Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-02-25

And made the tine mareh-pine,
And with the needle work;
And she could help the priest 10 say
His mathis on holiday
And sing psalm In kirk,
With such attractions for old and
young ID will readily be believed
that the Rose Croft was a favorite
resort Of the inhabitants Of ST.
Mary's. The maidens gathered
around Blanche as q May, day queen;
the matrons possessed Ia Mistress
Allies . discreet and kind friend,
and the more sedate part OF the
population found an agreeable host
in,the worthy Official himself.
The family Of the Lord Proprie-
tary sustained the most intimate
relations with this household. 1t
is true that Lady Baltimore, being
feeble In health and stricken with
grief at the lost Of her son, which
yet hung with Scarcely abated
poignancy upon her mind, was sell
dom seen beyVvs hon -4s'ss---ahnld.
but bis Lordsblp's sister, the Lady
Maria las she was entitled in the
province 0 frequent and ever
most welcome guest. Whether this
good lady had the advantage Of the
Proprietary In years, would be an
| impertinent as we'll as an unprofi-
table inquiry. since no chronicler
| within my reach has thought fit to
instruct the world on this point;
land, II II we're determined, the fact
could neither heighten nor diminish
the sober lustre Of her virtues.
Suffice II that she was stirring,
tidy, little woman, who moved about
With understandable zeal 10 the mani
fold duties which her large partici-
patton In the affairs OF the town exac-
ted OF her--the Lady Bountiful Of
the Province who visited the sick,
fed tho hungry, and clothed the
baked. In the early morning she
, tripped through the dew, with scru.
pulous regularity, to mass; Rener-
ally superintendent the decorations
Of the chapel In preparation for the
festivals; gossipped With the neigh
bors after service, aud, In short
kept her hands full OF business.
4 Her interest in the comfort and
welfare Of the townspeople grew
partly out OF her temperament. and
partly out Of feud pride that re-
garded them as the lisgemen Of her
brother the chief--a relation which
she considered as creating an obli-
cation 10 extend to them her coun-
tensnce upon oil proper occasions
and, sooth to saw, that countenance
was not perhaps the most comedy In
the province. being somewhat sal
low, but 1t was as full Of benevolence
as became SO exemplary a spirit.
Shs watched peculiarly what might
DO called the underground, and was
very successful Ia wormipg herself
into the schemes and plans OF the
young people. Her entertainments
at the mansion were frequent, and
no less acceptable tothe gayer por-
tion Of the inhabitants than they
were TO her brother. On these oc.
casions she held o little court over
which she presided with an smiable
despotism, and haIly maintained the
state Of the Lord Proprietary. By
these means the Lady Maria had at
tanned TO an oyer-shadowing popu.
larity In the town.
4 Blanche Warden had, from In
fancy, engaged her deepest soil,
citude; and as she took to her
self no small share Of the merit o.
that nurture BY which her favorite
had grown IN accomplishment. she
felt, In the maidenis praises which
everywhere rang Through the pro
vince, an almost knaternal delight.
Scarcely . day paased over without
soxae nanIfestatioH 81 this concern