH
which sportive zephyr playfully ex-
tnguished. Among the shadows hid
.ustic arbor, and stepping inside the
shelter of it's doorway he struck a
.resh CLEAN. Flaring up brightly 1t re.
vealed, huddled up close to the back
wall of the arbor, shrinking girl
ssh form.
For one startled moment his keen
gray eyes looked amazement into
frightened blue ones.
"Why, by Jove! Oh! 1 say" he ejac-
Hated inconsequently.
The childish face, set in an aureole of
golden hair, raised appealingly to his.
ooh, please, please, don't tell any
cody. l only came out here to get
away from the people"
did you? Well, l say, that should
oe bond of union between us, for SO
lid T."
The dying flicker of the wax match
saw an expression Of relief cross the
girls face. ''And you won't tell any
body about my coming out here. 1t
would seem so rude to Mrs. Derrick,
you know" ..
"Not soul, honor bright. But sure
v you didn't leave the house to crouch
Ip here in the dark?"
ooh, no! 1t was lovely among tho
stars and flowers and things; then I
heard some one coming, and ran in
here till he should go past, and you
caught me-"
won't you come out and walk
again?" He was longing to see her.
The darkness of the summer-house
was tantalizing, and chivalry rebelled
ut the rudeness of striking another
light.
And you will smoker" she asked.
Using, in reply to his query, and
walking to the door.
mo, thanks, don't care to now.
Suppose we stroll round|
The starlight that revealed to Sylvia
a soldierly form with short-cropped
dark hair, and a quite perceptible
mustache, showed Brunton petite
igure, whose robe of shimmering
white satin draped loosely from tho
DID lace that outlined it's square-cut
bodice, string of pearls round the
slender neck the only ornament.
For a moment convention triumph
ed and they were bashful together
Thereafter the influence of the June
night prevailed, and they inclined to
confidence. Before lney had complete
v encircled the lawn Sylvia knew that
Brunton was soldier, that tomorrow
ne would sail for India to join his
regiment. "P. and O., China, awfully
Jolly deck cabin to myself" And ere
they emerged from the long archway
If roses Brunton knew that this was
Sylvia's first party, that she was an
orphan, and, lived with her grand
mamma. That at that moment her
grandmamma was playing whist In
Mrs. Derrick's ante-room; that Sylvia
herself passed endless evenings play
ing whist with grandn.amma,
"And you have never been any
wherew This pltyingly, from the
height of his experiences which were
yet to come.
mo, never. We always go to Tor
,uay in winter, but that's nearly just
the same as being at home. Do you
Know, I've never, never once been out
II doors at night before"
mot even to a theatreT
mo"
"Poor little girl! I sayw--struck by
4 sudden idea-"your guardian will be
some time over whist, won't she?"
"Why, yes. The game has just be.
gun, and they won't finish under a
rubber s.....s.....
"Well suppose I take you some,
where for half an hour or SOTO q
.heatresor music hail? My cab is wait
ing" ..-.-....-
"Ohv' A gasp Of delight followed by
che inevitable But would 1t not be
wrongT and II can't go dressed like
this" -.
Manllke, Brunton rode roughshod
over both scruples.
"Oh, nobody will know. Wait here
4 moment while run to the house and
forage for wraps"
Leaving Sylvia in the safe seclusion
81 the arbor, he vanished, returning
speedily clad in light topcoat and crush
hat, and bearing hevy cloak Of vel
vet and furs.
"Thatv breathed Sylvia, in a horri-
hed whisper, when he showed his spoil,
why, you've brought grandmamma's
sable mantle"
"Oh, that's all right, 80 long as it's
dig enough" replied her fellow sinner.
with mans easy Indifference caught
but utility.
And as to the encompassing ca
pacity Of the matter there could be ne
odubt. Swallowed up therein all that
was visible of Sylvia was a pair Of
wonderful blue eyes and a fluff of
golden hair at one emu and two tiny
white satin slippers at the other.
To Sylvia the hanson was a chariot
sent direct from fa!ryland for her con-
veyance to some enchanted world.
The gayety and glitter of the London
night delighted and amazed her. At
Piccadilly Circus Sylvia was entranc-
ed, in Leicester Square she was IN