Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-10-18
GIN tnferesting gtury.
From Ballou's Monthly Magazine.
THE SPEAKING PORTRAIT.
BY N. P. DARLING.

It was beautiful evening in the
month of July. Not cloud was in
the sky. In fact, the sky was jammed
so full of stars that there wasn't any
room for clouds. yes, it was glori-
GUS night, and everybody in Fadagoz
saidso. To be sure it was rather warm,
but one forgot all about that in listen
ing to the joyous humming of the light
hearted little mosquitoes. Dear little
darlings! How fond they are of us,
and how cruelty we repay them for all
their love!
Yes, it was a beautiful evening, and
Miss Della Magog was enjoying it, as
she sat in the parlor of her fathers
house, which, may as wellinform the
reader, is situated on Congress Avenue
in the town Aforementioned. 1t is a
brick house, quite handsome, and fit
ted up with all the modern improve.
ments; and the owner oft, as you would
naturally suppose, is very wealthy, and
his name is Jefferson Magog. He il
the father of Miss Della Magog, and
he is widower, and still he is moi
happy.
Della Magog was more than ordi.
narily lovely, but still she wasn't real
ly handsome. You see, she dressed
elegantly, and the old adage is thai
<sfne feathers make fine birds;;" but
as my wife has often said, when speak.
ing of Della, 'Take her fine clothes
off, and she wont look any better than
any other woman;" and I dare say she
wouldn't. Most people do look differ.
ent with their clothes on.
But Della was rather pretty, I think
She was neither a blonde nor bru-
nette. Her hair, I believe, was Bis.
mark brown, and her eyes-well, she
had handsome eyes, but I don't think
ever noticed what color they were
and have seen severalstars that were
brighter. Her nose, am sorry to say,
curled naturally, SO you see she didn't
have to do it up in papers over night.
But her form Meas fseTfSrt, EHd EFSrys
body said so. Even Hugh McGonagle
admitted that.
By the way, speaking of Hugh Nc
Gonagle, reminds me Of the story that
I was going to write about him, and
well, guess I'll write it now.
To begin then, this Hugh McGona-
gle was the son of old McGonagle, who,
you may remember, kept the McGona-
gle House in Fadagaz some fifteen
years ago. He was very fine man.
but he couldn't keep hotel, or at least
not in way to make it profitable
Consequently, when he died, his son
Hugh was left to the tender nercies
of the cold world.
Hugh was only ten years of age al
the time, but he knew he should gel
over that, if he only waited; but while
he was waiting, he ran off and went
to sea as cabin boy; and as it didn't
take but a short time for him to see
all he wanted to of that kind of life
he left the ship at Liverpool, without
stopping to kiss the captain, or even
bid him good-by.
Then he fell in with travelling
conjurer, certain Signor de Moyadas,
whose fathers name was Smith, and
as the conjurer took a fancy to Hugh.
and Hugh took a fancy to the coniurer,
they resolved to travel together. Hugh
was to have his board and clothes, and
the conjurer was to learn him his art
How long these two worthless travell.
ed together have no means of know,
ing; but | do know that at the age Of
seventeen our hero was once more a.
lone, and he was travelling through
the United States, giving entertain
ments every evening, under the name
of his old master, Signor de Moyadas
and he was so successful pecuniarily
that when at last he appeared again in
Fadagaz (having thrown off his con
jurer's robes) as Hugh McGonagle, hi
had several thousand dollars in his
pockets, and consequently was very
well received by his fathers old friends
About the first thing Mr.. McGona
gle did after returning to his native
town, was to fall desperately in low,
with Miss Della Magog; and as he wa
dashing young gentleman of twenty
five, very handsome, very agreeable
and very we'll dressed, why, what coult
she do but fall in love with him?
1t was at the last ball given by tn
Fadagaz Guards where Mr.. McGonagl
first met Della. He saw her and love(
her. Captain Bobbin introduced hin
to her, and for the remainder of tn
evening he scarcely left her side.
The next day Hugh called upo1
her, and she appeared so pleased to Sc
him that he called again; and as sh
still seemed pleased, he continued t.
call, until the good people of Fadaga
began to make remarks, and one, NOR
otflclous than the rest, asked Mr.. Jef
ferson Magog if he was aware of MI
McGonagle's attentions. to his daugh
ter.
"Mr. McGonagle! Who the demo
10 McGonagle ?? inquired Mr.. Magoe