Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-12-27
BALLOON
No. z
1t Clears Away the
Cloud

BY cLARIssA MAcKIH

ssssssssseseessssseossssss
Maisle Pomeroy dismissed her pupils
md locked the door Of the little school
house. II lacked three days of the long
vacation. nnd the last hours Of n,
school year dragged heavily. for june
weather was insistentiy chilling. Hei
homeward walk led along pleasanl
country lanes and through clover field.
crisscrossed with narrow footpaths
In Maisie's pocket was her last
months salary. and IN spite Of june
weather and the calling boboink hel
heart was heavy with disappointment
though her face wore its usual expires
sion OF unruiiied sweetness. Just ths
amount OF tint mouths salary wout
take her TO a lnrge summe- resort
where she might have two weeks Of
such enjoyment as she had never known
in her mOuotonous life. She had reaC
of the pleasures Of this city by the sen
she had known girls whose pareue
were well to do to spend several month,
there. and now Ella Shaw Ind written
to say they were going and wishea
Maisle to join them II was To hs
Dutch treat and she knew thai
meant each girl was to pay her own ex
penses.
She had not even mentioned the mat
er to her mother. for she knew tint
their resources were badly strained tbs
year. There WINS an uncle who had
been bedridden for two years. and they
were now maintaining his declining
days in the hospital. where he could b.
best cared for. As Maisie was the only
wage Garner In their family of two. II
was important-prohibit rather
that not one penny be wasted
"If Bloomfield were not so dull" sh,
murmured wistfully Ever since
can remember there has never beer
any unusual happening here. No new
families ever move here. and nobody
ever marries anybody that lives farther
than Fuirmount ! don't wonder there
are so many maiden ladies In this vii
lager she smiled as she pushed open
the front gnte. for there on the front
piazza sat her mother. dispensing cak,
and root beer to i've of Bloomfield
spinsters. Some day she. too. wouC
form one Of similar group.
Lots of news. Malsie.r cried Emms
Risley as the girl sat down on the toI
step and slipped glass Of the COO
beverage.
''News?'' repeated Mnisie; then sh,
added quickly. "Oh, you mean the new
nagpole in front Of the town hall?
saw that yesterday"
mo. indeed: that's oldl What d.
you think is going to happen in Bloom
icld?" Emma was bursting with I'm
portance. and the four other spinster,
nodded their heads significantly.
"A-circusY There were painfully
few things that ever had happened IL
Bloomfield, and MalsIe's Imagination
was starved.
mo. sirl What do you think of bal
loon races hereY' Miss Risley's yoics
was triumphant
Balloon racesY echoed Maisil
blankly.
''Ten balloons all starting at once
from Cabot's big haydeldP'
when is 1t going to be?" asked
Maisie
''In three weeks. The men havs
been here and looked over the grounds
and the lumber Is on the way. Al
the rooms at the hotel have been en-
gagged for the workmen. You see.
knew about it the first one because
hold first mortgage on Cabot's biz
field" explained Emma Risley impor
tantly, "and Joshua Cabot spoke to M
about the matter"
When they had ehatted themselves
away Maisle and her mother sat OF
the piazza until the sun went down
They talked about the coming Of The
bailoonists and how It had been learned
that Bloomfield was chosen because
Of some special advantage 1t possessed
for the purpose. and everybody said
that once the city excurslonists saw
what beautiful spot Bloomfield really
was there would start an influx OF
summer boarders and possibly a land
boom.
Mother. dear half sighed Maisie,
II was complaining this very afternoon
Of the dullneSs here. and as / walked
home through Cabot's field was wish
ing almost anything would happen to
break the monotony Now that some
thing Is going to happen | am feeling
sorry about the clover fields. They are
so beautiful
Mrs. Polneroy laughed softly and
caressed her daughters bronze hair
That's the way with all OF us. my
dear. | have known for a long timt
that you were weary Of the monotnnt
Of your life. and | cannot blame yna
When ] was a girl somehow we seem
never went away from the village
There were parties every week ann
socials and spelling classes and skatins
parties. The winter was always tor
short for all the good times we had
Nowadays the girls and young men e.
away to the cities. and those that re
main and marry here don't seem to
care for the old simple pleasures"
Perhaps after the balloon races are
over we will rejoice in our old tinr
quiet But somehow would like g
have just taste Of life and pleasure
before Maisie flushed and bit hsr
lip.
Before what. dear?"
Il know I'm horrid. mother, but !