The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-01-20
Miss Jerusha's Trip
Abroad
BY MARTHA MAcwILLIAMs
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

ieSSly: II know you cant DeileVe IL
but It's gospel true"
"Calm yourself, Elizabeth-that is,
II what you are about to say needs to
have me believe it." Mrs. Jenifer in
terrupted with frosty dignity. yet
glimmer Of keen interest in her small,
sharp eyes. As principal of art and
literature in the community high
school at the county seat, she felt
herself authority made manifest in the
flesh over all the younger generation.
Indeed, to say that she regarded her.
self as the first word of culture and
likewise the last, would be hardly an
overstatement OF her spiritual ease.
Miss Jerusha Kay is going to
Europe-for six months tour
battlefields and everything!" Bess ex-
ploded, land take Allie Locke with
her, paying for both out of her own
pocket"
Impossible! Why, she has never
even limited such thing to me-" Mrs.
Jenifer said acridly. ION the con-
trary, she has been positively rude
when once or twice I offered her ex-
ceptionaI opportunity"
II know it's impossible-still it's
So" Bess interrupted. Before she
could say more Mrs. Jenifer had risen
and was powdering her nose, the sure
preliminary to putting on her hat.
"You seem so positive, I feel I must
look into the matter at once. Of
course she will expect to join my
party-we sail the first of the month.
1t will be very troublesome to make
room for two extras at this late hour
but perhaps the agency-you know
1t will do for me what it will for no
body else"
Don't bother. Miss Jerusha herself
told me she had all arrangements
made-steamer tickets, berths-every-
thing" Bess countered, with thinly
yelled satisfaction. "She wrote to
another agency, way back in the
winter, setting the time so as to suit
Allie-you know she had to teach until
just week back"
Mrs. Jenifer sank down, actually
weak in the knees. For the first time
since she had assumed headship of
things in Hampton town, she felt her
supremacy challenged in vital point.
Throughout fifteen seasons she had
regularly conducted parties abroad
even in the heat of wartime there had
been places and things to see. Lon
don, for instance, Edinburgh, Spain
and Rome. Also there had been pa
triotic opportunities which the as
tute lady had by no means neglected.
There were folk mean enough to sug-
gest that 1t was the handsome rake
off from the agency more than the de-
sire to spread sweetness and light that
had prompted her activities. AS
consequence of those activities there
was hardly anything in skirts betwixt
eighteen and eighty that could not
boast souvenir postcards and jumbled
Impressions, mainly inaccurate, of
things overseas.
Throughout Miss Jerusha, spinster,
well-to-do, somewhat cranky but of
golden heart, had scoffed stoutly at
such outgoings and incomings. It was
bad enough to have her quit the error
of her ways Independently of Mrs.
Jenifer. But to go making her own
arrangements, and taking along pro-
tege, was adding insult dire to injury
all but mortal. Mrs. Jenifer shook
her head, muttering through set teeth:
"When Jerusha Kay finds herself
stranded and in trouble, she need not
hope for help from me-"
Apparently that day did not dawn.
Miss Jerusha's pilgrimage went
through with bells on-if one may
speak thus of thing so solemn as
adventuring abroad. She stayed the
full six months, came back something
thinnery but with healthy color and
new twinkle in her eyes that had
never been solemn. Came alone
Allie had stayed behind in New York.
A marvel all but equal to the going
away of the pair-Allie was of the
soft type, adorably cuddly and cling
ing, not in the least likely to yearn
for career. But beyond saying
that the child was "all right mighty
busy and mighty happy" Miss Jerusha
would not explain. Neither would
she give any bill of particulars as to
the wonders she had seen or missed,
the hardships she had encountered or
the adventures that had sprung up in
her path.
Thus throughout month she stimu-
lated Hampton's curiosity until it was
at fever heat. Meantime she cleaned
house, after the real gaudy fashion
of the elder time. Walls, rugs, floors,
windows, curtains, all movables, the
rDst part of immovables, got puri-
patton to remember In addition now
de express, now parcels post. brought
hings curiously varied in shape, size
ind weight, judging by the outer looks
" them. Heaped unopened in the
PIG dining room, the first place to I'M
1ergo cleaning, they made curious
show. But nobody got word as to
what wasl inside-or another word as