The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-07-21

cemetery to decorate the graves.
Elverton had quantities of flowers
growing in his yard which he would
have gathered, and they could take
them along. Mary had been tender
ly cultivating few potted plants.
Some of them were for the few SOL
diers who lay in that graveyard and
the rest fo- the father who had laid
down his life for the Union. Mr..
Ferguson said he had some new silk
flags which they could place on the
soldiers graves. The two girls
looked at each other with white faces.
They said neither eyes" nor "No"
to the invitation, but the men took it
for granted that they intended to go
and admired them all the more at
their evident appreciation of the So
lemnity of the occasion. Said Fer
guson to Minnie:
you'll wear your new hat, Miss
Minnie. You look fine in it. No
girl in Brockton has one SO nice"
They stood by the little gate togeth-
er, as she had made pretext to
gather him a bouquet. Mary and
Ormond were still in the little sitting
room.
"You will wear that pretty hat
with the roses on, I hope. 1t is the
prettiest hat I ever saw, and you be-
come it"
Mary put her hand to her throat,
suddenly choked by the awful
thought. To whom would fall the
partnership hat for the day? And
as soon as the two girls were alone
Mary said to Minnie, whose face
shone with her happiness
"What are we going to do?"
"About the hat? Why, it is my
turn next Sunday, SO instead of
Sunday Til wear it them" replied
Minnie coolly.
Minnie y gasped Mary, "let me
wear it and I'll give you my new
gloves"
"No, not for twenty pairs,' re-
piled Minnie decidedly.
Mrs. Pierce was called. Mary
was desperate. Somehow this part
nership began to assume unexpected
proportions, and she even thought
that perhaps it was against the law
such deception. What if she were
to be dragged into court and Ormond
obliged to hear the awful truth
The hat had lost its luster, yet he
thought it pretty, and she knew it
was becoming. Minnie might wear
it.
But Mrs. Pierce believed in the ul-
innate justice of heads and tails, and
Marry won. But when she saw
Minnie turn white and sway as if
about to faint she said:
Minnie, I won't wear it. You
may"
But Minnie was generous, and
Mary must wear it. Then neither
mentioned it until the eventful day.
Twice Minnie tried it on, surreptf-
tiously, with new arrangement of
her hair, sighed and put it away
again. Mary felt like crying all
these days. She coald not give up
her chance of happiness which might
depend upon the allurement of this
hat, and yet the settled despair of
Minnie's set face hurt. Minnie had
renounced it and was suffering the
pain attendant upon that heroic
act.
The girls were at breakfast on that
sacred morning, but neither had any
appetite. Suddenly Mary sprang up,
upsetting her coffee in her hurry,
and disappeared in their joint bed
room. Minnie knew that she was
coming forth resplendent III that
beautiful hat, but instead Mary
came out dressed in the deep mourn
ing gown, with the rose bonnet and
long Grape veil, that her mother had
worn for so short a time. In her
hand she held the partnership hat
and gave it to Minnie.
ooh, Mary, you are saint p was
all the surprised girl could say, and
she hugged Mary out of breath. to
the imminent danger of the hats
destruction.
When the handsome landau arriv-
ed before the gate the young men
came in to help with the flowers.
Ferguson looked admiration at
Minnie, and as they passed down the
walk to put their fragrant load in
the carriage he-well, it was all set
tied then.
Elverton had stood as though
transfxed as he saw Mary. Her
sweet and gentle beauty had gained
new dignity and something so
touching tnat it appealed to all his
tenderness. He said with great re-
spect and admiration and SYM
pathy:
"I scarcely knew you. Have you
lost any one?"
At the same time DE noted the
pearly delicacy against the Grape.
"I-I-think black is more fitting
for this day. My father was SOL
dier, you know, and my mother IS
dead, too, but if you think you
would prefer i'll need not go with
you"
"Mary, l can keep silent no longer.
1 do want you to go with me, not
only to-day, but all my life. Will
you go !"
And Mary said she would.
THE FIRST slice of goose had been
cut, and the negro minister, who had
been invited to dine, looked at il
with as keen anticipation as was dis
played in the faces around him.
"Dat's as fine a goose as l ever
saw, Brudder Williams" he said to
nrak ri