The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-01-27
A CURE OF HEARTS
BY Virginia Yeaman Remnitz.


nUSK was settling down about the
~ farm and Mrs. Conway was alone
on the front piazza, looking anXiously
down the road. AS she stood in the
fading light, tall and erect, there was
suggestion of power in her presence
a beneficent, quiet power, upon which
one might lean securely.
There was distant rumble, and pres
emily wagon drew slowly in sight
There they are!" the woman ex.
claimed aloud. 81 wonder what she's
like after all these years"
When the wagon stopped at the
mounting block Mrs. Conway ran down
the piazza steps, while her son sprane
out and extended hand to the girl
on the seat.
"My dear Miss Merton! am so glad
TO see you"
"Dear Mrs. Conway! But you used tc
call me Ef1ie"
You were little girl then"
"But am Effie STILL"
When she stood in the lamp light.
however, Mrs. Conway realized that
time had wrought a great change
This young woman's beautiful, weary
face was strangely unlike that Ct the
laughing child whose pranks and gen.
ius for fun had enlivened the farm eight
summers ago. The girl, however.
looked up at Mrs. Conway with perfect
satisfaction. "You are just the same,'
she said. ''I told mother that ycu and
your fried chicken were the only things
longed for
Mrs. Conway laughed. "And I have
some fried chicken waiting for you
now" she answered.
While her guest was at supper Mrs
Conway, without appearing to watch
her, OWNED the truth nearly enough.
The girl was tired, tired at heart. and
temporarily, at least, tired of life.
Mrs. Merton, coming to see whether
the farm and its mistress were still as
she remembered them, had said her
daughter was worn out with the gaye-
ties of the town; but her thought was: !:
''The wholesome influence of this wom-
an ought to help Effie get over that
unfortunate infatuation of hers"
That night before Miss Merton went
to bed she opened her trunk and took
out a photograph enshrined in an ex-
quisite Florentine frame, and sat for
some time looking at the pictured face
"a long. thin face II was, with eyes
rather close together, weak mouth
and a prominent nose.
As Effie Merton looked at the pic.
ture her gray-blue eyes grew sad and
shadowy under their black lashes and
when she had laid il away she stood
by the mirror Sew moments studying
her own face as intently as she had
been studying that of Stuart Armitage
The light of her candle fiared up. bring.
ing out glory of thick golden
hair turned back from white face
the fairness of which was empha sized
by heavy black brows and lashes. The
long, soft lines of her nightdress half.
shaped themselves to the curves Of an
exquisite figure. But the girl only
sighed as she looked To her thought
all this undeniable beauty was wasted
since it was forbidden the only eyes
for whose admiration she craved.
Miss Merton's first night at the farm
house was Que Of restful sleep. and she
awoke to the sensation that something
pleasant had happened. The strange
surroundings upon which she opened
her eyes, the singing of the birds with.
out her open window, and the clattei
of the pansto an accompaniment Of dis
tant lowing, seemed'all part of some de-
lghtfui change.
Mrs. Conway was surprised when the
kitchen door opened and her young
guest smiled in upon her.
"Weu, you down already! Did we
wake you with the clatter?"
"No. indeed. But slept so well II
was time for me to wake UP. And the
sunshine was so beautiful I couldn't
stay in bed" She went to the open
loor as she spoke and stepped out
Young Conway was coming up the
path with brimming pail Of fresh
sklk in either hand.
/ Like bis mother. he bore with him