The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-10-30

"Oh, - she cried through her tears, "Tm
so frightened! There's man around"
As quickly as possible l walked back to
the house without their seeing me. nm
settle by the old well. $50 ho!" thought.
"The school-ma'am and the student are
making it up between them! Is he in earn
est? Is he honest? Is he square"
Mother Nancy, naow, she want no
SLOUGH, either" Jonas was saying, as l re-
sumed my seat.
"Wa'al," replied Brother William,
Mother Nancy was smart, but, after all,
| takin' things all raound from first to last,
Mother 'Tury was 'beout the the likeliest as
father he'd. She, naow, she could get up
at four O'Clock, help milk the caows, get
breakfast for all on us eighteen children, do
all the work 'beout the haouse without no ex-
try help"
Z" Mother Katury want no sloueh, either"
said Jonas.
"Haow?" asked Brother William, leaning
| his right ear near his brother.
Jonas repeated his remark a little louder.
| / ventured to introduce the subject OF light
ming -rods. Brother William seemed to be
OF different way Of thinking from his broth
ers. He was much more impressed with my
Incidents" had to speak very loud to
him. but my eloquence was not lost. When
at nine O'Clock the brothers rose and went of
to bed, Brother William had half made up
his mind to buy.
strolled out in front of the house and lit
another cigar. 1t was not long before the
school -ma'am came walking up the path.
it,"
eyes" answered, lit wasp
Then the school-ma'am told me that she
hoped did not hear any thing that went on.
" i heard him tell you he loved you," l
said.
She looked at me quickly. "Do you be-
| lieve him." she asked.
"That is a strange question to ask mel"
said, astonished
plied-"you know more than dow
| burst out laughing. 50 He looks like
splendid fellow" | said.
| He is! He is great oarsman, he is in
the University crew. He stands very high in
his class. His family is very rich. His
relatives very rich: too. His family live in
shook my head. "Then il that is all so,"
l said, :" he is not in earnest"
She looked at me a moment. her breast
heaving, her tears ready to flow. 81 do
not believe word you can say" she cried,
"but-"
" Aye, indeed" 1 said with smile
""Butr''
She was very beautiful as she stood there
in the moonlight. / almost pitied her.
Without another word she turned and ran
into the house.
up the rods upon the barn. Upon the steep,
shingy roofs the old man was as agile as
cat. | never saw better r0of-climbing. L
was gazing with silent admiration at Brother
William as he carried the twisted lengths OF
rod along the ridge pole of the barn and
holding the hammer in his m0uth-his gums
were very hard, l learned, and served him
quite as well as aching, thankless teeth
watched him not without a certain envy. He
noticed my long continued gaze and called
OUT
aye see, save an eXtry mana hull morns
in's work by dom it myself" he said.
Like the crow in the fable, he forgot the
precious contents in his mouth. The ham
mer fell, he quickly sprang to catch it. 1t
was too atel The cid man fell also, bound
ed down the steep roof, struck upon the cave
trough, glanced off and fell sheer, after the
hammer, nearly thirty feet upon, fortunate
| ly, pile of manure which broke his fall.
He rose, rubbed his shoulder little.
"Wa'al!" he cried up TO me. was gazing
down at him horror-struck, expecting GER
tainly he would be killed. 81 almost think
I'd rayther try the lightnin' next time'
He didn't come up on the roof again, but
sent Charles, the hired man, up. For the
rest Of the day, however, he worked with his
usual energy in the fields. At noon, having
finished the barn, came in for dinner, in
tending to fix the house in the afternoon. IL
was very hot day, and of all things roof
climbing is the hottest kind of an occupa-
ton. felt not a little exhausted. 1t hap
pened to be Friday. The school-ma am
usually gave herself half holiday on Fri
days. She came in looking hot and tired,
nervous and-well, l will say it-cross. After
! dinner, meat dinner, too, she was little
more cheerful. came up to her and said:
"Would you believe it, my horse and red
wheeled buggy need exercising this after
! noon"
Perhaps" she said, "at four o'clock 1
| will go with yOu."
At four O'Clock "hitched upD and drove
my now freshened lively horse up and down
! the road past her window. In a moment or
! two she appeared at the door with her hat
and a red shawl. She hesitated a mo-
ment and went back. Then / turned around.
| When | came in front Of the house again,
/ Mary Newman was at the gate to meet me-
! We had not driven more than couple of
miles along the beautiful river road when
| Miss Newman gave great start and clasped
her hands together.
"What is the matter!' / asked.
"Oh, turn around, turn around, turn
around! !" she cried breathlessly.
Then | saw what was the matter. The
! Knickerboeker gentleman was strolling along
/ the road ahead OF us with gun on his Shout
| der. The road was very narrow just there
and it was impossible to turn arodnd, UNI
less | drove up perpendicular bank, and
climbed maple tree and backed down the
other side.
81 can't turn around" said, "but can
stop. He will soon disappear in the dis
tance."
But he did not disappear in the distance.
He turned about and looked at us. He re-
cognized the red-wheeled buggy at once.
We drove on briskly, the poor school
ma'am's face red as the buggy wheels. The
Knickerbocker gentleman looked very
gloomy. lie touched his hat solemnly as we
passed, with defiant glance at me. After
we had gone little way the school ma am
! said:
"Oh dear! I had something wished to
say to himp
! pulled up at once. could see that she
wished to explain TO the student that it was
purely by accident that she was riding with
me i'm my lightning-rod buggy. AT the same
time the thought struck me that it would be
but fair to give them both a " show u for
one am fond of fair play! As pulled up L
asked hera question.
| "Why does he not come Qike a man, l
was about to add, but didn't to the house,
| II he is sincere?
because brother Amos and William, they
hate him." said the school-ma am.
! sob" / said, 81 see!'
Then did, l must say, the very kind, ac-
commodating, handsome thing. / waited a
moment until the young man came up. l
got out, pretending to have desire to ex-