The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-05-31

wall, a deep fireplace. But these two re-
ceSScs having been taken into conSidcra-
ton, there still remained Il space unac-
counted for in the middle of the ainb.
Mildred, staring over the wall. puzzled
out this fact.
New she are here. pursued Aunt
Cyuthy, "a-knochin' Aunt Cynthy
put her hand on the wall precisely where
Mildred had established a hollow space.
Mildred came and stood beside the old
woman. 'Odl." the girl said "There
is board here. 1t is not briclzed over
like the rest of the wall Mildred rap
d ii on it with her knuck!cs. and it gave
a hollow sound, very different from that
which followed the knocking above and
below it.
Gurus repeated Aunt Cynthy. I'D
like ter take out dat n board iuSt rate.
OATS whar she raped an pinted.'
Here Aunt Mason appeared. She had
heard for so many years of Cynthys
:. Ole Lady that she listened to this
last demonstration of hers with compos-
IRE and passed on to give out break
fast-a matter of more immediate inter
est Mildred drifted back into the par
!or, seated herself in the other corner of
the fireplace listened TO the wind howl
inc down the wide chimney, thought OF
ships at sea blown about in such Il gale
as was brewing. Ships?- ship. more
properly.
1t was consolation to Mildred to OBJ
serve that whenever she looked toward
BERTHE Rose, he was looking toward
Ruth. In consequence Rosaind grew
more pointedly charming and sparkling.
But poor little Ruth never once raised
her ewes from the piece of knitting she
had taken up. Her mother called her
presently, and she went out of the room,
and did not return. After a while Mil
dred followed her. 1t was dull work
chaperoning Rosalind's Irritation. She
would go and write Il letter. She passed
Ruth's open door. No light; Ruth kneel-
| inc By the window. her head on the sill.
There was something very desolate i'll
her little figure i'll the moonlight. Mil
dred scolded away at BERTHE Rosse to her
self. Men were the same tickle. worldly
creatures all the world over. No, not all
men.
She wrote her letter-a long one. She
heard horses hoofs Gathering down the
avenue by that time. She was seized
with an intolerable thirst, which the
water in her room. drawn for hours.
failed to quench. She stole down stairs.
|
| ing in the moonlight. AT the head of
the stairs she met Rosalintl, lamp i'll hand
-Rosalind. with her fresh bloom and
steady smile and dainty dress. Down
into the parlor, where the dying embers
shot up farewell flame to light her
across the room. Into the dining room.
| No wonder Mildred started. Aunt Gym
| thy was there before her. Candle in one
hand, AK in the other. she was loosening
that board in the wall.
"Sh. sh! don't let 'em hear u.s. honey.
fought dat ar Mas'r BERTHE would neb-
| Der 90. Is boun' ter sec what are be-
hind dis ar board. She bin a-gwine on
awful Nebber know her SO rampageoUs
befo'. Eff you hole de candle, honey,
kin push de AK in better. OATS de kline.
Sho! Come out o dat!'
And the board fell out, loosening the
plaster of course. which powdered Aunt
| Cynthy and Mildred with its white dust.
Directly opposite the opening was a
shelf, and on the shelf a bag. Cynthy
grasped it eagerly. cit are heavy, honey:
it are money.
The old woman was right: it was bag
of gold. When Mrs. Mason counted it
on the following day, it was found to
contain three thousand dollars.
There is Fair Hill legend which ac-
counts for the money being secrcted
there, and nothing gives Cynthy greater
pleasure than to relate the legend and its
sequel.
The next morning before breakfast
note was handed Ruth. s. Darling" it
began for you are my darling, whether
you will be engaged to me or mott can
not command the time to see you this
morning, so I send you this line Why
did you avoid me last night? Why did
you go off without saying good-by? Oh,
Ruth, don't give me up. There is no
woman in the world for me but YOU"
Poor little Ruth! She dropped a tear
upon these words: she kissed the note;
she put it in her bosom. What was pow
erty? what was waiting? Youth was
brave, and Love was patient.
After breakfast she learned the good
news.
They kept a jublant Thanksgiving
following closely thereupon-that year
at Fair Hill, these Marylanders having
adopted that beautiful feast from the
North. Aunt Cynthy wore turban yell
lower and redder than ever Mildred
was gorgeous in superbly embroidered
crimson scarf, draped t,lnic-fashion, sent
her by a friend over seas, to match which
| size pinned late-bloomlng rose III Ruth $
dark hair This choice of hue served
the double purpose of propitiating Aunt
Cynthy and the ghosts. Aunt Cynthy
was an exception to the general rule with
colored people. who affect melancholy
puppies now because i'll slavery days
Haunting scarlet was considered their
appropriate color by masters of an arts
| tic sense.
Finally, Rosalind was radiant. albeit
in habitual green, and albeit BERTHE had
eyes for no one but Ruth. But what of
that. Rosalind was provided with sue
cessor to BERTHE: and with her, up to this
period, it was undeniably the lover, and
and not the man.
4" Haint heerd notllin' OBJ de ole lady
sence | tux eat ar board out" Cynthy
told Mildred in the course of the day.
she done say all she hab got an her
mind