Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-05-03
BENITA's CHOICE
BY JOSEPH SHAW.

| to 20, and this was one of them. First
of all, Grandmother Rollins had told
her Mt least seven times that day to
count her blessings one by one, and
she'd be surprised to see what the
Lord had done.
Then her mother had said:
'Benita. child, what does all you?
You are bewitched. You drop every
thing you touch. and you haven't de-
cent word for anybody In the family"
Why should she have? thought Ben
tia haughtily. Weren't they all
against herr Wasn't it bad enough to
have a name tackled on one like Bonita
Dusenberry, coupled with an artistic
temperament, and then have a family
without any Of the finer instincts at
all? Somehow she had never noticed
the lick Of these finer instincts until
Jessica and her brother had come to
stop awhile at the Three Pines.
Wallace, the tail, fair musician
brother, was dreamy and aloof. He
took long, solitary walks through the
woods and roads, and came back to
improvise marvellous airs on his vio-
lin. Once Bonita had met him. stand
ing enraptured, gazing at something in
bis hand.
Little girl" he had said, "can you
tell me the name Of thisT
"Adder's tongue" answered Bonita.
She thought everybody knew what
plain, everyday adder's tongue looked
like. She told Len about Il when he
came UP TO help Tom with the wood
cutting. Len was twenty and nearly
six feet tall. Ie looked fearfully
hearty beside Wallace.
Len had laughed and said he looked
"sort Of peaked" Genius should look
ethereal, Bonita had thought. Then
the climax came. Jessica told her that
she, Bonita. was the inspiration for
Wallace's latest Improvisation, "The
Maid o. the Pines"
Il hope he will be able 10 capture
Il and write II down. II has all the
wailing Of the wind In the pines In II,
and the mystical yearnings Of the un-
iledged soul" she explained.
After the dishes were finished Ben
tia threw a cape around her and went
out under the three tall pines IN front
OF the house, to catch the mystical
yearning herself. But Len came along
from the barn. and stayed talking to
her until her mother called her in. He
reminded her that they were engaged.
Bonita Ind put the thought from her
for several weeks,
81 guess by Easter I'll have things
settled so we can be married. Think
your mother can spare you by then,
BenItaf"
u don't know" Benita had said
vaguely. Il think eighteen Is plenty
old enough to get mnrried, and / won't
be seventeen tiil next month"
Now had come this final day. Mrs.
Brewster. Lens mother. had sent for
her 60 help with some quilting
"You might as well. cause half u
them are for you and Len" she said
cheerfully. And ali the afternoon
Benita had quilted and listened TO long
accounts OF this piece and that piece,
and whose dresses they had come
from back ia the annals Of Lens fam
l{ly. Al the way up the bin road Ben
tn told herself she would break her
engagement to Len the next day and
find what Jesslca called the path 10
higher happiness. And then over the
edge Of the woods, just where the east
ern sky was darkenlng ~ nightfail she
saw a rising column Of smoke, followed
by squirt Of yellow flame. II came
from the house. she felt sure, as she
broke into quick, light run along the
frozen rond.
Then, just as she reached the gate
she saw Wallace. He sat on the stone
wall with his violin, quite Ike Nero,
Bonita thought later, drawing sweet
strains from his violin. and tesslcn
was beside him with three suit cnses
packed safely.
"where il mother7" Bonita ex.
claimed.
ooh. the young man who cuts wood
is fighting the fire In the Kitchen" Jes-
sica told her happily, Isn't II m IN
spring sightf Wallace has theme
already, 'Gloaming Embcrs.' DO you
like II, BenltnT
But Bonita had fled around by the
back way. Her mother was helping
Tom draw buckets Of water from the
wen and sonking blankets nnd old bur
lap sacks to pass up to Len on the
81" roof. Several times when the
flames and smoke hid Len from sight
she found herself praying for the
safety OF her Len brave and fearless
II was nearly nine before the last
smoldering was extinguished. The fire
had been confined 10 the ST. thanks
TO Len. and he stood cycling the result
proudly, smoky and begrimed. his
arms bare. Bonita was beside him.
Len glanced down Mt the slim figure
beside him. and smiled, slipping one
arm around Benita's waist.
Hello. dear" he said. "We beat II,
didn't weT'
"You We're splendid" Bonita an
swered solemnly "just splendid, Len.
The whole house would have gone IL
you had not fought the way you did.
I'm awfully proud Of you"
Even II ] can't fiddler" Lens blue
eyes were twinkling. lie had not been
altogether blind to current events
Bonita snuggled closer 10 him with a
little sigh of relief.
Il don't mind if--if II IS at Easter,
Len" she Whignprpd 81 don't lfka vi.
olin music, anyhow, not at fires"
Copyright. 1877. by The Mcclure Newspa-
per syndicate)
Sacred White Elephant.