The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-06-25

would she return to the hotel did she know
| the way Terror reached climax with
| the sudden influx of crowd of rough,
coarse men and tawdry women. If She
had only minded John In these crea-
lures she recognized the burglars by day.
light of her dreams, the desperadoes who
revel in blo0dshed and mock at Justice.
She was not in the best company. In
stinctively she closed her eyes and prayed
for deliverance.
The men evinCrd jocose familiarity, the
women hard cruelty and resentment, as
II they saw violet growing far above
their abyss. Matters were becoming Sc
rlous. A bottle having circulated with
visible effect on the spirits of the company,
it was presented insolently to Kitty, who
rose to her feet, received rude push, and
was relieved of her purse. All, port of
safety Mudflat Ferry doomed though the
gathering darkness. TO her dismay the
noisy prosecutors followed, fairly driving
her from the cabin.
The low shore opposite seemed deserted.
She discovered only vacant coal-yards and
shipping, with horrible lurking places in
shadow, and the group approaching
through the gates of the ferry house. The
poor little wandercr fled, pursued by de-
risive laughter, until she reached low,
broad house on the waters edge, which
bore on a sgnboard the Lamb" A brick
walk bordered with ancient box led up to
the slipping stoop, where an old man stood
in the door, which was painted green and
divided in two halves. lie was weather.
bronzed and bent, but his face, having car
ried the impress of honest good nature for
eighty years, did not fail Kitty, who, choos-
ing between two evils, approached timid-
ly. The proprietor of the "I.amb" NOW
far advanced in muttonhood) welcomed
her, and summoned his wife, a hearty dame
in crimped cap. They could not send
her home, but she might remain all night.
Seated on the back porch with his pipe
as the evening shadows shrouded the har
Dor and the great steamers surged past,
gemmcd with red and blue lights, the old
man told Kitty ofthe days when the giant
city over yonder was a mere infant. He
had kept the tavern for forty years, since
the time when green turf bordcred the riy-
er and lofty trees had no warning of pro-
gress. The stubborn old Lamb" had not
yielded an inch, although the quiet of its
youth was disturbed by iron tongucd ma
chincry. The box hedge grew trinity erect
the trumpet vines chung to the time-stain-
ed walls; twin Lombardy poplars guard
ed the gate as in the days when the wind
came laden only with the sweetness of clio
yer fields. The boys who used to frequent
the Lamb" of summer evenings to battle
and refresh themselves with spruce beer
and "bolivars," Ghe ginger bread ancestor
OF modern 'round-heart,) had grown to be
carc-worn men, had even sunk into quiet
graves. while he sat smoking his pipe.
Every eddy in the current, every inlet of
the neighboring shores, was familiar to
him; and his prime boosted honest yawls
instead of modern light cookie. shell craft. |
Thus the Past, Older than his century, re-
called the victories of the First Consul, the
evacuation oil the red-c0ats, the hero of
New Orleans.
In this inn on the waters brink of Mud
HAT Ferry Kitty was foreign element. fl
the Dutch family was the smooth surface
OF the rock, solid and durable, she was the
sharp granite edge cut into many angles.
Excitement robbed her of sleep, although
she had not fallen among thieves. After
sue had retired to large clean chamber,
with paper tire-board in the wide chimney
and faded portrait of u Flemish cavalier
on the wall, she took her lamp to examine
the painted tiles of the hearth, and leaned
out Ola window listening to the melancholy
plash of the tide, in danger of being claim
cd by the last peril of that eventful day
fever and ague.
John fastened back to the hotel, intend
ing to surprise Kitty by his speedy return.
The bird had flown. With wonder and
alarm he made inquiries. No result. A
bell-boy had seen her go cut at half past
four. At eight o'clock he telcgraphed to
the friends in the suburbs. Kitty was not
there at nine lie sought the police sta
ton, and intelligence Of her disappearance
flew all over town. At ten frantic bride
groom paced the floor. At twelve he sat,
with head buried in his hands, the pic
ture of despair. Patient waiting seemed
the only course.
Next morning John, haggard with anxi-
ETY., stood in front of the hotel. A beau
tiiul carriage lined with satin drew up.
twas like the chariot of fairy tales, and
delicate lady was the occupant.
"She is not half as pretty as my Kitty"
groaned John. Just then an ancient and
rusty chaisee, drawn by aorry gray horse,
and driven by an old man appeared. John
sprang forward. Kitty sat in the chaise
beside a beaming dame, who had made the
journey to New York in the family vehicle
of the Lamb Tavern. The whole Cosmo-
politan Hotel might smile superciliously,
but John shook hands cordially with the
old couple, put up the gray horse, and
insisted on inviting them to dinner
Later the bride from Duckport laid her
head on his shoulder and sobbed,
take me home--whcrc I can't get
lost"