The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-12-09


over the meadows and over the or
chard. In the garden the incessant
buzzing Of the bees seemed to mingle
with the very stiffness and to become
part of it. Even the cows, tired of the
daisies and the buttercups, had sought
the shelter of the spreading trees, and
lay chewing their cud, their great eyes
looking into space with almost imbe-
Gle tranquility. Peace, like an lnvlS-
ible, yet eloquent, presence, had set
tied over everything.
That is, over everything save the
slight figure of Aggie May, flung in an
abandon of misery beneath the apple
tree. Her small frame shook convul-
sively with heavy sobs as they follow
ed one another with tumbling rapidly.
Alas! Aggie May was learning the bit
ter lesson of repentance She was ex-
periencing her first great emotion
born of series of emotions-for in
her grief was mingled remorse, horror,
despair, misery and wide-eyed fear. a
fear of something, she knew not What;
complex element which had never be-
fore entered Aggie Mays varied ex-
periences of six years.
Aggie May had committed terrible
crime, and now she was reaping the
harvest She knew it, because her
mother has told her so, and whoever
heard of mother telling lie. If on
ly Aunt Mag had said it she thought
there might have been mistake, but
her mother-neveri
And how she had said it! Aggie
Mays sobs gained new force as she re-
called her mothers cold face when
she had said, "Aggie May, what have
you been doing?"
And Aggie May could feel again the
sickening horror of detection. She
surreptitiously put forth small red
tongue, which swiftly made the circle
about two full rosy lips to gather in
all telltale crumbs. And then, secure
in her belief that she had well covered
her tracks, she had answered unblush-
ingly, Nothing
Aggie Mays tongue was short, and
sugar has such an unpleasant way of
sticking to fat baby hands and fat
baby faces.
Aggie Mays mammals face grew
harder still as she uttered these awful
words "Aggie May, you will never
go to heaven. You are no child OF
mine. You have violated every one
of the Lords commandments He has
told you not to steal, yet you have done
it; he has said you must not lie, yet
you are doing it. Do you think he is
going to forgive you? Nc. He has pun
ished you already. Come here
In fear and trembling awe Aggie
May stepped to her mothers side. Mrs.
Sangster deliberately traced the out
line of word on the child's brow
Listen she said; this is what is
written there. SUGAR. That spells |
sugar Aggie May, you have been
stealing sugar."
Aggie May stood COMPOUNDED by the |
occult wisdom of her mother and a
Supreme Deity. Her little childish |
soul thrilled with the horror and mys
terry of something she did not under |
stand Why this suddenly fallen thun- |
derbolt, this swift retribution aimed by |
an unseen hand?
She had taken sugar before, but
but-she had never been detected quite |
in the act She thought that must be
it. God hadn't discovered her before. |
1t had only been her mother; and her |
mother wouldn't do anything so terri |
BILE as to write awful words on her |
brow. She remembered now how her |
mother had said she was ashamed to |
let God know what wicked child she |
was. Yes, undoubtedly that must have
been 1t. But this conviction did not |
come suddenly to Aggie May. She saw
it all much later through eyes blinded |
by tears beneath the apple-tree. Just
then her mothers voice continued:
"All your life you will have that
word written on your forehead. And
as you grow older 1t will probably
Deepen she added, sadly. Certainly
Aggie Mays mother realized the fear
full extent of the calamity Then she
turned and cruelty left the room.
Aggie May stood in a dazed stupor
for a moment, then she hastily climbed |
on a chair to look into the glass. She
would convince herself of what was
there. But her baby eyes could see
nothing. She rubbed her brow
thoughtfully with fat forefinger, but
the smooth velvet skin felt as usual to
the touch. Then Aggie May admitted
in her own mind that she was puzzled.
It was at this juncture that unit Mag
came in, and unconsciously settled
everything. She found Aggie May with
a very sugary mouth and fearful eyes
before the mirror. In a minute her
...r.. 1rnnr, ouor had praSned the sit1a- |