The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-09-28
TIMOTHY WARE. ESQ.


flavor of old age than youth itself. To he
elderly presupposcs some thinuess Of blood,
some sort Of inexpresSible poverty of
nature, as there seems tn be all about this
region where +. Wares house is located
4 range of long, low lying, uneasy hiilocks
that could never settle themselves to any
thing; 4 sandy, incapable stretch of thread
bare grass and stuntcd woodland.
II was not an easy thing to imagine just
that over the south ridge lay smiling aud
fruitful country, 4 thrifty settlement of
Quaker farmers, who held themselves per
haps, little too much aloof from this ill.,
hospit-be ucighborhood.
II was Chilly October afternoon, aud
the low slant rays of the setting sun, look
ed furt!vely out from 4 blue black ridge of
cloud owe. the garden aud the gardens
owner. There had been a frost overnight.
which had wiped out almost every linger-
ing vestige of Summertime. \ few
elderly beans chung shriukingly to their
poles IN the bleak background; scauty
patch Of corn rnstlcd its sere leaves for
lornly in the wind, will. here and there a
i pumpkin ripening sparsely between, and
turning out its yellow rotundity to the sun,
as resolved 10 put the best face on things
that was possible; white tall and stark, a
row Of sunilowers, Tapping gauntly above
the hedge, overlooked the despla.ion
A. old Ware stood there at his gate and
looked about him, with his faded red cap
on his head and his lank dressing gown
c!inging about him, he seemed verify part
q; the frost-hitten scene, illustrating it
feebly, like an i'll cut frontispiece in badly
printed volume. Yet there was tradition
that he had once upon a time been the
. chief figure in great concern somewher
in town, aud that in some forgotten period
long ago the old weather beaten house had
Haunted gayiy in a new coat Of paint and
( bright green shutters, and was bright with
ne" carpets and curtains to welcome "A
coming bride. But all that was so far
away now that people had forgotten the
date, and could not recall that they had
ever been interested in anything concern
ing Old Ware.
Tin Ware. Esq, the boys called hm-a
nickname based. perhaps, ON a floating le-
gend of rniscr made wealth slowed some
where away in the loose clap. boarding of
his tenement, or perhaps intended briefly
TO bear testimony TO the value set upon him
IN the co:nmuui,y-Tin Ware, Esq, was
rot popular man among the lads of the
/ village. They had 4 persistent inclination
to boot him. to gibe at him, and to
torment his lean, i'll tempered dog. which
. followed his master everywhere with
>narlirg and objectionable faithfuiuess.
/ The boys, considering all these things, felt
themselves called upon to vindicate the
claims of Justice by sohbing old Wares
orchard and breaking into his melon patch
! Things in this way were brought to "A sort
| NJ balance. ! myself saw one day, As
passed his fence, huge charcoal piacard.
reading thus:
Il. Ware OF The DAWG.
And many 4 bare legged youugster, have
no doubt. hid snickcring in the hedge at
the sigh: Of old Ware slowly decipherine
the sc.awl in wrathful spectacles.
But very few besides the boys ever
troubled the old man with attentions, either
for good OF i'll. lie seemed to have slipped
/ from the mind Of both men and fate-au
/ elderly shriyeled old figure whom Time
had forgotten to dignity with gray hair
lie locked up and down the road keenly
with his frosty blue eye, not as 4 man who
expected anything or anybody, but simply
because it his habit 10 look sharply
| And yet - this noriheasterly glance swept
the road, there came along it something far
/ from unpleasant to look upon-a gray figure
/ IN Quaker bonnet. There would have
been a smile Of welcome in almost any
body eye as the plump quiet Quaker face
of Rebecca Rhodes approached, but not
spark kindled in old Wares ilinty gra,
urbs.
Rcbccca's well kept acres lay beyond
him, over the south ridge, and all about
her farm house was trim and tidy. clean
and wholesome, rs Rebecca herself 1t
must have been the love of contrast that
brought her in range Of Timothy's dilapi-
dated surroundings; but OF all living things
III the village Rebecca alone had good
word ior him. and stopped of al odd after.
noon now aud then to wish him good day
over the gate.
al have brought thee n loaf of sweet
bread, neighbour" said she. I'D an uu
common good baking this week, and |
. Yrrv@. II, ,,..t.,. L
i loaf. She held forth in her white plump
ha"d snow white napkin, opening lis
folds tcmpting!y rs she did so.
I'm wanting uaught, was the grutr
reply. " Week old breads good enough
for me, aud make no doubt it might be
fag better Tor some other folk than the
dainty trash thcy'v set upon-women folk
lraStways"
The blood came into Rebecca calm face.
/ but there was no vexation in her answer
" Thee never set aside an old friend like
that, s.cighbTr," she said. Nay, nay; |
recommend thee try the loaf. Its spoken
well Of, is my sweet bread, tine country
round. Thee will not shorten thy days
not, I'll never trouble thee again"
Even the imperturbah!e face of old Ware
shows slight smile at this miugling of
IccIbIty and sweetness. but he makes no
" dciuunSt ration.
am on my way to see old Betsey."
says Eebtcca, quietly extending her hand
and placing the loaf on the gate post
- She : one of the town poorer rather one
Of the Lords poor, think, for she doesn't
/ belong TO the township. Poor old Betsey"'
I One might have imagined that old Ware
gave sort of start just now, as if an in
visible electric shock had struck him. lie
was not used to hearing sympathetic talk
OF any kind. 1t trled his nerves, probably
One of the wretchcd Migrants that are
paupering the community, wandering hither
and yon," growled Timothy