The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-08-26

hotel ?" said Mr.. Pereivai Payne.

| Of one who announces q startling fact.
IL never heard Of such thing In my life" said
Payne.
"Nor I, neither" serenely remarked Warden.
"But how do you account for u ?" demanded
the would-be tourist, shifting his forehead In do
spair.
al don't account for Il at ALL" said Mr.. Warden,
surveying the nails which he had just been care.
fully trimming with his Penknifs, "except that
nobody knows anything about the place ~ yet
There's afaetory-wail. paper, I believe, or some.
thing Of that sort-and cigar shop, and beer
shop, and two thread-and.need stores, and .
Posistiee where the mail. come twice week and
there's tho Magalloway River, all carpsted over
with water-lilies, and half dozen glorious lit
| tie trout streams running into Il, and the finest
Bit Of scenery you ever saw. But-thers's no
| hotel !!
"But where's fellow to stay ?" helpie.sly de.
manded Payne.
"Get an outfit add camp out, as ! did," said
Warden, chesrfully. "a blanket; n canvas tent,
with pegs and loops; little smudge Of bran, or
pine needles, to keep the mosquitoes on at night,
and"
demonstrated Payne at is al very we'll for those
Who like it, but I'm not one Of that sort. like
| -four good rails, . feather pillow, and regular
T well then .r.si look here here: asssid WARDEN uo 20
the Widow BEcks. She takes boarders, now and
then
"who is the Widow Buck ?" asked Payne.
"That don't know" replied his friend.
"And where docs she liver
"There you have the again"
| "Man alive are you crazy ?" despairingly
| questioned Payne. "Iiow am 10 find her :"
"Inquire, calmly responded Mr.. Warden, as he
shut up his knife and replaced II in his vest pocket
through In one day. Ask for the Widow Bucks
Bless my heart nothing In the wide world could
| be easier. have always heard that people got
good fare there and comfortable beds. And MailEie
Ford Il perfect little Paradise when once you &c,
| there"
"weli," said Payne, dejectediy, at seems n wild.
goose chase, but I've a mind totry IL. Aman can
| but come back again"
II was rather early in the season for the eonven
| tionai operation known TO the American public
| "suminering," but Percival Payne. being baehe-
| lor of independent fortune and cultivated tastes.
felt that be could do as he pleased. And IL was
rather n luxury TO anticipate the first mad rush Of
travel, when all the seats are engaged, the cory
taken, and the most desirable points Of OBJ
| servation usurped.
So he packed his vali.e. laid up his fishing.
tackle, laid in great store Of erayons and sketch
ingpaper. and started for the far northern wilder
| ness Of MailEie Ford.
| of course, the train was late-trains always are
late-and Il vas four o'clock 10 the afternoon
| When Mr.. Payne found himself perched up In
| open box wagon, alongIde Of two trunks, pack
age Of salt Goldfish. mailbag and pretty girl,
with eye. soft black pools of water, and one
Of those odd, fringy hats Of black straw all cover
Cd with loops aud ribbon, that makes people look
| so picturesque.
''where do we meet the stsge'" said Mr.. Payne
as he settled himself 80 as TO Inconvenience hi.
pretty neighbor little az possible.
The driver started at him.
"This 'ere's the stage" said be. "Git up. Sor.
reiw
Mr.. Payne started.
"Bpt stages have tops" said he.
| "This ere stage don't" said the driver.
II was rather trying situation-steeP up. bill
part Of the way, and steep hill the rest with
into Mr. Psyne's lap and the pretty girl laughing
| In her sleeve nj his embArassment
"Im very rude now" said she "but IL you d
Jus, tie that csdfsh the back Of the wagon with
your fishing line, IL wouldn't trouble you 90
| much"
"a good idea" said Payne. bri.kly. Thanks,
very much, for suggesting it,
1--WE Travelled over this road before" said the
pretty girl, laughing.
care you going 10 MailEie Ford :" said Mr..
Payne. with sudden CLEAN Of animation.
| "No," said the pretty girl. "To Catiey's Dam.
"Perhaps you know something about Mailris
Ford?" hsrarded our hero.
"oh, yes" said the nymph with the dark eyes.
cts a lovely place used TO live there before
went into the factory at cailey's."
"Do you know the Widow Buck = a'ked Payne,
with interest.
Very we," nodded the pretty girl
"lm going there TO look for board" said Mr..
Payne.
II hope you'll be suited" said the girl.
| And then they began % talk about the tall. blue
crested mountains. which were beginning to close
in around them.
The dewy.eyei dansel had read Long.elow
she knew all abou, ThOreau she vas even up
in Ruskin. and she expressed herself with grace
and spirit which set Mr.. Payne to wondering II
all the Maine girls were equally cultivated and
beautiful.
: And thea the Goldfish tumbled down again aud
bad to be ,igh;enei anew. and By that time they
had come 10 4 house in the midst Of lonely belt
| Of woods, which the driver said was "Catley =
Dam" upon which the pretty girl disappeared into
the purple twilight, and Mr.. Payne and the cod.
h.h went on, sOrrowful much jolted and alone.
A glimpse Of the beautiful Magalloway River
By moonlight; the cry of q wiii-bir in the woods;
the noise Of hidden cascades; a blur Of lighted
windows, which the driver said was the factory
I down n blind lane, and checking the tired horse'
at one storiei stone. house behind wall Of cedar
I trees. and then the Jehu cried out
snow. then; here We be- Widow Buck's"
Mr.. Payne got stifiy out. aud helped TO unload
the various paraphernalia of travel which belong
cd 20 him-aii Of them by this time considerably y
favored with salt Goldfish.
"Pcrhap. you had better wai,.' said he. as the
driver turned around aud ehirruped 10 his horse
"what for ?" demanded the man.
"In case Mrs. Buck should not be able 20 nc.
eommodate the. or"
"oh, it's all right" said the driver. ">hel
Z take you In. Naomi would have told you. else.
y And away he drove. leaving our hero alone Ia
the spectral moonlight. with pile Of luggage n,
hi. feet. and gaunt dog smelling at the skirts
b Of his coat.
. "whok Naomi ?" said Mr.. Payne, addressing
!. the moon. "And what weuid she have told me p
lie raised an oid-fashionei brass. .knocker that
b hung at the door. and ratified Il briskly. Tbs
gaunt dog. aroused 10 sense Of his duty. left o1
. snuniing aud began 20 bark. Presently, tall
. thin woman. with a red pocket handkerchief tied
: | on her head, with kerosene lamp In her hand
epenel the door
= "0h," said she. peering sharply at him, "you'r,
. the young man from the city, are you!"
With the initiative thus taken out Of his hands
e Mr.. Payne could only incline his head.
"Aii them traps your'n :" demanded the widou
Buck, abruptly.
: ayes, maiam," Mr.. Payne admitted.
"iIumph. 20 said the widow. "'Psars to me III
purity toiabe cheeky Of you. mister, TO take Il fo
granted you'd be asked TO stay"
81 thought, madam"
"Im a-taikin," said the widow, sharply. "T,
begin right straight at the beginning. We don
. know anything about you. You may be . bank
burglar. or a eounterfsiter, for all We know"
my references. madam"
"Yss know" said the widow. "And them yer,
| references IL most likely forged. but TN wiilin
TO be reasonable. How old be your"
And Mr.. Payne. secretly wondering IL this wa'
. the way they managed things in Maine, answers
| meekiy:
"Tso.and.thirty
"Ever been married. before ?" sharply question
Cd the widow.
}, answered Mr.. Payne with very justiGable spark
}. Of indignation In bis manner"
"Any busine,si" vent on his eatechi't.
"None, madam"