Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-09-17
Che Major
BY Hltcc g. HIIcn
Copyright. ioO.. bu Alice f. Allen

meditated. The Girl had given him an
apple that morning. reaching 1t up to
him dain.ily as he stood near the ter
| race
The Major had taken the apple care
fully from the Girls soft hand. He
had blinked slow THANK you" with
his great kind eyes. Then at Dick 8
command he had trotted gravely away.
Next to Dick. Major loved the Girl.
Sometimes he grew impatient even
with Dick. Now was one of the times.
The rich flavor Of that late russell still
fingered I'm his mouth. He wondered
the Major-if the Girl herself never
grew impatient with Dick.
OF course the Girl loved Dick. One
couldn't help that. even II one did
grow impatient sometimes and want
to be off on II stiff trot when one was
told to walk. But did Dick love the
Girl? Or was II Geraldine?
He went to see Geraldine nearly
every week. and almost never to see
the Girl. But time was, not so long
ago. when they-Dick and the Major
had waited before the Girls door near
ly every day.
To be sure. they always had waited.
And sometimes. the Major remember
ed now with sigh. he had grown res
tive and impatient with the long delay.
But in time the Girl had always come
well worth waiting for. And before
she stepped into the carriage she had
always stroked his nose and fed him
a lump of sugar or told him admiringly
what fine horse he was.
Geraldine never noticed him at all,
except to scream when he jumped ut
an automobile. The Major didn't ap-
prove of Geraldine, although, perhaps.
she was prettier than the Girl. But
Dick evidently did approve of her.
The Major chewed away on his crisp
hay and meditated. Sometimes he felt
that he must do something desperate,
something that would open Dicks eyes
to the superiority of the Girl.
The Major meditated n long time
over his hay before Dick came to har-
ness him. The Major saw, with Joy,
that 1t was the single carriage which
was drawn out. not the surrey. That
only two people should ride together
in the same carriage at the same time
was one of the Majors pet theories.
Dick whistled all through the har-
Messing. The Major didn't know one
tune from another. but he did know
that when Dick whistled he was In
good humor. So he. the Major. pranced
little as he had always done when
he was young, to show that he. too.
was light hearted.
The Major crossed the bridge with
slow. steady trot. increased his pace
up the long hill. dashed determinedly
by the turn which led to Geraldine's
and. his head held high. drew up be-
fore the Girls house.
| When he looked around at his mas
ter Dick did not seem Ill pleased. He
seemed surprised. but that may have
been because the Girl was ready and
waiting.
She came down the walk. She wore
blue shirt waist and her prettiest hat.
In her slender. ungloved hand was q
great lump of sugar.
ats for you. sir" she said. reach
ing up the crisp lump to Major. Then
she stood on uptoe and patted his nose.
Good Major. good old Major" she
said softly to him. II believe" she
added to Dick as he helped her into
the carriage, that the Major under
stands me thoroughly"
Lucky Major" said Dick as he took
the lines. II wish I had horse sense"
The Girl laughed. Major would 60
a mile over sandy roads to hear her
laugh. Now he started Off ut his best
gait. He soon found that they were
going out into the country. OF that
the Major approved fully.
Dick and the Girl conversed read
lily enough on various subjects-the
good hay crop. Interesting as this
last topic usually WAS TO Major. he
felt vaguely dissatisfied now. Why
couldn't that stupid Dick say some
thing which would bring back to the
Girls voice the tone she had used
when she said good old Major" One
had only to look nj her. the Major
knew. Twas easy enough.
Major shifted and trotted on. Well
he knew the road every inch of It,
1t led. up hill and down. past gay lit
tie brooks. between fields bright with
cowslips. and orchards white with the
snow of Cherry blooms. 10 the pine
grove on the bank of the river where
the arbutus grew.
The wind was soft and sweet with
the kisses II had stolen from the VIC.
lets. Hosts of dainty duets raised
their pretty rarasols in the dust of the
waysidc The world was very fair
and i'm its May.
The Major wished that he could talk
How stupid 10 be only horse. For US
they wc.S ~ and on silence fell upon
the occupants of the carriage. The Ma
jor's head dropped lower and lower He
went more and more slowly.
The Girl hummed II careless little tune
under her breath. Dick addressed al
Of his remarks to the Major. and the
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