The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-03-09

pressing against her chest, knotting a
lump In her throat.
She was glad she was going away.
It hurt more than she could bear to
watch Hugh fall in love with Celia.
He still went swimming with jamie
and leased her and called her "a good
little egg" But it wasn't quite the
same He was moody and thoughtful
His eyes. when he glanced at Celia,
had new sort Of worshlping look. 1t
had happened JAMIE thought back
through the past two weeks. 1t had
happened. she decided, just after Car
ter Shelby had come and gone.
1t was strange about that visit. The
postman brought no more square gray
envelopes. Mother dreamed no longer
over the picture Of a rose brick man
sion.
Celia refused to discuss the matter.
Mother and Great-aunt Rose believed
that Celia had dismissed Carter Shelby
because he had failed to measure up
to her high ideals. 1t frightened
Celia's halo. 1t shed radiance about
her. II made jamie little sick
Look out there, SkipperW
jamie reused with start. The boat
had nosed itself into the rushes'; the
oars were tangled In clumps Of reeds.
I'm sorry, Father. / was think
ing"
''This is a good place to stop" Fa-
Their pulled in his trailing line. "Let's
see what Rachel packed in the basket.
have an appetite these days."
There were sandwiches in the basket
and peaches and cookies stuffed with
figs. jamie sat in the bottom of the
boat, hugging her knees in her arms,
leaning her head against Fathers
knee.
She was going away! It would be
three months until the Christmas vaca-
ton. Three months and three hun
dred miles stretching between jamie
and Mulberry Square. Perhaps. then,
she wouldn't mind so much. Ninety
days. Hugh had marked them on the
calendar in the office. Hugh
''I'll miss you. little fellow"
AltLAO CliOW hCA
that. He called Celia darling" She
had heard him in the garden one night.
Darling! Darling! Darling! i.
''I'll miss you, Father" she said.
"You aren't really eating, jamie.
You're nibhling like mouse"
I'm not very hungry"
"Aren't you feeling well?"
II have lump in my throat"
"Tell me Can you, Baby?"
She could always tell Father. AS
far back as she could remember, she
could always tell Father about the
things that hurt. Only this time 1t
was different
TITS going away, guess"
"Well do ,}mething pleasant to-
night"
II have an engagement with Hugh.
He asked me to have supper with him
at the Inn because it's my last night
at home. Wen dance for little
while" Dancing with Hugh.
There would be moon. 1t was wait
ing now in the sky, misty, unnoticed,
thin white ghost Of a moon
I'm proud Of Hugh" Father said
warmly. Between us we're doing
pretty good job"
They were silent for moment. The
reeds all around them rustled with
gentle slurring sound, like the rustic
of the taffeta skirts that Mother used
to wear "Janie is such a plain
little thing" "Curtsey to Aunt Rose,
dear. See-like Celia does" cecilia is
a sweet tempered child. Sing your
French song. Celia" Celial Celia!
CeliaI Celia! Darling, darling,
darling" sang the Chinese nightingale.
Only it wasn't nightingale. It was
Hugh. talking to Celia in the gar
den
Next June" Father presently said,
"you and are going to take trip"
"Where?" she asked, not caring
very much.
"A fishing trip to Canada" Faith
er's voice was excited and pleased.
Jumping Trout lake. l haven't been
there for more than twenty years"
10 IL pIcILyt one WdulCu u US
interested in Fathers lake. But she
wasn't, really. She kept hearing the
Chinese nightingale. Only 1t wasn't
nightingale. It was Hugh. talking
to Celia in the garden
"Janie! You're crying, JAMIE"
"No-no, I'm not"
"There's tear on your knee"
She saw 1t, catching the sunlight, q
small round tear on her bare brown
knee.
"What funny place for a tear!"
She tried very hard to smile.
Jamie" Fathers voice was very
gentle. Are you unhappy, DEAR"
She nodded.
"WhyT
She couldn't tell him why. 1t was
like being happy, mixed up with so
many things; being glad to go away.
not caring about Fathers lake. Hugh