Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1922-09-15
Observation-Disclosures
The
Homecoming
By JUSTIN WENTWooD

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Copyright, 1922. Western Newspaper Uhi6n.
Amy was coming home. Adela
March was standing at the farmhouse
door, waiting for her. 1t was twelve
years since the sisters had met, and
both were elderly women.
Amy had married Tom Leecraft, and
he had taken her West. He had done
well. He had died. Amy was coming
home. ~
As Adela waited for her. her mind
went far back into the past. She was
girl Of twenty-four again. Amy was
tive years younger. That had been
thirty years ago. when their father,
Rthe old squire, was living. They had
been the principal family of the vii
lage-now town-lnhablted by mis-
celany of foreigners who worked In
the mills. Everything had changed
and that night had changed the whole
future Of each of the sisters.
They had both been in love with
Tom Leecraft, and, as was the way
In those dim times, which we now
call the Victorian Era, each Of them
would rather have died than have ad-
mitted the fact Of loving before being
asked. Tom had good practice as a
lawyer In the village; he was suit
able match for either. At first he
had seemed to prefer Adela but then
Amy came home and everything was
different.
Just as Adela had refused to len
Tom know that she cared, when he
was hot on the chase of her, so now
she refused by any least sign to show
how much she suffered She watched
Tom and Amy sitting together at
nights upon the porch. She would
show no bitterness, but she withdrew
into herself.
She tried her hardest not to lee
Tom know that she felt the change In
him, but he knew. He acted dlffidently
toward her. They were embarrassed
In each others presence. Amy, too
who had at first conflded her love
In Adela, now grew strangely silent.
1t was like lowering thunderstorm In
the house. Thunderstorms break.
Only the old squire knew nothing
Of It, absorbed as he was In his farm
and crops, and local politics.
There came a certain night--a hot,
thunderous summer night when the
atmospheric conditions seemed reflect
ed In their souls. The storm would
break soon. II was pitch dark, so that
Adela from the lighted dining room,
could hardly make out Toms and
Amys forms as they sat on the porch
together.
Adela went out Amy had left Toms
side. Adela strolled in the garden,
thinking bitterly that 1t was impos.
sible to bear it much longer. Either
Tom must ask Amy to be his wife OF
she must go away. The scent of the
roses was heartbreaking.
Suddenly she saw Toms dim figure
in the way He drew her into his
arms. 81 love youl l love you'll" he
was whispering. Darling, will you
marry me2"
She gathered all her strength and
fed She fed to Amy. She told her.
"Tom asked me-" she said "He
thought was you. l ran away. You
must go to him and tell him yes.
But first, swear to me that never, so
long as you live, shall Tom know he
asked me by mistake in the dark"
Amy sobbed on her sisters shoul-
der She promised readily. Adela
20 tn. hA .l.,..
went into the squlres room and asked
for Amy's hand.
And so-they were married.
They went away West. Two or
three times since then they had been
home. They had prospered Tom had
died. II was a simple little story.
The fly was crawling up the hill
Adela waited II drew up at the door.
Amy stepped out-a middle-aged,
wrlnkled woman. The sisters clasped
each other in their arms.
Over the cooking Adela said: you
must stay here for always, Amy. Your
money and mine Will keep us both
nicely. And you're all I've got.
want you for the rest OF my life.
We've seen so little Of each other"
Amy turned and faced her, light
of resolution on her face. "Adela,
must tell you something" she said In
a choked voice. "After I've told you,
you can decide whether you want
me-"
"Yesr asked Adela calmly, though
her heart was pulslng furlOusly. Ut
It's about TomT she added.
Amy nodded. II never knew, and 1
was not to blame. / learned II at
the last, when he was dellrlous Hq
called for you all the time. He neve,
knew he had told me-"
Adela stirred the pot. $50 on
she said quietly.
"He-he loved you. You know thai
night In the garden2 1t was not
mistake 1t was you ali the time hA
wanted, not me at all.
"When ! went to him next morn.
Ing and made him think he had kissed
me and asked me by mistake In the
darkness, even then he kept control
Of himself. I did not guess that X
was you. And he was very good TO
me all the years Of our life together.
II was only at the last | knew"
The hammering 10 her sisters pulses
sounded like the swing OF some In
formal mechanism that had caught
her up and carried her away. Life
what might 1t have been2 But every
thing was clear, and-and It was
peaceful In the decline Of life to know
that her love had been answered.
"Well, II can't be helped" she an.
swered brskly. Lets go and have
supper"