Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-12-03
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND. FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER g. 1915
sleep, and when you are refreshed we
viii see you again"

other was an old woman. Inere SEEM
ed to be several generations present,
the youngest, child of three years,
sitting i'll high chair in u quaint cos.
tune to correspond with the clothes OF
its elders.
The old man Mt the head of the table
asked blessing on the repast, giving
thanks for the abundant crops aAd
many comforts that had been showered
on the family during the past year.
Then the viands were served, and the
company fell to, the men washing them
down with potations of rum, the wo.
men with port brought from England
and the children with milk.
Beside Bickford sat girl, who from
the moment he looked at her engrossed
his attention. Her complexion was
soft and smooth; her cheeks were
pale rose color. On her lips played an
incessant smile.
"Who are you, pretty one?" asked
Bedford
81 am the girl of New England" was
the reply. 81 am noted for my health,
strength and freshness. Poets have
sung my prasises. l have been wooed
by many lover. My mother came
over In the Mayflower and l am the
first girl born on Massachusetts soil"
Bickford was 80 taken aback by this
speech that he sat looking at the girl
In sort of stupor. The girl Of New
England! Why did she not say "a"
girl of New England? And what did
she mean by saying that she was the
first girl born on Massachusetts solli
And yet she looked-were she endOw,
ed with perpetual youth--as If she
might be the first girl so born. There
was something typical about her. She
seemed rather to be the girl of New
England than an individual girl.
1t seemed to BickfOrd that there was
more union in the family about the ia
BILE than he had ever seen In any fam
fly before. The sons and sons-in-law
the daughters and daughters-in-law al
treated the old couple with great rev
erence, being obedient to their wishes
as their own children were to them
selves. The twoscore persons sitting
together seemed to be in this respect
as one.
at is the patrlarchal system" said
Bickford to himself. "These people
have not only put on the apparel Of the
pilgrims for their Thanksgiving cele
bration, but they have turned away
from that disrespect for old age which
pertains to the present day and gone
back to the reverence and affection Of
those who first set aside n day for
giving thanks for the fruits Of the
earth"
The conversation about the table be
ing carried In different small groups
Bickford could only get a broken bit
from each, Some were speaking Of
regicides who had come to the colony
to save their heads, others of dissent.
ers, others of Old Noll, as Oliver Crom.
well was called. A young woman was
speaking of an acquaintance who had
been brought to her senses by means
Of the ducking stool and seemed to
think that she had been rightly served.
BickfOrd wondered how woman OF
the twentieth century could approve
Of such harsh treatment Of one Of her
sex.
BickfOrd, the one guest who did not
seem to be carried back 300 years,
was offered rum like the others, but
declined It. He was not used TO drink.
ing anything with his dinner stronger
than wine, and the odor Of the rum
nauseated him. Finally one of the
10 1ptp fnIy nrI
fused. The man rose from his seat
and, with n cupful of rum in his hand,
came TO where the guest was sitting
and insisted on his drinking. Bick
ford, surprised ut an effort to force
him TO do what he did not wish to do,
endeavored to push him away. The
man put muscular arm around Blck.
ford's neck and forced the cup to bis
lips. He felt a warm stream going
down his throat. The assembly faded,
and he heard the words:
ale Is coming round"
Instead Of being at the dinner table
Bickford was In his car An arm was
around his neck, ana flask was press
ed to his lips. lie drank not rum, but
whisky More liquor was swallowed
ond no rooatyod a shoL,n,, g,,e7o,o,. 90
,yoko a doad man Several norsons
,roro ohor. hin, ana ono u,as choena
he urnhs
u wos soon Mat, IN hin, that ho had
gone to sleep in his auto and had been
rho snow which hod coosod falling
WAS not vorv doom P,cLTord was TO-
,',o,,aI - - a. ~, -. ~