Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-12-27
Gcle(tc0 AlistcIIonp.
CAUGHT IN A CHRISTMAS TRAP.

CAUGHT IN A CHRISTMAS TRAP
"Yes," said Hugh Withcrill, in de.
cided sort of style, essentially his own
"Ive made up my mind to refuse al
such invitations. If l spend Christmas
anywhere, it will be with Aunt Ellen, OIL
the farm"
Well" growled his father, the gen.
tleman addressed, "all l can say is, that
you're fool There's Mrs. Avery has
invited you to spend the day with them
and, let me tell you, if you think any
thing of her daughter Maud, you'd bet.
ter be working pretty lively. She's not
a girl to drop into anybody's hand, and
John Marvin is following her up close.
He'll be there, of course"
g | suppose SO, said the other, a lit
lie gloomily. But that makes no diff
ference. IF she don't love him, she
won't, no matter how constant his attcn-
dance; and if she does love him, | can't
begin to practice self-denial in the keep
ing-away line any too soon. At all
events. | promised Aunt Ellen, last
summer that, if | could get off, | would
surely spend Christmas with her, and
mean to keep my word So here for a
regret" and very philosophically he
went to the unpleasant task of declining
Mrs. Avery's elogantly-worded invita-
ton to her Christmas dinner.
Decidedly cool" said the lady, the
next morning at breakfast, passing it
over to the little girl al her right, who
who flushed rosily as she read
Mr. Witherill regrets that previous en-
gagment will prevent his being with Mrs
Avery on December 25th, as requested.
:" do think" continued the elderly
lady, with considerable piquc in her deli
cately-uodulated contralto, " that Hugh
Witherill has much too good of an opin.
ion Of himself. Previous engagement,
indeed Why, Maud, don't you know
asked him in advance Of any of the
others, so that he could by no possibility
have engaged him to any one else and,
even if it is so, lie might have broken it
off for us-John Marvin would have
done it without one moments hesita-
ton"
Maud's little nose elevated itself per-
ceptibly at this juncture. Evidently
Mr. Marvin was no favorite with its
dainty mistress. Mrs. Avery noticed
the motion, and, with look of disatis-
faction, proceeded:
Now, Maud, it is very foolish in
you to make faces when ! speak of John
Marvin. He and Wtherill are decidedly
the best partis Of the season. | have
rather given the preference to Witherill,
his family is the Oldest but Marvin is
just as wealthy, and just as cookbook
ing, and, what's morey want you. With
Grill, by all signs" with a scornful look
at the billet before her, /" is anything
but Interested"
Maud's nose, which had for a time re-
sumcd it natural position, went up again,
higher than before, and the young LADY,
face was scarlet as she answered
81 hate John Marvin, be is SO smooth
and sleepy and as for Hugh Witherill,
] hate him, too, | wouldn't marry either
of them for anything. wouldn't marry
anybody; and made up my mind last
week, just as soon as you mentioned this
hateful old Christmas dinner, to have
nothing at all to do with it," Mrs.
Avery looked at the excited girl in as
constituent, then asked:
May | venture to inquire what dis
position you propose to make Of yourself
on that day Z"
Oh, yes I'm going down to that
old country seat in Prince Georges
where that old couple who fell in love
with me last summer, live all alone. -
Don't you remember? [ was visiting the
Mortimers, and went over with Carrie
one day, and thunderstorm came up,
and We were obliged to stay all night,
and | had such a glorious time-it was
so lonesome and nice, after all the com
pany I'd been with, that the old couple
asked me to stay and visit them and |
did. / staid there week, all by myself,
and | never had ouch splendid time in
my life. They wanted me to promise to
spend Christmas with them, and [ told
them would, if possibly could and
can, just as well as not-so Pm going.
Now, mamma" as the elderly lady was
about to speak, "you might just as well
let me go; for, if you forbid it, I'll snub
that horrible old Marvin SO that he'll
never come near the house again"
Mrs. Avery knew her daughter thor
oughly-knew that when she said a
thing she meant it, ard it was, probably,
owing to this knowledge that the next
morning found Miss Maud Avery on the
steam-cars. speeding along toward the
rambling old Maryland residence.
E" told you I'd come, if could, and