Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1881-08-19

- S'Ae hou promised to take I
- .neIr mountain cabin, but someho
we never went, and nearly foroottan ~,
Intention, when one day we stumble
- On tnem quite accidentally. We wer
looking for Wild flowers in the NOM
talns, and storm came up SO unetnar
tediy that We hurried into the f;rs
eaoln we came to for shelter. A s;cl
man was bolstered up in a chair am
one OF the shyest, loveliest. most astroc
i've girls have ever seen, was famine
MN with an old palmetto hat Tbe
room was hung with starcbed and
goffered muslin dresses, beantifnlIv
done up, and on a rack abo1o
the door several rifles were bnna
Inc sick man was the living
image OF Wilkes Booth, as 1 remem.
bered him-pale, statuesaue featuras
and dark, curling hair. che embodiment
OF picturesque refinement and intellact
never saw such devotion m anv
woman's face before, as she qazed int
MS pale countenance to see If onr ON
trance had startled him. She locked
like the sister of Tasso or Gertrude
bending over her Rudolph.
We did not stay long, but we came
away deeply in love with Kitty and
rather distrustful of her sick husband
who was convalescing from an attack of
mountain fever. We felt that sometime
was wrong and that Gentleman Geor0e
must De very selfish to wear fine goid
watcn and seal ring, and let Kitty take
In ,wsehing from the hotel, as she ass-
s f .sss ss's;s s,s sss.s:, s'' we
tivg II thab it was the old story of
mff's sel6sbnoss and woman,s dev-5
tion, but we made ourselves agreeable
and drew the gentleman out. He talked
well, in spite of his vernacular. and he
read Shakespeare, and Mrs. Augusta |
Evans, and gave us some quaint music |
on the banjo, and told us of his family.
and was rather proud of the unleaven
in his blood.
" 1t matches Kitty" he said, laugh
ingly; 4" come here, girl give the folks
some buttermilk and berries. Flv
around, honey, or they'll think you're
worn out nursin' me-"
He moved a square of stone in the
hearth and brought ont a jug with corn
COP stopper we All tasted the illicit
and he put it back, saving:
You'll not inform if you're Kits
friends, and they'll never take me
alive I"
Kitty shuddered and turned male
but we knew this was all mock heroism
A pretty still in the mountain side was
not likely to be interfered with bv snm- |
mer visitors, but the paling cheek of the
lovely young wife showed that she woe
ever fearful of danger, and she followed
us to the door to ask us in a sweet i'm
ploring way, not to mention to Colonel
Dysart's family that she did the fina
starching and ironing for the hotel vis-
itors.
so is the kunncl. never washed there,
and L needn't go to now, but he's had
the mountain fevah. Pore boy it's took
him down so p
Her voice was soft and fute-like; we
promised what she asked, as her hus-
band called petalantly
Exit doan't stand gabblin' thar the
fevah's on again !"
Our next venture was of another sort.
There was quarrel between some dis
tillers and the exciseman, and Colonel
Dysart went as peacemaker among
them and collected a moiety of the
tax money. He called at Kitty's on the
way up the mountain, and left word that
he would be back the next day at noon
and would eat 4 nner with her. Her
husband was we'll now, and that morn
ing he took his rifle and went out "after
game, he said. Kitty begged him not
TO interfere with any of the excisemen.
and he promised he would not, and he
left her with careless kiss.
Fanny and Louise Dysart got up'the
idea of picnic to meet their father,
visit Kitty and spend day in the noun
tains at the same time. There were no
dresses hung in Kitty's caDln, though
her hands had goffered 5he ruffles on
Fanny's crisp lawn and Louise's or
CANDY, through the medium of the head
waiter at the hotel, but they unceremo-
nIously asked her to admire the work
Ihey chahed her about her hanslse,rs,s q
Susband, and wondered where he was
and declared lang hingly they would NOT
have come if they had not ~ " ,,.,ct..,i = - -
see him. Colonel Dysart was late. ana
the pic-nickers had their feast spread
under the mountain pines, and Kitty
made charming hostess, but she was
anxious and seemed watching and lis
tening. At last Colonel Dysart came
riding slowly, and with his bride arm
hanging by his side, broken by rifle
balll The girls sobbed, and clung to
him and asked thousand questions,
but Kitty helped him off his horse,
and with the help of others of the party
bandaged up the broken arm. Then the
colonel talked with white lips and set
teeth.
"The internal highwaymen Tt was
the money they wanted, and they meant
to shoot me like dog. Four of them
set on one man. Masked like thieves,
every mothers son OF 'emi Well,
settled the account of one of 'em
grilled him thru and thru SO he'll never
know what hurt him A mean sneaking
coward Halo, Kitty? blood makes
you sick, heyY
For Kitty had dropped like shot
bird at his feet.
" Is was the blood" she said, and she
soon came round and helped us to get
off, silent, terrified party, for even an
outlaws death is a shadow on ones
soul hut we all felt that the colonel
had done the country a service. These
outrages had been frequent of late.
We hated to leave Kitty alone, but
she said George would be right back
and we left her watching the winding
mountain road, anxious for a first
glimpse of his loved face.
We learned later about his home
coming. Kitty watched till sunset
then she prepared the supper he loved
best, and sat down to wait for his step
It was after sunset when hand touched
the gates and a woman-a neighbo
came in. Kitty saw her and rose; th'
woman was dressed in her best garb
and carried her shoes in her hand,
habit peculiar to the people of tn
mountain country of Virginia whel
they carry bad news.
"Hey you heard anything ?" sh