Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-12-21
LETTER
FROM THE
PAST

TOD and Jess MACPHERSON be.
came my neighbors the day be-
l. fore Somerville college opened
the middle Of September. | was
raking up the leaves on my lawn
when they drove up In a decrepIt old
touring car. baggage piled high. a dog
tied to the running board.
had the key to Mrs. Lovelace's cot
tage, which they had rented, and hur-
ried to get 1t and when l came out
the girl was half way across the lawn
coming toward me. Her face was
fairly radiant beneath a little french
blue tam pulled down over her tawny
hair. She wore a blue sweater the
blue that goes with auburn hair and
fair skin, and short white skirt. She
walked with q mannish stride, the
Airedale leaping at her outstretched
hand.
MRS. Batesf see you know what
l am after" and she reached out
brown hand for the key. "Please don't
Judge your neighbors by the way we
look now. will your We have driven
from Lake st. Jean and are so tired
and dusty. Just wait until you see
US with clean faces and all dressed
up . and walt until you see
Todw ''I'll be glad to see Tod again."
| replied smiling "YOu forget that he
used to live here In SOmervlle. | can
remember the sun shining down on his
red curls and he was always laughing.
His mother took him away-when he
was five. His mother and ! were dear
friends"
"Of course you must have known
him, and Isn't It coincidence his
coming back to teach where he was
bOrnT Her eyes sOftened. "You know
his mother died when he was sixteen"
Indeed, yes, have a letter from
her just before she died. have saved
1t. | am glad she had her boy"
There was shrill whistle from
across the lawn.
"Hey, Jess, hurry up. All this stun
piled on the front steps makes the
place look like junk dealers house
and besides I'm hungry"
The girl laughed. "Tod's always hun
CRY. He will come over and see you
soon, Mrs. Bates. He loves TO talk
about his mother. IL want to be just
like her-he loved her So" And she
raced away through the leaves, the
dog leaplng beside her.
Tod MACPHERSON stopped to see me
the next morning on his way to the
college. Strangely enough, his hair
was almost the color of his wlfe's,
combed back from a high white fore
head, and his brown eyes seemed to
hold perpetual smile.
II do remember you, Mrs. Bates. |
remember you and mother used to sew
and when she cried you comforted her.
| Mother loved you"
took an apple pie across the lawn
to the. little cottage that day The
girl lovely In blue Bingham house
| dress, met me at the door.
"Oh don't tell me that pie Is for me
and Tod. You dear, dear woman.
We are going to love you just as much
rs Mother MACPHERSON did. Tod will
be so surprised lie loves surprises"
She had way Of fixing things and
the little cottage seemed to blossom In
Its brightly cOlored cretonnes and lit.
tie personal knickknacks. ! could hear
her singing mornings over her work
some old Scotch ballad.
During the holidays Tod and Jess
went to the reception given the fac.
uliy OF SOmerville college by Mrs.
Murlbell Morgan, SOmerville's rich
widow. Jess called me over to see her
In her evening dress; lovely blue
md silver thing. Next day she told
me about the reception and about the
"hOuse on the hill" Mrs. Morgan had
worn black velvet and diamonds. Yes,
she was very loyely-very-and had
taken an especial interest In Tod be.
cause she was interested In literature
and history, the subjects he taught al
the college. She had asked him to talk
before her literary club and he had
promised to write paper for her.
The next week Jess was not singing
mornings. Her eyes looked weary
when she smiled and she often slipped
across the lawn and sat with me be
| IVY ihC NV NNCilhSb NiCu IOu Wdt
out. Once she threw a cushion at my
feet and leaned her head against my
knees. ] strOked her hair for few
minutes and then she caught my hanC
and kissed II. Her cheeks were wet
They said Mother MACPHERSON
died of broken heart" she SAID
slowly. do you think she did. Mrs
| nufnS9 Won
away-when he was n baby. lie went
with another-woman."
81 know remember. jess Sh.
loved him dearly. She just seemed t.
pine away, after that But she KEEP
going-fOr the boy
The weeks went by. Tod Mucl'her
son spent great deal of time at 9TH,
house on the hill" arranging Mrs. Nor
CAMS newly acquired library. lie ever
went to New York during the lOldHy'
In the spring to buy books Jes,
smiled bravely She met him al III,
door at night with CHEEKY whistle
she watched him swinr of down n,
street after early dinners. and Will,
she sat with me she would listen fol
his step returning, and would rae,
across the lawn to be AT the door {,
welcome him.
"TOday is TOd's birthday she culle,
to me one morning In May. And In
having strawberry shOrtcnke. Tcrrhl,
extruvagant for a school tenci.er ism
surprise him. He had birthday rnk,