Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-11
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: ABIue ButterfIu:

shelves, specimen cases and cabinets,
with suspicious frown. my mind
miSgives me that she is somewhere with
that lad. Not for nothing has he display
ed such sudden admiration for my col
lection, such thirst for knowledge about
beetles and all creeping things. | used
to he fond of the fellow, but if he wants
my blue butterfly-Iny blue butterfly
lie rose with a wry face, and after alb
Sently opening various drawers, wherein
were arranged butterflies and moths of
wonderful rarity and beauty, and gazing
at them with unSccing eyes, he seized his
hat and wandered out through the long
window, the scented garden, to the mead
owS beyond that went slOping down,
down to the sunny valley where the river
ran like silver streak.
We'll, the old entomologiSt knew every
bank and hedge. every wood and copsc,
OH the countryside. But he was thinking
nothing of n lifetime given to research, of
his justly celebrated museum in the low,
crccpcr covered house behind him. One
thought alone cngrossed him, and sudden
ly he moved behind tree and stood look
Ing intcntly down the slope with bent
shoulders and scanty white locks stirring
in the soft summer breeze.
In the meadow below slender girl in
n blue cotton gown was gathering the
LONG SHAKING grass that grew under the
,od,o sipo;no 70 bersslf nc sbe moved
b;tbcr and ,h;tber To couId inst catch
tho word. che sang.
When all the world is young lad
And all the trees are green
And every goose a swan, lad,
And every lass a queen.
plro no her gown wore This moid's
oros md Jobn IIpbhord lovod ber hott,r
tho, tho most norrelous entomol;ta that
no hod Wrought from fore;pp lands He
wa, IN oId bachelor and had beon man
crown whom b;s sistor Mary vos hu+ n
ch;,I When tho letter conc SAVING that
sbo and ber husband wore doad md the
l;ttIo ono wos coming 70 him be hod
bumnIad I'M Mic hoir and noced tho room
In Lorrnr 4 child noisy screomin,,
cro,+rro undar bis roof Nevori Rut
how coon bo nod GROWN 70 Jove tho fool
ing Of tho little fingers in hisl How thew
roomed tho bil,a md aoIas tooather and
how tho hIro eves would watch him os
he unfolded to her the wonderful secret
Of nature, Tbero had mover been another
child like this one of his-his little Mai
sic, his blue butterfly!
But ms he watched the frown came
back. There was some one else entering
the mendow--some one who approached
the girl with rapid steps and threw his
fishing rod and basket impetuously on
the ground John Hubbard's eyes ran
over his athletic figure and bonny brown
face with great disfavor. What did his
old friend Welch mean by keeping his son
Mt home like this? Roddie should have
been sent to India or Timbuctoo! The
blue butterfly had futtered to the top OF
| the stie and sat there smiling at him as
| he leaned against the top bar looking up
ut her. Then he was speaking fast, ear
nestly, and she had turned away her
| head, and then-he was holding both her
hands, and the grass had fallen scattered
| Mt her feet The old man turned away
with a smothered groan and smote the
tree with his cinched fist.
Then he made a step forward to take
her away-she was his, his own eve lamb
and again paused just as abruptly
What was the last verse of Maisie's ia
| vorite song?
Whom or the world Is old, lad,
And all the trees are brown.
Avo bo wos old worry old and some
dow 600, bo would h,ro 70 Ioovo bor
lnovn his cherished heotIes and butter
Hies and 90 70 stand before the great Ma.
tor opd Noker of all living things HI,
museum conld no hennnothed to the neigh
horing town whore his nome was held
in honor hut NOT most his valued snec
mon his hlnn huttepav She would no left
TO futter through the world alone. If il
mu.t no como ono no would rotbcr II
woro nndd;o rho lad u.oS door coof
lad md tbcv made n nrcttv sctura dowr