The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-04-15
TING RyIAIlp(IYN /.


housemaid cries now when she
dusts the piano. She always left
the door ajar when Miss Nora was
playing, and many's the time Miss
Nora asked her in to listen.
"You can see for yourself that
it's not the same place without your
sister; and Mr.. Lambert feels 1t.
That's why he sits there in her
room so much. It makes her seem
nearer. I know as well as il he'd
told me, which he'd die rather than
do, or my names not Martha Ber-
ry. He's stubborn, your father, If
you'll excuse my saying so. Not
that he isn't the finest man that ever
lived, as I've reason to know If
ever anybody had.
"You were boy at the time, but in
my mothers long illness he paid all
her bills. If she had been his own
mother he couldn't have done more;
and he sent my nieces to business
college, too. But for all that he can
be stubborn when he gets notion
into his head; and there've been
times during the last 80 years when
if hadn't known my place, Mr..
Ned, would have thrown things
at him."
Martha spoke so seriously, and
looked so like the ideal servant she
really was, that it was impossible
for Ned Lambert to suppress en-
tirely laugh at the idea Of her
throwing teacups at his father. And
being herself not utterly devoid of
humor, the woman surmised his
thought and smiled, a respectful lit
tie smile as she continued:
maybe you're thinking don't
know my place, after all. Maybe
you think I'm an old meddler; but
you were a little boy when came
here, Mr.. Ned, and it was I opened
the door for your poor father the
day he came home carrying Miss
Nora, and she looking like nobody at
all-poor lamb!-in her outgrown
coat. Never will I forget her thin
little wrists coming out O. those
coat sleeves; and her big, sad eyes,
and the trustful way she looked up
at Mr.. Lambert when he set her
down.
"You see, you're my family, all
of you, Mr.. Ned; and I can't bear
that your fathers stubbornness
should break his own heart and Miss
Morals too.
''He should remember that this is
the United States, not one of those
foreign countries he hates to travel
in where folks pick out husbands
for their daughters and hands 'em
over like they was bags of meal.
And it's a good boy she's married.
He gave me his seat in the subway
one O. my days off when I was 60
ing out to my niece Clara's to have
supper. It takes a gentleman to
give up his seat to a woman he's
seen wearing her cap and apron
an old woman too, and not good
looking!
SNOW 60 up to your father, Mr..
Ned; and If you can make him see
that it's only a mule that'l bite off
its nose to spite its face, it'll save
him a heartache."
She opened the door, then as Ned
remained silent, added stiffly, re-
membering 'her place.: II beg
pardon if I've offended, Mr.. Ned"
It was then that Ned Lambert
gave way to one of the impulses his
wife deplored ooh, Nedl she's only
a servant!'') - an impulse that
would have made Nora cheer. Per-
haps he was remembering the times
when in some childhood illness
Martha had sat by his bed through
the long, dark hours of night, keep
ing him company" Or that it was
Martha he went to for comfort on
that terrible day when, a heart
broken lad of nine, he learned that
his mother was never coming home.
Whatever it was, Ned crossed the
space between them and put his
arm around those faithful shoulders
in boyish hug.
(TO BE CONTINUED