Montgomery County sentinel., 1929-03-08
The Tradition
Held Good
By cLARISSA MAcKIE

L majestic loneliness, on the little
hill beyond the Methodist church. In
years gone by, the Frost family had
been very prominent in Littleield-
the men had been judges. doctors and
the real family tradition might have
been called hospitality.
War came and took toll of the
Frost young men. Judge Frost and
his good wife both died during
that period, and an only daughter.
who had been nurse in Flanders,
had returned to her empty home to
be married to an English army officer.
Then, locking up the house, she gave
1T into the keeping Of Rose Frost,
distant cousin, who lived nearby, and
sadly said just before she sailed for
England:
ave have never heard from our
Jock, Rose. II we were convinced Of
his death, something could be done
with the house, but II you will look
after it-perhaps, some day, Jock will
come home again"
No one believed that Jock Frost
would come home again. And yet
one morning his far-awey cousin Rose
awoke with the sun in her blue eyes
and with thrill In her heart.
II just have feeling that Jock
may come home today, and It will
never do to ignore the family tradl-
ton and let him knock and find the
house closed I will tell mother at
breakfast, II she does not need me-
will go over right away and get
ready for Jock" SO Rose, brighter
than usual confessed to her mother.
II do not need you. Rosy, and you
may take Hester, II you want her.
There is not very much to do today"
said the mother.
$50 Rose and Hester spent the day
working In the big house. At FIVE
o'clock the two women could say that
the house was ready for any returned
wanderer, or any casual guest that
might appear.
There were pleasant fires burning
on the hearths, and the glow OF lamp
light and freight sparkled on the
brightly polished window panes. In
the small sitting room was a gateleg
table spread with a linen cloth on
which were placed the old Chelsea
china and polished old silver.
"You must be terrible sure, Miss
Rose" said Hester.
II do feel sure, Hester" said Rose
confidently, "and for that reason am
going home to change my dress.
will be back in half an hour"
"If anybody comes, Miss Rose, there
amt much for 'em to eat" cOntended
Hester.
"I will bring something over-per-
haps Sam will kill a chicken and I
will bring loaf Of fresh bread"
Hester hurried around during the
absence OF her young mistress and
had a good fire in the kitchen range
when Rose returned with large bas-
ket. Mother has put in all sorts Of
good things, Hester, and I know that
she thinks I'm crazyi'
"She thought you was crazy the
night you dreamed that some one was
robbing the hen. roost--and when your
pa and Sam went out, sure enough
they caught that furriner from the
river bOttOm-remember1"
"Yes, indeed" laughed Rose, and
her laughter continued as the front
door knOcker sounded smartly.
"Well. here he is /" declared He's.
ter, whipping on her Kitchen apron
and disclosing frilly white one be-
meath II. Then she hurried to the
front door, She did not notice that
Rose Frost had fed to the large front
parlor, where she sat shiverlng be-
hind the great fire screen.
Hester opened the front door and
discovered tall, bearded man, wear
ing large gray coat and hat pulled
low over his dark eyes.
"Oh, howdy do. Mister John" said
the woman cheerily. "We been look
In for you. I guess" The stranger
entered and, removing his felt hat
hung 1t on the rack, and then turned
to her
"a room, II you have It, please"
the man said sharply, and then start
ed up the front stairway, Hester trail
ing after. When they reached the top
Of the long stairway the man paused,
as n to let Hester pass ahead Of him.
and In doing so faced the large oil
portrait OF Judge Frost's wife.
For an instant he paused there, as
II uncertain. staring at the dignlfed.
whlte-haired old lady of the picture,
hnn earlkh ats afrIA ntsNT NJ
"Mother-mother! he fell forward
down the stairs to the very bottom.
Hester rushed away for the nearby
doctor. while Rose brought restora-
tives. She was working tenderly over
the white-faced man when Doctor
Weed arrived with his chauffeur.
They carried the fainting man up to
the room that used to be Jock Frost's.
and laid him on the freshly-made bed.
Then the doctor wrote a prescription.
sent Cyrus to the drug store, and then
went out and spoke to Rose.
"It's your Cousin Jock, all right.
Think he must have had a shock dur
ing the war-fallIng down stairs was
restorative shock. He woke up
few minutes ago ana SAID, Hello,
Doc = Then he asked for his father
and Violet-so guess it's up to you to
tell him, Rose"
The Frost tradition still holds good
The doors are always Hospitality open
and Jock Frost. one or the leading eft
izens, often says to his wife, Rose
1--WE must keep up the Frost tradition
my dear. II had found an empty
house that night. goodness knOwz
what might hare huppcnedw