The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-02-05

to kiss her, 1t was the first time in al
her life that such thing had happened:
bu: She dropped her sickle, and STOPPING
, aw!>wardly, offered her cheek to he huge!
; against very wet kiss.
Watts a bear hug. Now 90 hume
but come again"
| He trundled of, and Miss Rcbecca, still
in a dazc, went slowly on with her
work;
The birds sang bithely from the clnls,
the soft wind daliied with the grass. Tie
bumhiebccs huzzed about the flowers 1t
WIS Il very lovely day, thought Miss
| Rebccca.
BY degrees She got back 20 hcr normal
state OF mind. and when she vert in t.
! get her. SOLITARY dinner she could say, with
something Of elfdisdlin-"Wh1t non
| sense
But the next morning she was out in
her yard long before her usual time
digging up dandelion roots that had
grown there in security for many wears
| AS she worked she listened, and at last
there came sound-the gale-latch
clicked
Miss Rebecca locked up. There stood
| the small boy, an with him another small
boy. They both came in-boy number
two hanging back and looking ready to
run. That was the old remembered at
titude of children; it was what Miss
Rebccca was accustomed to, but some
how it gave her n pan@ to see il. Would
boy number one he affected by it: APP
parently not, for became straight on,
dragging his companion after.
.'This little boy likes nice flowers,
too" he announced. IVES come for
some
Without a word Miss Rebccca went
straight to her syringa-bush and stripped
off an armful OF blossoms for each. And
of her own accord she knelt for the kiss.
What is your name" she remembered
to call as they went out of the yard.
Tommy" said hoy number one, and
Jimmy" said boy number two
The next day saw pretty much the
same scene in Miss ReEecca's doorvard.
and the next and the next and the next,
only with each new day the procession, !
headed by Tommy, was larger than the
day before. Miss Rebecca gave ard gave.
She finished the syringas and plundcrcd
the ounce bush, unit! one morning she !
awoke to the fac; chat the blossoms were |
almost gone. Another visit aud she !!
would have given her last spray, even OF
buds And then the click of the gate |
under Tomny's fingers would sound no
more.
The day suddenly seemed less bright |
and the air grew heavy. She should miss |
Tommy. /
Then she thought of her roses. They !
were blooming, now, in all their beauty. /
But her roses were for the church festival. !
1t was impossible to think of their going /
elsewhere. No, Tommy could not have .
her roses.
She gave the last of the ounce. blossoms |
to the outstretched hands, and worked |
the rest of the day with dull persistence.
1t was the last she should see of Tommy, |
she was sure of that. Still when the !
morning came again she took her Sickle |
and made pretense of cutting the grass. !
She trimmed the edges to the smallest
pear OF green, and LEI no dandelion or
plantain leaf escape her; but no Tommy /
came.
So it went on for two long mornings.
On the third day Miss Rebecca put on
her second best hat and dress and stood
irresolutely at her front door. She would
60 and see the committee about her roses;
perhaps she would go round by way of
some of those back streets; she could Just
as we'll as not. and she hadn't been round
that way for ages; there was no know
ing what changes had taken place.
She peered over her glasses in the dircc- |
ton of the back street, and her heart
gave thud, for there, trudging toward
her, alone, almost at her gate was
Tommy.
Amt YOU got just one moTe nice
flower" he greeted her. rs corre for
one more"
Miss Rebecca sat down abruptly on
the top step.
Tommy" she commanded. come
here"
Tommy marched up to her.
You go off and get al the other little
boys you can find, and the little girls,
and come back here quick, and there Il be
some more nice flowers; do YOU under
stand, dear, all the nice flowers vou can
What did one day Of glory and self !
matter; Tommy had come
for some more FLOWERS, and there were
the roses. She would beg some for the
festival, or buy some or get them soire- !
now, but Tommy should have hers.
She waited at the side gate for the |
small rabble that gathered at Tommy's !
summons and when they came led them
into the guarded region. And while they |
rihed her bushes and climbed her trees
and tramplcd her grass she sat hliss!ully |
bv watching the havoc. The angles !
softened in her face, and the wears faded |
from her eyes. And when the laden and |
stumbling children went out, she drew
Tommy to her side. She held him tight,
while she said boldly, as one who might |
nave known children allher life. Thcre'll !
be apples and pears and grapes by and ,
by; you'll come and get them, won't |
YOU"
Yes" said Tommy, sercnely; "I'l |
come, and bring all the little boys and
girls " Then he smudgcd kiss Oh the
side of Miss Kebecca's nose and trudged
off.
A belatcd sense of humor awakened in |
Miss Rcbecca's breast.
II shouldn't wonder" she sigf ed 'if
the next thing I'd be putting upa sign,
Wanted-Boys to climb over my back
fence and help themselves to my grapes W"
The Outlook.
What Faith Is.
The teacher was irving to communicate
to class OF small children an idea Of
faith, and, to better illustrate it. she
he'd up al orange and said:
"Il were to tell Won there were TO
seeds in this orange you would believe
me without further proof, would YOU