The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-09-23
THE SPRING BLIND,

I malned an Old bachelor. Early dis
appointment in love-"
Il vowed TO marry her or not at
all, and She
Just at that moment the spring roller
blind of a house that faced directly
on the sidewalk few up with a sud
den "brr-r" and snap. Both the men
looked around. and both were just in
time to catch sight of remarkably
pretty girls face with a pout of vexa-
ton on it,
Who is that girl?" Guthrie asked.
I'm afraid | don't know her. old
fellow" said Bean.
You haven't any idea who lives in
that house, have you?"
No. haven't. Oh. by the way.
think | do know, Unless I'm mis-
taken, that's old Calthorpe's place
He's a fellow commuter Of mine and
that's about the full extent OF our ac-
quaintance. But she isn't the young
lady of your secret is sheE"
That's Just it." said JEFF. with Il
puzzled expression. she can't be, and
yet that face for the moment looked
Like her: Was her name Cal
thorpe:"
NO. Her name was Sargent"
How long ago was IL"
Seven years.
ut isn't a long story" Guthrie pres
emily continued. she taught school
there in that faraway little village
among the hills and the mines. ! was
interested in her from the first and
tried to win my way into some sort
of acquaintance with her. But she
seemed disinclined To anything ike so
ciety."
You didn't stay there more than a
year altogether, did ycu:" Bean asked.
"Much less than year. never ex-
changed more than six words with her
in all the time we were both in that
village"
rs this girl very much like Miss
SARGENT
so much like that it wouldn't be re-
markable even if they were twin sis
ters."
Guthrie's visits to the home of his
married friend were all much alike in
one very pleasant feature-he always
romped with two out of three chill
dren. while the youngest, the baby,
looked on and crowed and jerked it.
self about obviously.
Now. what is it," Mrs. Bean asked.
turning to her husband when Allie ard
little jeff had both been finally siIenced
under the bedclOthes
'Oh, it isn't my affair."" said the
husband.
"We-l-wanted to ask If you knew
Miss Calthorpe here, living in that
new red brick house at the end Of the
common" said Guthrie.
Mrs. Bean shook her head. NO Miss
Calthorpe lives there she said. MI
Calthorpe lives there"
oh" said Bean. was that old
woman Calthorpes sister,"
she isn't really Old dear. She's
younger than Mr.. Calthorpe. There's
one daughter | believe"
But that night Mrs. Bean said to her
husband: Leave me alone for two
days, and will know all about your
window blind young lady. Then make
Jeff Guthrie come here and stay over
night
The next visit Of Jeff Guthrie was
planned for a Saturday evening, with
arrangements for stay over Sunday.
After church this subtle woman in
sisted on lingering about the porch
until a gray haired lady came out, and
with her her daughter, the girl who
had pouted at the window blind.
Mrs. Perry, let me introduce our
particular friend. Mr.. Guthrie, and
this is Miss Perry
Nothing could have been more prop
erly conventional than this introduc-
ton. and that was why Guthrie was so
angry with himself for turning red and
becoming confused. Mrs. Bean had,
unknown TO Guthrie, expressly invited
these two ladies TO dinner beforehand
Tell me. have you any relative-had
you, should say-of the name of Sar-
CENT?
The girls face changed in a moment.
She was pale and bit her lip.
"Oh. Mr. Guthrie" she said you
must ask mother that! | don't know
about it. was only little girl of ten
when poor Margaret left us and mar
ried that
She checked herself, then after an
embarrassing pause went on, lowering
her voice to a whisper and glancing
round at her mother, Did you know
her-hm?"
81 once knew a Miss Sargent very
slightly"
"Where?"
in Pennsylvania, at Brinkville"
"Oh, yes! He treated her so badly,
after all, she had to go somewhere
and be teacher Mother would have
forgiven everything, but Margaret was
too proud to come back to us She
went and called herself miss, | sup
pose We only heard that she had died
in Pennsylvania-nothing more. ! was
sent to school in Germany soon after
ward"
Il understand" said Guthrie, your
mother has had a great deal Of trou-
BILE"
THAT is why she looks so old at
dfty. Tell me, please Am | so much
like moor Sister M1rUaratS"