The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-08-27
THE HARD-BAOK BUG.

''LOr, yes. nave H"u q"
and I suppose | might have. peen
married like other folks if it hadni !
been for a hard.back bug. That's
what / always called 'em-hard oack
bugs. That kind with shell anu
wings and whiskers and bottle eyes
and ever so many legs, that make a
noise like a clock a-running down.
A scientific boarder we had one sum
mer gave me new name for EN-,
but that's mine-hard-back ougS,
Ever had one down yourown back /:
Yes? Then.you know how it feeis.
"I warn't one of those marry Klhu
of folks ever. I always sed ia new
any one that was congenial and mace
an offer. but I'd got to be thirty De
fore there seemed to- he. any likeli-
hood Of such 4 tkinx litlJpening ,saisi
then who should take liking to me
but Major Miller.
HE was very fine man and own
ed a nice farm and was major of Mill
tia. He was just the stitfest man you
ever saw; swallowing the ramrGd
wouldn't explain it, and what he
pected when he talked was attention.
If you didn't sit and listen to every
mortal word he uttered as you would
to the minister of a Sunday, off he'd
60 in a temper; but | didn't mind
listening, and the major was quite
intellectable, and the stories he used
to tell about himself and his COM
pany were real interesting; and |
was sort o. tired o. keepin' house for
Uncle Perkins. So when he asked
me if l had any objections to his
calling of Thursday evenings, | said
I'd be pleased to see him. So everv
Thursday | had the best parlor and
he came at eight and went away at
eleven, and folks began to teas me
considerable, and | didn't mind it
much. And | went over to the ma
.jor's house on the sly once-he was IL
Widower-and got the black help to
show me the furniture. There was
lots of it-proper good. too-and
blankets and counterpanes. The first
Mrs. Miller had been forehand of
'em; and there was plenty of silver i,
too.
"'And | shall be glad to hev a
lady over the house, said black
Sally. For working for man isn't
all it's cracked up TO be. They have
lots of whims and notions, and don't
know what is needed to make any
thing. So long as l suited I'd be
glad to stay, if master should marry
agai;i.'
$50 you see, even black Sally
knew. Well, after had seen all the
things and knowed how good they
were | made up my mind for sartain
"Ard one August evening after I'd
righted up the parlor and opened the
windows to let in a little cool all
goose was to do it, tool said to
myself, | reckon the major will ask
ME to hev him tonight, and | reck.
on I'll say yes, if he does And just
then | heard his knock at the door
In he walked, and down | sat. will
the worst Of luck, as you'll see, witt
my back To the window. and dewr
sat the major on another chair. And
after we'd had little talk about the
crops and the weather, and such po.
lite subjects, he bitches his chair :
little nearer and says he:
"'Miss Samanthy, I've got some
thing very particular to say to you
and | hope you'll give me your mos
particularest attention.
"And says L: Yes, major. I'll dc
so,' and folded my hands in my lal
and sat bolt upright and waited.
"'Miss Samanthy,' began the ma
jor, you know Tve been comin' t.
see you purity regular for nigh abou
three months. Now man of my
decision of character don't do tha
without some reason for doing it.
suppose you know I've made up my
mind to-
"'Oh = says l, short and sudden
couldn't help it. AT that blessed
moment something tickled my neck
and heard little err err! that
knowed was the voice of hard bach
hug. There was one on my cola
and ] could no more help screechins
than | could help breathing and live
"'Well, Miss Sananthy,' says tht
major. did | understand you tC
make an exclamation
"'Oh no; major says 1, moth
ing particular. Please go on
"'Where was % says he. 'Oh
yes. i couldn't have come here S,
long without making up my minC
that you was steady and keerfu
person, and one that had sense enough
to be able to listen when folks O