Middletown transcript., 1907-09-07

ring OF merry, fresh young voices
broke in on the woodland sounds
that had hummed around the
hammock, where the bishops 5
wife had been restfully lying all
the afternoon.
She arose now, with a half.
sigh, and went forward to meet
her sons and daughters, who
were arriving with their guests.
Her gown was rather crum-
pied, and she still held her novel
shut over her finger, to mark the
place. She was very glad to
meet the merry crew fresh from
school and college commence
ment.day exercises, and her con-
science made her much ashamed
of the sigh with which she had
greeted their noisy advent /; but
it had been wonderfully restful
and quiet up here in camp for
the past ten days, and these ten
days of unconventional freedom
and quiet had meant much to the
bishop and his wife, who were
always more or less on view.
Penelope, the eldest daughter,
jumped out first, and took her
mother in her strong young
arms.
Oh, motherdy, she cried, look.
ing her over with an anxious eye,
you dear, you look like a crum-
pied flower You didn't expect
us so soon, did you, dear? Mother,
this is Patsy Short; I've told her
so much about you
I am so glad to meet you, my
dear; yes, I thought you would
be coming any time, said mother,
between the kisses and hand
shaking. We know no time up
here, you see; it's so up on top
Sof the world-above it, in fact,
with all its time limits, and in
Vulnerable little conventionali'
ties. --
Oh, but, mother, said Anne,
someway you don't go with camp
things and life. l can never
imagine you-crumpled-or care,
less, or campish.
Why not, pray? asked their
mother, her heart going down.
She felt that the shades of the
prison house were fast closing
in.
Don't you bother mumpsey,
said Beth, the youngest and most
muscular one of the lot. III take
you in haad; you've missed your
lady's maid, that's all. Judge
Ayre's wife was at our junior
hop the other night. She had
hair just like yours-only not SO
pretty-and it was parted and
rolled back in tie dearest way.
I've been plning to try it on you
ever since. I'll do it so for din
ner tonight. The boys wanted
to bring you something, and so
we all put in and bought you the
loveliest set of shell pins and
combs. all set with little fine
pearls. Oh, mumpsey, you will
look SO dear! And we brought
your trunk, too, that you for
GOT
You let US have mother now,
and stop your cackling. I'7e got
good baseball story to tell her,
said Jack, getting around to his
mothers side. Where's dad (?
Fishing and butterfying some
where, said mother, smiling up
at her big boy. He said he'd be
back early for dinner and camp.
fire and coffee.
The three boys now all Gen.
tered around their mother, and
after an old-time fashion, caught
her up on a triangle of arms and
carried her over to the cottage
porch. Then the whole company
sat around her with an air of
devotion that would have made
her very happy if the dressing
for dinner had not still loomed
before her like the clouds in the
sky. But she was resolved not
to worry until she had to, so she
tried to ignore the fact that Pen
was behind her, even now smooth
ing her hair with a tender but
firm touch Anne on one arm of
her chair, pulling out the broad
sailor collar of her blouse, much
mussed from the hammock, and
patting it smooth with her hands,
and Beth on the floor tying her
shoe-lacings in a better looking
bow. She turned toward the
three rosy lads and their friend,
Sam Young. Every one of them
had a great record in athletics,
if not in scholarship.
Sam, their guest, as captain OF
the football team. had won such
distinction for the college that
Al