The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-08-29
HzRED1rY Oh sEIF.MAx1re, WHICH
BY KATE eANNErr WELLS.


Marcella had never forgotten tn,
day she discovered she was only al
adopted" She could still hear The
scornful tone with which Jimmy
Jones, in showing her sled down the
Long Path on Boston Common, had
announced the fact to a group oi
boys. She remembered also that a
tall, handsome lad had offered to drag
her sled up the hill, and had told her
she'd come out all right in the end,
which ever since she had been trying
to do.
On that day she had gone home
sorrowfully, and asked what it meant
to be adopted, only to be petted in re-
ply, and made happy for the moment.
Yet she had lain awake at night won-
dering and vowing to her little self
that never again would she go coast
ing, and she never did.
Marcella had long memory, hot
temper and an investigating turn of
mind. So she looked up the word
adopted" in the dictionary, and de-
clared to herself that Jimmy Jones
had told her such an awful lie he ought
always to be punished for it. Then
she began so saucy that people pitied
her instead of loving her as they did
other girls and felt "riled," to use
her own expression. Everything
seemed to grow worse for her, until
one spring day on account of her care
lessness at school she was sent up
stairs to the SUBJ master for admoni-
ton. Poor child" )" she overheard
the teacher say, "she may not be
wholly to blame for no one knows
what are her inheritances.
"My mamma will give me just as
much money as other girls have"
declared the child, indignant at mis-
applied compassion. The sub-master,
an excellent man without imagina-
ton, was shocked, and passed her on
to the master, who had no time for lit
tie things, and sent her home until he
should have leisure. As Marcella
left the Office, she turned on him,
with all the latent .wildness of her
nature, and the pent up woes of her
heart bursting from her childish con-
troll, exclaiming: II hope you never
will have time, for I shall pray God
t6ff K66o5w How t6 keepseh65f~szss'ss 9
Before the master could summon
his wits to reply, she had rushed
downstairs and out into the street,
hatless, to run home. But a police
officer espied her, and caught her by
the arm. As she tried to escape, her
boy protector of the winter seized the
hand, which she had thrust forward
for pull at the officers sleevestrap,
saying, "Let her alone, Cop; she's
a neighbor of mine and all right"
AS the lad was rather favorite of
the policeman, who knew boys better
than often did their fathers, he con-
sented, after a few words, to leave the
frightened child in the boys care.
She refused to go home. So Hal
took her to a vacant lot, and in place
dear to all children's hearts they sat
down, Marcella finding comfort in
stubbing her boots into the sand and
refuse. Hal, however, was embar-
rassed, and fervently hoped that no
one would discover him with pretty,
hatless girl. The silence between
them had lasted long enough for him
to insist on speech. whats up"
he asked.
81 don't know" answered Mar
celia, recklessly. "Things always
have to begin; and it began, you
know, that day last winter p Hal
nodded. "Well, it's spread. I'm
not popular. I'm an adopted. The
dictionary and mamma and papa don't
agree. When 1 used to get mad I
just got marked like anybody else.
Now they take no excusing me, be-
cause of what they call heredity.
Everybody has got that, only mine is
different. Miss Smith said I could
not help being careless, and called me
poor child l told her 1 could help
it, but / wouldn't. So she sent me
upstairs to the sub master, and he
sent me along to the master; and ]
Just up and at him. That's all. %
And she swallowed hard, for she did
not want to cry before boy.
Then Hal did just what he had nc
notion of doing three moments before
he put his arm round her, and she
laid her head down on his knees and
cried, just what she did not mean tc
have done. But both ofthem started
up as they heard the well-knowr
whoop of boys coming round the cor
ner, and each NODDED to the other
comrade-fashion, and disappeared al
opposite ends of the parkway. Mar
celia went home, and said nothing
Hal went down town, and called or
Marcella's father at bis Office. TT.
none of my business" he began il
helter-skelter fashion.
"What isn't?" asked Mr.. Lord
with whom Hal was on friendl,
terms.
"Why, whether she is adopted o
not. I am going to marry her jus
the same as soon as I'm in business
but you ought to tell her she's al
adopted, and not let the story sneal
out the way it does and have he
pitied when she gets mad-just as
she couldn't help it, for of course sh
can."
"What are you talking about 2
asked Mr.. Lord, so sternly that tn
boy quickly recovered his senses an
manners, and begged pardon, bu
with grim irsistence told what