Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-03-11
4 Eflftt storg.
Going to Washington.

Clara, spending the winter in Wash
ingtoa with your pa
"It's not so certain pas going back
to Washington" returned the other
with IA touch Of pique in her tone.
"oh, that's as good as settled" an.
swered Grace Ritchis. why, he's
been in Congress rs long as We can
remember. and what's to hinder his
gong again
Clara Winthrops pretty, pleasant
face came as near being darkened by
frown as its native brightness would
permit.
"lou see, that Lsau,t Hayward
she began.
"Oh, the opposition candidate, you
mean" interrupted Grace.
YES: they say he goes abou,
advocating all manner Of new. fangl lsd
notions. and carries good many peo.
pie with him by his demagogue
speeches. I've no doubt-thousht /
don't know it positively--that he cal
led dear pa an old fory, and abused
HiUl iH ail spEi$ uI Nase-
The hateful thing" broke ont
Grace. "He must be some soured old
bachelor, who has taken to politics 10
Ease his mind"
.'As to the bachelor part, yoar con-
lecture is right, I'm informed; as TO
his being old and soured, aud ugly 10
boot, I'm not quite ready to believe il, '
said Clara
Aud for half an hour the pair Of
young politicians hslabored Larry
plimentarv.
But the dearest friends must part
Clara and Grace wers on their way
home from boarding school, where
they had just "tinishc,l. and when the
siage-coach reached the point who're
their several WAYS dlyerg.d, they scpar
ated with the usual protesiatl2n, Of
g crnal friendship. and promises o.
daily correspondence.
After parting With her friend, Clara
was leftwith 4 single fellow passenger,
a handsome. intelligent looking gen
tleman, Of about thirty. who had list
ened with mors interest thss they
has noted, 10 the conversation Of the
schoolmates-csp-cIally to the poilii-
cal part, which had more than once
brought IN amused smile 10 his face
Now that they were alone together,
his demeanor toward Clara WAS that
happy mixture of politeuess and ~
serve possibly only 20 tho thorough
gentleman.
Late in the afternoon two more
passengers we're added couple OF
rough looking men, who bestowed
themselves in the front seat, and after
staring Clara out or couatenance, fell
into a conversation between them
selves, of no particular significance.
The road, for some hours, had lain
through thinly settled country; and
the few houses seen were very uninyit-
ing in appesrance.--The driver stop
ped before one Of them, and coming
TO the coach window, thus addressed
the occupants:
"lm main sorry, Miss, and gentle
men, it's turned out so; but the off
leaders quite give out, and can't so
on furder tonight. But the gen lie
man as keeps this house is friend o
mine, as'll give you as good suppe,
an nights lodgin' us you'll find
atwi1t this place an the next
Clara looked frightened at this an
Tho hnnrA
meaner and ruder in appearance than
those they had already passed.
The last two passengers acquiesced
readily in the drivers proposal to stay
over night; but the gentleman whose
civility had already won Clara's was
confidence, and to whom she now
looked appealingly, demonstrated
vigorously. Hesven got out and inspect
ed the animal for himself.
"You see how it is," said the driver,
touching the horses foreleg with his
whip, wherupon the brute promptly
vent lame like circus horse, at the
ringmaster's signal.
Seeing there was no alternative, the
gentleman assisted Clara to alight,
and all were soon inside the rude but
spacious cabin, whose inmates, con
sistlng of the proprietor, his wife, and
two strapping sons, gave the guests u
rough but hearty welcome.
After supper, which did not wholly
fail to justify the drivers commenda-
ton, the gentlemanly passenger took
it upon himself to see that Clara was
provided with a suitable apartment,
to which she soon retired.
After listening for while to chat
struck up between the driver and the
host the gentleman asked to be shown TO
l. =. ,ok L. l., 4.