The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-12-04

to his lips, the whitening nair around
| his balG spot. She was seeing how
stoop shouldered daddy was getting to
be and how tired, tired, tired he looked.
1t seemed to Peggy, lying there in the
warm sand beside daddy, as If she
/ We're just being introduced to him. She
reached out little sea Drowned hand
and slowly threaded the scant gray
hair between her fingers. The softness
and sickness Of it surprised her. She
had never known before that daddy's
hair was soft and silky
'But it's thin, daddy. believe in my
soul you're growing old. Aren't you
ashamed of yourself, sir? The ideaw
mo older than some other folks this
side of the sea 'puss," retorted daddy,
with a boyish laugh. He did not feel
old just then. He felt young. 1t was
so pleasant to have Peggy all to him
self and to lie resting with the gentle
boom of the breakers in his ear
You're CROWN old, too, ma am. Bless
my soul, wasn't it day before yester-
day you had the collie an l toted you
up an down the nursery floor, up an
down, up an down? Did you ever say
enough? Not your
He prodded her whimsically with his
I finger, but she was not listening to his
banter.
you're tired, daddy; that's what"
she cried abruptly. "You need lark,
a long one, not just mean little twen-
ty-four hour one like this. See; there
are crows feet round your eyes, and
F you're not old enough for crows feet.
One, two, three, four-who ever heard
Of a crow with four feet? Daddy, do
you hear? You must have a good, long
holiday. You shall stay right down
here with US. guess we can find clean
shirts enough. You shall not go home
step till we 60"
Gregory Knox shook his head slowly.
AN lose my job, little one? Then
who'd get the bread an butter? No,
no; I'm havin' my lark today with you
I'm satisfied. We old fellows at the
store have to stand by the ship while
the young bloods are havin' their out
ms. It's the law. Besides, place like
this, my dear, wouldn't do for me-
Think of your ma. No, no; I'd rather
go to the trout brook at home an lie
on the banks an fish,
Eyes, daddy, yes-go on" Her eyes
were on his kindled old face, and his
were on a fieck of white sail in the
offing. He began to speak again dream
lily, as if to himself:
I'D like to see Simeon again too We
always went troutin' together, he an
me, but / could haul in the most fish
. every time. Sim warn't much Of an
angler. He'd lay with his eyes shut
an say poems to me. Poor Sim! That's
about all the poetry he ever had, or me
either. 1t would be like reviewin' a
poem, though, jest to go back an lay
under the willows at home. Shady?
Well, l guess. An cool? There amt
a cooler place anywhere in the heat of
summer than on the bank of that old
troutin' stream was-no, sir. An you
could hear the stiddy song of the water
it never stopped-an' smell the pine
needles, het up with the sun in the
middle of the day. Smell good, did it?
SCI " utlllACllA dIlCI lldI SIu6ll
days behind my counter among the
stockin's. Yes, sir, when the good Lord
gives me a whole week off Pm goin'
home to go troutin' with my brother
Sim."
He woke out of his day dream min
ute later in time to see Peggy skim
ming over the beach toward one of the
ofaIc t,, aIx- i
the sea. She had forgotten all about
her dip in the surf. She came back
again by and by with the paper bag of
lunch, and they ate it together in the
lee of the big bowlder Daddy was
very gay and scarcely noticed Peggy's
preoccupation. She said goodby to
him in midafternoon, and he waited
alone for traintime.
Ma" Peggy said, coming upon her
suddenly, with her novel, on the broad
hotel veranda-''ma, it's played out
I'm going up home. I'm going tonight,
this very tonight that ever is. I guess
daddy III be glad to see me, and I've
got enough of this place. I'm too young
to fiirt around with the girls, and I'm
too old to dig in the sand with the
babies. That's what I'd l;ke-to have
little red pail and a shovel and dig.
That's living. But as long as 1 can't
l guess I'll go home. Pm going up
stairs now and pack up"
Ma folded down the corner of leaf
to keep her place. She was used to
Peggy's whims and was unastonished.
'But Peggy it's only half throuph
the month. There's two whole weeks
left" she said slowly. In her heart
ma was relieved. Peggy's ways We're
apt to be disconcerting, and she would
be safe and well with pa. She'd be
company for him, too-poor pa!
Without any objection Peggy was al
lowed to put her things together and
go. When the train was we'll under
way, she went ahead to daddy's car to
surprise him. He was sitting by him.
self in the front of the car. The paper
bag of lunch remnants was in his hand
and he was absently twisting and un-
twisting 1t. Peggy saw the tragedy
coming. She got there just in time to
see daddy regarding the torn bag in
dismay, while fragments of ham sand
wiches oozed out and dropped to the
floor.
"I'll pick 'em up. Don't stoop. dad
dy," she said quietly.
Peggy KnoXw cried dfddy.
"Don't mention it-shi Pm travelling |
tncog.," whispered Peggy. Then they |
both laughed and settled comfortably |