The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-11-08

board for ten years now. Now you
stop sniveling and trot along"
Poor Peggy! Before those words
"bed and board" she never hesitated.
They formed the spiritual lash which
her aunt swung with unmerciful
hand. The girl never stopped to
reckon the mittens she knit for the
shop, the lace she made or the inter
minable days of fine sewing as a re-
compense for the obnoxious "bed and
board"
/ Drearily she lifted her simple sailor
hat from the shelf beneath the coun-
ter and started on her hateful errand.
The great trees arched protectingly
over her head, the wild strawberries
bloomed at her feet, and from the
woodlands came the calls of her favor
ite birds. But her eyes were heavy
with unshed tears. Was it not bad
enough to listen day after day to the
gossip that emanated from her aunt S
shop without being forced into part
nership with the gossipers?
Languidly and tremblingly she
mounted the broad steps leading to
Widow Burkett's porch. That much
discussed lady met her at the door.
Her quick glance detected the misery
in Peggy's face.
Come in, child. You look utter
ly worn out, she remarked, ushering
Peggy into the dim, cool parlor.
"What have you there? Oh, such
lovely lace collars 1 must have one
of them. But m afraid this sort of
work is pulling you down. You're
looking badly, Peggy"
The girl flushed guiltily, and her
tongue clung to the roof of her mouth.
Mrs. Burkett studied her curiously.
"It is long walk from the village,
and as soon as Ned comes in we'll
have some lemonade. He makes fa-
nous lemonade"
Ned That must be the awful
man. And she called him by his
first name with such a proud light in
her eyes. A brisk step sounded in
the entry, the knob ratified, and Peg
gy turned dizzy and faint.
"Ned, dear, this is little Peggy
Smithers, who made that lovely lace
for me. Peggy, this is"
Peggy had risen mechanically, and
as she caught the next words she
raised her eyes, swimming with tears,
to Mrs. Burkett's astonished gaze.
Delicious little chills were chasing up
and down her hot spine. Oh, if only
she might rush from the house, down
the shady street to the shop. But
no; that man stood between her and
the door.
Peggy had never seen just such a
man before. He stood so very tall
and straight, laughed in such friend
ly fashion with his eyes and helped
her to tiny cakes and a drink, all
cool, sweet and sour, with the air of
Prince Charming of fairy book fame.
From somewhere-far, far away
came the trill of a riotously happy
bird. Peggy raised her eyes once
more to Mrs. Burkett's face, and this
time there were no tears.
"Why, you're looking better al
ready, Peggy. And now, if you
won't have any more cake or lemon
ade, shall carry you off to my room.
1 want you to see the beautiful silks
and embroideries Mr.. Lameroux has
brought me from Japan and China
X X X X X X
The gossips at Mrs. Smithers' shop
were becoming restless when Peggy
came back. The girl fairly shivered
with suppressed excitement, and her
hand trembled as she stuck the hat
pin through her sailor.
"Well, amt you never going to
speak? ?" snapped her aunt. Didn't
you hear anything?"
eyes, heard lots, aunt" answer
ed the girl, trying hard to keep the
exultation from ringing in her voice.
The women leaned forward eagerly.
ellis name is Mr.. Edward Lame
roux-"
"Hoity-toity," shifted Miss La
vinia.
"Just like novel;" murmured
Mrs. Marsden.
"And he's Just home from China
and Japan, and he's going to stay
year this time, and he's brought her
the most beautiful silks you ever saw,
and I'm going there to sew on 'em
for a whole week, and she gave me
the queerest candy. 1t came from
China, too, and it burns your mouth,
but it's good-and-"
"Lawzee, Peggy, why don't you
get down to facts?" calculated Miss
Lavinia. els he going to marry
her :"
mo p' exclaimed Peggy in final
burst of triumph. HE can't. He's
her twin brother, and he's in the
navy, and he's been gone five years
and"
Mrs. Demming rose abruptly, say
ing:
"I declare I forgot that batch of
bread. Like as not it's all over my
clean floor"
Miss Lavinia looking decidedly ag-
grieved, departed in silence. One by
one her visitors left, and Mrs. Smith
ers alone stood absently busting and
redusting her tiny showcase.
And in Mrs. Burkett's cool parlor
the widow was saying:
81 do feel so sorry for Peggy, Ned,
dear, that 1 believe I'll ask her aunt
to let me take her to Boston when we
go back. She is so handy with her
needle. l know l could get her lots
of work. "
"Well if she's so handy. Why