Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-03-27

8areC was thirty years OlQ ana nau
never been asked In marriage. She
had spent most Of the thirty years In
q boarding school,, as pupil or as
teacher; and she had brought from
her cloistered life single vivid feel
ing, a passionate friendship which
death had ended. The sapphire ring
was her poor friends last token.
To be thirty and never to have been
sought like other girls, leaves a chill
in the heart. 1t may be lonely never
to have loved, but 1t is bleak never to
have been loved. Margaret remem.
bered her delicate, girlish dreams with
a recoil of humiliation; they seemed
to her almost immodest She thought
she was too old to wear hats. and
wondered whether she ought not to
discard the pinks and light blues
which poor Ely had liked on her, for
more sedate colors. But she wore
pink after she met Max Butler. Yet
he never saw her save in the pres.
ence Of others. He was full Of little.
graceful attentions, but he showed the
same attentions to the portly clergy.
mans widow and the meritorious but
cross-eyed teacher Of fifty. who formed
Miss Wings party; 1t was only his
eyes, his eyes always following her,
approvingly, delighting, admlring.
pleading. speaking to her as they
spoke to no other woman. She told
herself that 1t was just the pleasant.
foreign way; and she wrote to her
friends in America. THE German of.
ficers have very agreeable. deferential
manners; think they are much more
gentle and polite and have a higher
respect for women than the French OF
Italians" And he said no word, even
OF friendship, until that afternoon at
the Heidelberger Schloss.
He came upon her almost imme-
diately, scrambling up the bank at
rate which had worked woe to his uni.
form. He was torn, he was scratched,
he was stained with mud and grass;
and he was beaming with delight. Il
have seen you from below" he ex'
claimed in his careful English, so
came up. VIII you excuse?" Then
his mood changed, perceiving her
plight, and he insisted on tearing his
handkerchief into strips to bind her
ankle. 1t semed absurd to refuse his
aid. which he offered quite simply;
but his hands trembled little over
the knots. ut will be most easy,
think" said he, that you should let
me assist you a small way, to the res
tauracion; so I can get the carriage,
and you can have some ice cream
Again, to-day. is 1t burned"
She had laughed and said that she
never had heard Of burned ice cream
He laughed, too, and explained that
1t was burned as custard, and some
how under cover OF this she let him
put her hand on his shoulder and his
arm about her waist. She was CRATE
full to him for the matter-of-fact man
ner In which he did it all. saying
has been wounded, and l will help
him off the field; so did. once. with
my colonel; 1t is better than to wait
until could bring help" In this fash
ion they walked for some twenty min
utes
He told her of his country and his
home; and how he loved the hills
that his fathers had always owned
and the rugged, simple, faithful peo
pie; he told her of the plans Of his
father and himself for them; he told
her OF his father, who had the best
heart in the world, but was credited
with a fierce temper simply because
his voice was loud and his mother,
who was SO gentle that every one
loved her; and his handsome sister,
and his brother, who was a diplomat
and far cleverer than he; and his lit
tie brother who died and would have
no one carry him In his pain but Max
BY now they were rattling through
the modern town Of Heidelberg, the
plain walls Of which looked bare after
the lawless pomp Of carving and form
on the old castle; they had not even
the bizarre, affected grace of the ar.
chitecture then decking American
countrysides. But Margaret thought
how homelike and honest the houses
looked; staunch and trusty. like the
German. Butler, Just then, was prais.
ing American buggies, from which he
made a general transition to the Gus
toms of society. "In America, is 1t
not" says he. the young ladies drive
alone with young men?"
Eyes, very often. But not with
you?"
"Oh, no, mein fraulein. this is the
first time l am alone with young
LADY,"
She had called herself old for SO
long that there was distinct pleas
ure In being "a young lady" to him.
and she had not time to remember 1t
partook Of the nature of deceit, be-
cause he sent wave of confusion
over her by continuing: I'm America.
also, one would propose marriage to
lady, herself, before to her father?
ut is our CUSTOM" agreed Margaret,
"but"-with her prim teachers air
your custom Is far more decorous."
His face fell, then promptly bright
ened. Perhaps it would be best to
speak to both, 30 near the same time
one can. But this Is another thing
you must explain me. How Is 1t most
preferable to the lady. that one shall
write or shall come"
"Oh, WRITE" said Margaret quickly.
Look" he exclaimed, "at the sun
set. All, is 1t not lovely"
OF sudden they were looking, not
at the sunset, but into each others
eyes; and all about them was that
wonderful transfguring glow, and 1t
seemed as II there were nothing In
the whole world that he had not said.
"Is 1t to the right Herr Captain"