The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-08-14
,r "I'n take care of her," answered Nc.

An. O"n0 odre VI ner, answered Nc
Allister, sharply.
II that dress should catch,'' contin-
aed Worth, I" it wouldn't be easy to put
~ OUT She wore white muslin Jacket
so-oay, with sky-blue vest. Nina, by
way OF response, fired cracker from
brava!" exclaimed McAllister.
worth turned away to answer BERTHE,
VINO whined, "When is we dom to fire
all the fings offp"
when you take off all that paper
sIun, you may come down to the foot of
;ne garden, and I'll put some crackers
IN barrel for YOU"
There's hogshead down there, -
shouted Tom-"a big dry hogshead
YIN on its side. Let's put lots in it. -
~ AS many as you like said Worth !:
ds out take off those paper caps. They're
Nonsense" Nina interfered; sslet
'ae poor things wear their caps.''
POOR fings wear their caps!" echoes
Dertle, looking aggrieved.
every bit of that paper Immediately /;
ana, Nina, you ought to be ashamed of
teaching them. to be fool-hardy and
Stubborn
Miss Italics laughed, threw up a rose
pud, and caught it skillfully, while the
Whole troop of young imps tore down
the garden path at Worth's heels.
PASSING near Nina and McAllister a
rev minutes later overheard her say,
farchly, 81 should be very hard wife to
manage"
"You shall have your own way in
every thing" the young fellow an
swered.
In desperation, called Nina away.
Taking her aside, l said, 'Mina, Nina,
take care what you do.'' .-
She laughed again in my very face,
and answered, 81 shall marry the man
like best in spite of every body" Then
she jerked down that jacket with de-
termination, felt the earrings and curls,
and marched straight back to McAllis-
ter's side.
My wife shed tears of vexation, and
declared: "Mina will make us all
wretched if she marries that man. He
wants her money" a.E.-..
l could only call the girl perverse
and silly creature, who deserved her
fate. She had chosen position where
Worth, from the foot of the garden,
could see her side face as she coauetted
openly with McAllister.
After a little, Tom came tearing at
full speed toward the house. Out of
breath, he bounded up the piazza steps,
crying, hoarsely, "He's killed, he's
dead. Where's the ice-water?" then
rushed for the dining-room.
"lt's Bertie," screamed my wife :
sits my darling. Oh, / knew some
thing would happen" With the word
Mary raced down the garden path.
was scared enough to run too, but Nina
caught up with and passed us both. AT
glance l saw the children were safe,
though Mary still called wildly for her
BERTHE, who was roaring Justify under
hervery eyes, she th dead, beth dead. y
Jenny explained through her sobs,
"He's dead inside the hogshead.'
Then, for the first, noticed the old
empty hogshead lying on its side, and
from the open end protruded the feet OF
Mr.. Worth, while smoke and the smell
of powder poured out all around them
| Nina rushed to the fatal spot, ano
helped me to lay hold of Worth and
drag him out. She had turned pale as
death, and cried out, with delightful
| femme logic: ''You're dead, dear. For.
give me-" Then: "Don't die, John
dear, don't die. love you" !h
1 was STOPPING over the body from
the other side; the head was just
emerging from the hogshead, and the
face was turned toward me. 1t was un-
commonly radiant for corpse, and
heard the dead man whisper, Hush
it's blunder. I'm not hurt. Don't want
to mortify her. Put me to bed," and
John became rigid again.
| McAllister drawing near, Nina cried
out, savagely: "Don't touch him. No.
body but me shall touch him. John,
dear John!" Then, sobbing, she bathed
his face in the ice-water that Tom had
just brought.
BERTHE all this time never stopped
bowling, "He'th dead, beth dead -
and Jenny heaving profound but de-
corous sigh, said, eyes, papa, our poor
Muff is dead" 't'h"7'7. 1'H'
snuff Pr 1 questioned; where:
howl" ooo ,.., i..., q ..f. 4-t
ain the hogshead," answered Tom.
"We put crackers in it, and didn't
know Muff had crawled inside for a
nap. Mr.. Worth went in to get him
out" -...r-
aOh!" sobbed Nina, "and killed
himself with the powder smoke. Why
don't you send that man for the doe
tor2'' This last was to me, and indi-
eating McAllister. l.. ..fr..
The suggestion cleared the situation
for me, and, after drawing,out the woody
heap that represented our deceased
Muf, ! politely requested McAllister to
run for doctor. He did so, but with a
very bad grace. ..... ,l- .,4.t...
Under the scare of seeing Worth ly-
ing still and speechless, the children
we're awe-struck. Only BERTHE grieved
aloud over Muff's lifeless body. q
Covering Johns face, l called Dennis,
the gardener, who was safely stupid,
and we carried the lightweight to a
couch in an upper room. Then John
whispered, "Send her away" for Nina
had followed close, all pale and grief
stricken. told Nina to wait outside,
and let me use means to restore him to
consciousness; but she declared, with