The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-07-16

| NJNS oiiSHl WIN tears.
Mlrella! That's a pretty name and
easy TO remember-but it would he
nard to forget you, anyway" he said
with boyish admiration in his voice
Good-by. Mirella! You're brick."
Mirella smiled through her tears
ana shook his hand warmly. Good.
by-and good luck!"
When he had disappeared Nire,,a
tucked the green bundle under her
arm and went home. The glow of
Satisfaction that pervaded her I'm.
seinsh heart carried her safely past
MISS DORIS little shop. 1t was not
until she opened the gate and saw
Aunt Keziah's anxious face that she
realized that bad half hour was be-
fore her.
Where under the sun have YOU
been?" demanded Aunt Keziah. What
have you got in that bundle? Not the
hat, I'll be bound"
Haltingly, Mirella explained her
transaction with the youth. Its
worth two hundred dollars" she added
In order to placate the irate woman.
Two hundred fiddlesticks!" retort,
ed Aunt Keziah sharply, filling the
teapot But it's none of my business,
| Mirella Elwood. if you'd rather have
twanging fiddle than new hat, why
don't care mite, only folks will GER
tainly laugh at you for wearing that
| Old black straw another season."
One hot August morning the FL
woods were making blackberry jam.
Mirella sat on the back porch looking
| over the luscious fruit and her finger
tips and her lips were stained with
the rudy juice. In the kitchen Aunt
heziah was singing in high cracked
voice some ancient love ditty of her
faraway youth.
A quick step sounded on the
graveled path and Mirella looked I'D
to see a tall young man standing be-
fore her.
Miss Mirella Elwood?" he asked,
bowling, hat in hand, before her.
YES" said Mirella.
MY name is Hastings" he ex-
planned. George Hastings. came to
thank you for your kindness to my
brother few weeks ago. Some OF us
would have come down before this,
but Harry has been seriously i'll with
typhoid"
Mr.. Hastings sat down on the steps
and in a few words related the story
of young Harry Hastings passion for
music and his desire to adopt it as a
profession. The elder Hastings being
man of hard, practical ideas, had
opposed the notion and finally, Harry
had run away from home
when ! stopped at the post Office
to inquire the way to your house, the
postmistress took occasion to inform
me concerning the adventure with
my brother and now know the whole
story-how you sacrificed a much de-
sired hat in order to help save a boy
from starvation"
Mirella blushed confusedly. 1t had
seemed such a simple thing to do at
| the time, with Harry's hungry, home
! sick eyes upon her; but to hear it
from the lips of Harry's big brother
filed her with a wild desire to run
away and hide herself.
at is nearly time for winter hats
now" she stammered, land | really
didn't mind it at all Tell me, is yocr,
father going to allow Harry to study
music?"
Yes; he has promised him that he
shall go tc Paris as soon as he re-
covers his strength. The boy is wild
over it. have promised to bring him
down here as soon as he is able to
ride"
Aunt Keziah, who had heard
enough to satisfy her curiosity, had
hastily changed her dress. Now she
came out in lilac dimity gown with
dainty, lace-trimmed apron, and so
gracious was she to Mirellas morning
caller that he accepted her invitation
to dinner.
Mirella, darkly beautiful as ever
was COuoClOuS Vi a dn6C olh6AhS
happiness in her heart The whole
world looked fair and lovely and the
future was a rainDow-tinted dream
Hats and red roses were relegated to
the background.
The following week the whole
Hastings family motored down from
New York to see Mirelia Elwood and
her aunt. Harry, looking gaunt and
pale, smiled radiantly upon Mirella,
and when Aunt Keziah heard him play
on the violin which Mirella brought
forth the old lady declared that never
before had she heard real music After
that Aunt Keziah Elwood never re.
ferred again to eddie" AS Harry
mischievously expressed it, Aunt Ke-
ziah spells violin with a capital V,
Co.