The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-03-16

DeTeu now he mao ELr0Ke0 nef nAlE
that day on the White Marsh creek.
She heard again the rustling sound of
the reeds, saw the bird with the
speckled brown breast. That day she
had run away from Father She had
been thinking only of Hugh. If they
might go fishing again
Doctor Alden sent them out for
drives in his car. Fathers car could
never be used again. Hugh plowed
grimly around In Horatius, trying to
do all of Fathers work. Stoney drove
Doctor Alden's big closed car. Mother
and Celia and jamie would sit together
on the back seat Downtown was gay
with Christmas, the air and the hustle,
with holly wreaths In the windows
along Manor street. The signs of
Christmas, the stir and the hustle,
were more than they could bear.
Stoney would drive them out along
the country roads which were clear
enough for travelling. They talked Of
other Christmases.
do you remember when Father
made the fire burn too. high and every
thing in our stockings meltedT
Remember when Celia wanted
pink teddy-bear and Father searched
all over Philadelphia and then, at the
last minute, Mother had to dye a white
one pink?"
Remember the Christmas eve Fa-
Their was snowbound in the country
and jamie wouldn't look at her presents
until he came at noon on Christmas
day?"
Remember? Remember? :.
Mother often rebelled.
"To think of Father being sacri-
feed for Weaver baby" she would
say with tears in her pretty blue eyes.
"They have more now than they can
feed"
Mother didn't blame Celia or Hugh.
She blamed Fathers passion for serv-
ice. Sometimes there was a hint of
fear in the high lovely blue of her
eyes.
IF anything should happen to Fa-
ther," she would say. jamie knew she
was thinking of money. There was
never more than just enough. AS
Mother often remarked, people thought
of Father first in times of distress
and last when they paid their bills.
There were more unpaid accounts than
even Mother suspected in Fathers I'M
tidy ledger jamie knew. 1t seemed
unimportant now.
WED get along" she would say,
thinking only of world without Fa-
ther in it anywhere.
Cecilia will be taken care of, any
way" Mother would glance CRATE
fully at the ring on Celia's left hand.
"Janie and could manage, l sup
pose."
Mrs. CULLEN, stout and good-na-
tured and anxious to help, was in
stalled in the old brick house. Meals
were an ordeal. Three Of them, Celia
and jamie and Hugh, at the long din
ing room table. Celia sat at Mothers
place and poured the coffee or tea.
Fathers vacant chair was more than
jamie could stand.
you sit there, Hugh" she suggest
ed one evening at supper.
II couldn't, JAMIE" His face was
working queerly.
Father would like it."
'Do you think so?" he asked
eagerly.
sim sure of it."
Hugh seated himself In the vacant
chair. He looked, jamie thought, as
though general had pinned ribbon
on his chest and kissed him on both
of his cheeks.
A shadow lay across the Square.
People knocked at the kitchen door,
shabby people with unashamed tears
In their eyes; girls from the mill, the
frowsy citizens of Vine and Juniper
streets.
"How's the Doctor this morning"
They're doing everything possible.
They can't tell yet"
The Square, proper. called at the
front door; the rector and Mrs. War
den. The rector cleared his throat
very often and quoted things from the
Bible Greater love hath no
man" 1t belonged in church, jamie
thought, or cut in marble tombstone.
It had nothing to do with Father who
had been last summer so healthy and
happy and brown.
All day there was stream of call
ers. From uptown and downtown,
from Manor street and the mill Sec
ton, people came to inquire for Faith
er. Celia, very pale and lovely In de-
mure little gray wool frocks, an
swered questions, smiled family. led
callers In and out Of the living room.
Celia was wonderful. jamie thought.
She wished she herself could talk and
smile. She couldn't. There was al
ways a lump in her throat.
Aunt Lucy came, unexpectedly, with
Muriel and Uncle Frank.
II was so anxious" she said. Aunt
mays faen framed in an asfralan