The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-06-12


blade he's grown, with his velvet hunting
suit and gun thrown so jauntily over his
shoulder; but, bless me. how conceited
these college-bred boys are; think poor
farmers girls just made to show their airs
en-" and pretty, black-eyed Belle Muller
leaned her plump hands on the curb of the
old stone we'll and gazed wistfully after the
young hunter as he dashed his horse over
the meadows and reached the edge of the
adjacent woods.
"Well did you ever, actually throwing a
kiss to me! what impudence!' she contin-
ued, as, with eyes flashing and an angry
flush mounting to her cheek, she lifted her
bucket and let it drop drown with rapid
whir of the windlass Before drawing it
up again, however, she unused moment,
and then broke out into merry little laugh,
showing the while set of very even white
teeth.
"Heigho! just to think of it! Ned and
sat on the same bench together at Hum
phreys' school, and l used to he writing
Honesty is the best policy and Be viz
tuous if you would be happy while he was
only in pot-hooks and ink splotches and
always trapped him and went head in SPELL
ing, but he was the rich Squire Thornley's
heir, while l was only honest farmer Null
ler's Belle, and new he's been to college
and's setting up for lawyer"
"And then to ride up to me with such a
grand air, while l was dressed in this way!'
she continued, with a vexed look and a
coquettish pout on her red lips; "and to
tlatter me to my very face and praise my
eyes and hair, and sentimentally repeat
over that old song about the odd Oaken
Bucket that hung in the Well, declare
its too bad! but l guess" with rogush
twinkle in her eyes, 81 took him back
when drew myself up like born lady,
and asked him if he hadn't been kissing
the blarney stone,' and if he didn't take
me for Sister Maud-poor, meek, signing,
little Maud, who's afraid to say boo to a
goose and hasn't the spirit of. a mouse"
"And amt l born lady?" Belle con-
tinued, drawing herself up proudly; "of
as good blood as Ned; called the prettiest
girl in the valley, and at the very head of
the whole school, and he to prance up to me
like lord and treat me as if was moth
ing but peasant girl; and to tell me, too,
as if it were vast honor, that he was CON-
ing to see me soon, and that he must al
ways take ne home from singing school,"
"'Thank you,' says l, dropping him a
mock courtesy. 'Fm engaged for the
whole season; and as for visiting at the
and l know I wouldn't unless you mend
your college manners, Sir. That's the
way to treat these citiied chaps" and
Belle lifted her bucket dainty and stepped
haughtily towards her home.
Belle Muller was the far-famed Maud's
younger sister, and you can see by her in
cisive style of talk, that she had quite a
spirit of her own. In fact, Belle was a
girl of uncommon beauty and force of
character, and while sister Maud-whom
only the poet had the pleasure of seeing
was content with her round of humble
duties, and never looked beyond I" her feet
so bare and her battered gown" or only
looked to sigh and lament, Bellies head
was as full of all manners of longings and
aspirations as an "egg's full of meat"
No brighter, quicker or more stylish-look-
ing girl in that region, pushing along in
her studies, ever anxious to improve, and
secretly preparing to 60 to an Eastern col
lege for an education.
Young Thornley, soon found he had made
most egregious mistake. He had just
come home from college, when he knew
her in the meadow as his old school mate,
little Belle Muller, farmers Muller's young
est daughter, and overwhelmed her with
his airs and graces. He never dreamed
how rapidly girls grow to be women, and
how they leap forward where boys only
crawl
He knew it bravely the next Sunday at
village church. He was standing chatting
with some companions, ogling the country
girls as they arrived, when he saw old Null
ler's high springed dearborn with the dun
colored horses rumble up. He was amazed
at the graceful, well dressed and self-posed
young lady, who, in company with her de-
mure sister Maud, advanced toward the
church.
He rapidly came forward with an awk-
ward, embarrassed air, but was entirely
unprepared for the cool and self possessed
manner he was received, and allowed to
walk almost unnoticed by Maud's side.
During service, his eyes often wandered to
farmer Muller's pew. The good old man
sat with huge, illustrated silk bandana
over his bald head, and big psalm book
spread out on his tow-linen pants. Mother
Muller sat next, with green spectacles over
her eyes, and stutter in her voice; Maud
next, quiet, pensive and somewhat sleepy,
dreaming probably of the portly Judge,
whom day or two before she had seen
ride
-" Slowly down the lane