Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-10-14
woven in our DEGENERATE looms.

woven IN our degenerate looms.
Miss Peachy Peay is here this min
ute, Mr.. Wanamaker, and so you can
see her." said Mabel, with lisp that
she put on. like state dress upon
state occasions.
Miss Peachy Peay at this struggled
still more fiercely; but still nail and
chintz refused to part company. And
it was this astonishing tableau that
presented itself to Mr.. Wanamaker' S
eyes as he entered the room.
"Permt me, madame said he,
coming forward politely.
At this instant the gathers of the
gown gave way, and at the same time
the green calash and iron bowed glas-
ses fell off, and down fodted mass of
fair hair. and up looked . sweet, girl
ish face in pretty flush Of girlish
shame.
"Oh, mamma, what a trick has
been PLAYED on u.s." cried Mabel.
Did you know it was Maggie all the
time | didn't dream it,
Mamma smiled with wise superior
itv.
Country life gets dull some times,
and We have to amuse ourselves with
all sorts of travesties," said she, in a
side apology to Mr. Wanamaker.
As to poor Maggie, she would
gladly have hidden her diminished
head during Mr.. Wanamaker's stay :;
bnt that was not possible. The ser
want who was 10 have been such re-
lief, never came, and Maggie was both
chambermaid and tablewaiter. Bat
when she appeared that night with
his cup of tea, Mr. Wanamaker gave
no sign of recognition SO by degrees
the hot color burnt itself out on her
cheeks, and she quite recovered her
tranquility. Nevertheless he noted
every look and word and gesture,
though SO quietly that even Mrs.
/ CaldwelI's obseryant eyes did not see
it.
F so that. for once in her life, she
vas taken unawares when, at the end
of tro week, Mr.. Wanamaker led her
to the arbor at the foot Of tie garden
for the sake of asking her advice, as
be said, aud began TO ask il by an
nouncing his intention of adopting
Maggie Tole as his daughter.
My advice" thought Mrs. Cald-
we'll, curling her lipa little. ''EIc is
past advice. and good way past it.
have seen for too DAYS which way
the robin was going to tly."
But outwardlv she VAS sweeter than
honey and smoother than oil.
How nice" she said, heartily, vet,
as woman would have perceived,
with an undertonc OF disapprobation.
~ capital idea" she dontinued, after
reflective pause, only doubt if
. her Aland.Ather Mould part with der,
And then she is rather too old for
adoption --22 at least, fancy"
Twenty two" repeated Mr. Wanna
maker. aghast.
To be sure What had he been
thinking of Whatever it was eyi-
IDENTIFY thought of it no more, for,
though he STAYED another two weeks,
lie never adopted daughter.
Neither did he ut Christmas. when
he came 20 Cranberry to see how the
country looked in its robes of trans
.iguratlou, white and glistening. Nor
IN the early sprlugtImr. when he came
for 10 reason at all that Aunt Pnube
could discover
L Mess to see about getting board
ior next summer; and | should most
thought he'd "a wrote for that. and not
be TO the cost, of journey down here, p"
said she. Look here, | wouldn't 90
IN the parlor there's folk there-that
New York gentleman, Mr.. Wagon
maker. Likely he wants to see your
pa on some business or Other" she
added, rs Maggie came down the stairs
looking rs fresh and fair as a daisy.
She went right on, however, in spite
of Aunt Ph~be's warning; as soon as
she opened the parlor door Mr.. Wan
amaher came forward and bless vou,
took her in his arms and kissed her.
II wan. to know =" calculated Aunt
Phoebe, opening her eyes.
She did know, and soon, for though
Mr.. Wanamaker still said nothing
about adopting "a daughter, Mrggie
/ Iole, before the water-lIllies were in
bloom. went to live with him in his
beautiful home in the city.
And when she went, packed away
in the choicest corner of her trunks.
among white satia and lace and mus
len ana ORANGE Hourrs was ,, trraan