, 1921-08-11
Lilac Time in
Ellington
BY LAURA
%, 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

she went directly to her home. Had
her n~eiShbors known that she planned
4 return, there would have been many
~ extended to the lonely girl
" III was coming back alone after her
trip abroad with her invalid mother.
The search for health had been un-
successful and Mary had spent the
remainder of her cherished hoard Of
money in buying her return trip ticket.
She had told no one of her coming
Tor she mad been too heartsick to
write after her mother had taken the
turn for the worse. She had the In
stinct of a wounded animal to return
to the places she knew; and as she
drew in long breaths of the sweet
country air. she knew that she had
done the right thing. She had her
nashlight In her travelling bag, and she
snapped this on after she had un
locked the old-fashioned door that led
into the back parlor. The aspect of
the well-remembered room with the
dear, shabby furniture brought the
quick tears to her eyes. 1t would be
very hard to move about these empty
rooms n to know that she could do
no more for the parent who had suf-
Tered so patiently; but, somehow, she
FELT nearer her dead here than she had
done in the sunny French pension with
Its bleak, w~hitewashed walls and the
strange foreign faces.
The Meddllcott home was at the very
outskirts of h village N only near
n house; this was the Smiths house,
which was next door, with large
grounds and many trees about il.
Therefore, when Mary set all her doors
and windows wide open the next morn
ing there was no one near enough to
observe. Il suppose some one will see
my smoke" thought tine girl as she
lighted the kindlings under the log
In the CRATE. "and 1 shall enjoy the
chats with my old friends. There is
no place like home, / discovered while
away"
She hustled about. hoping to set the
place in its usual sp0tless order before
the advent of the neighbors she longed
to see, and It was nearly ten o'clock
before she stopped to listen as the
morning train tore through the town.
A tender smile touched her lips as she
stood leaning on her broom and think
Ing Of the hundreds Of times she had
listened to that train and watched
the fluffy spirals Of smoke Loaf lazily
along the length of the train and then
drift upwards.
why. Mary Meddlicott, why didn't
you let us know you were coming
homer" A pair Of arms thrown warm
ly about the slim, blue-ginghamed
waist aroused her.
II just came last night" she said.
IL knew how good you would be, but I
just thought I'd creep in and get 1t
over with alone"
Amanda patted her arm gently;
We'll, you shan't sleep mother night
here, alone. I'll be over again to get
you for dinner"
I've been planning all morning, and
l can't bear to think of going away
TO teach; i want to be at home and
I'm going TO open a boarding house.
What do you think Of the plan?"
There are several people / know of
now. The hotel has been closed all
winter, and the teacher from the vii
lage school is looking about now for a
place to board next fall-and-" Mary
wondered why her old friend sudden
ly halted. with twinkling eyes and
stood as though thinking. "And what?'
asked the girl.
Nothing" was the evnsive reply.
Didn't you feel afraid so far away
from the other houses last night?"
Mary shook her head.
You know the Smiths house has
the name of being haunted. Did you
hear anythlng?'
n I wonder why they don't rent
II. Seems n shame for such a fine
estate to fall into decay" returned
Mary. a delicate pink staining her
smooth cheeks as she recalled the
quarrel between the two families.
The feud Ind grown out OF "A mere
trifie. A ball thrown by Mary's little
brother had broken a pan of glass; In
the greenhouse. and touchy old Mrs.
Smith had fused and nagged until
the families were on terms Of bitter
silence.
Amanda, watching the ~telltaIe ex-
pressions fit over the young face.
knew that Mary was thinking of the
brown-eyed Frank Smith who had
been a childhood sweetheart and whom
Mary had not seen for years. Don't
bother to set bread this morning. :"
she said after n long pause, and she
smiled to herself as Mary started
confusediy. Evidently the girls
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