Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-02-04
BALLOON
No. I
1t Clears Away the
Cloud
By cLARISsA MAcKIB

I. By cLARIssA MAcKIB 4:
ssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Maisie Pomeroy dismissed her pupil
and locked the door o<|the little school
house. 1t lacked three days Of the lont
vacation. and the last hours Of th'
school year dragged heavily. for JUNE
weather was insistently calling. He
homeward walk led along pleasant
country lanes and through clover feldl
crisscrossed with narrow footpaths.
In Maisie's pocket was her las
months salary. and in spite Of JUNE
weather and the calling bobolink hel
heart was heavy with disappointment
though her face wore its usual expires
sion of unruffled sweetness. Just thu
amount Of that months salary would
take her to large summer resort
where she might have two weeks o.
such enjoyment as she had never known
In her monotonous life. She had reat
of the pleasures of this city by the sea
she had known girls whose parents
were we'll to do to spend several month.
there, and now Ella Shaw had writer
to say they were going and wished
Maisie to Join them. 1t was to bt
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 thai
their resources were badly strained this
year. There was an uncle who had
been bedridden for two years. and they
were now maintaining his declining
days In the hospital. where he could be
best cared for. AS Maisie was the only
wage earrer In their family of two. II
was important-prohibitive. rather
that not one penny be wasted.
"If Bloomfield were not so dull" she
murmured wistfully. Ever since
can remember there has never beer
any unusual happening here. No ne"
families ever move here. and nobody
ever marries anybody that lives farther
than Fairmount. don't wonder there
ore 80 many maiden ladies In this VII
lage! She smiled us she pushed open
the front CUTE. for there on the front
piazza sat her mother. dispensing cake
and root beer to five Of Bloomfield's
spinsters. Some day she. too. would
form one of similar group.
Lots Of news. Malsie," cried Emma
Risley rs the girl sat down on the tol
step and slipped q glass Of the cool
beverage.
"News?" repeated Maisie: then she
added quickly: "Oh. you mean the new
Hagpole In front Of the town hall?
saw that yesterday"
mo, Indeed: that's old! What do
you think Is going to happen In Bloom
icld? Emma was bursting with Inn
portance. and the four other spinsters
nodded their heads significantly.
-A-circus?" There were painfully
few things that ever had happened In
Bloomfield. and Malsie's imagination
was starved.
"No. sir! What do you think Of bal
loon races here?" Miss Risley's voice
was triumphant.
Balloon races7 echoed Maisie
blankly.
"Ten balloons all starting at once
from Cabot's big bayfield,"
when Is 1t going to be" asked
Maisie.
'-In three weeks. The men have
been here and looked over the grounds
and the lumber Is on the way. All
the rooms at the hotel have been en-
gagged for the workmen. You see. !
knew about 1t the first one because !
hold a first mortgage on Cabots big
6eld." explained Emma Risley impor.
tantly. land Joshua Cabot spoke to me
about the matter"
When they had chatted themselves
away Maisie and her mother sat on
the piazza until the sun went down.
They talked about the coming Of the
balloonists and how 1t had been learned
that Bloomfield was chosen because
of some special advantage It possessed
for the purpose. and everybody said
that once the city excurslonists saw
what a beautiful spot Bloomfield really
was there would start an influx OF
summer boarders and possibly land
boom.
Mother. dear" half sighed Maisie,
IL was complaining this very afternoon
Of the dullness here. and as l walked
home through Cabot's 6eld l was wish
Ing almost anything would happen to
break the monotony.. Now that some
thing Is going to happen l am feeling
sorry about the clover fields. They are
so beautiful"
Mrs. Pomeroy laughed softly and
caressed her daughters bronze hair
That's the way with all Of US. my
dear. have known for long time
that you were weary Of the monotony
Of your life, and cannot blame you
When I was girl somehow we seem.
ed to get more out Of life even II we
never went away from the village
There were parties every week and
socials and spelling classes and skating
parties. The winter was always toe
short for all the good times we bad
Nowadays the girls and young men sc
away to the cities. and those that re-
main and marry here don't seem tc
care for the old simple pleasures"
"rerhaps after the balloon races art
over we will rejoice In our old dmi
quiet But somehow I would like te
have just taste Of life and pleasure
before Maisie flushed and bit bel
lip.
Before what, dear7"
81 know I'm horrid. mother. but
was going to say bci' ~ settled dowr
into a regulation Bluuuliirtl old maid,
cried the girl. hiding her face In bel
mothers lap.
Mrs. Pomeroy smiled indulgently
you are sure Of that. Maisie? Dc
you tell Walter Avery never to come
back to Bloom6eldY'
For q long time Maisie was silent
Then she threw up her head and tosset
the straying locks from her 6ushet
cheeks. Her brown eyes were yer!
bright
II told him things that am sure h'
will never forgive" she said slowly
.I said I Wnuld never marry q Bloom