The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-10-06

around to n restaurant for dinner"
said she f; "but now-oh, what skaH
do?"
And the banging of the door behind
her departing hand. maidens was mourn =
ful echo to her thoughts.
She was still sitting and crying in the
musty dining room, when ring at the
front door.bell summoned her back 10
the realities of life, and there stood
half dozen gayly.dressed ladies from
the city.
"How are you, dear 1' said Mrs.
Tullius Markham. "Tvc come up
with the dear girls to get n breath OF
the hay.felds, and eat strawberries and
cream with you, in this sweet old
manorial place"
And poor Mrs. Truax, aghast though
she was at this unexpected invasion,
was compelled to put on an aspect OF
welcoming smiles, and invite the guests
into the parlor, which hadn't been
busted, and smelled good deal like
receiving vault in cemetery.
"Plcase excuse me just 4 minute,
while you are taking of your things"
SAID Mrs. Truax.
And she hurried out into the garden,
with bowl in her hand to gather
strawberries.
But, to her surprise, great, hulking
man was there before her, prying under
the leaves.
"What are you doing in my straw.
berry patch, sir p indignantly demand
cd the lady.
The man looked up with an insolcn,
grin.
"l'm alookin' for strawberries, q"
said he, "and precious few finds
This ere beds regular swindlc."
''leave my prcmisesi" cried Mrs.
Truax.
"Don't get excited, ma am" said
the man, advancing with a stcal,hy
footstcp. "That ere watch of yours
looks like the genuine article. My
,ickcr's out of repair. I'll trouble you
for that"
And before Mrs. Traux realized the
audacity Of the attack, the tramp had
made good his retreat, with her little
diamond.studded Geneva watch and
link chain.
AS she burst into tears, the "handy
boy" who was never handy when he
was wanted, appeared from behind a
bush.
"Yes, that's always the way, ma'am,"
said he. "'rhcm tramps is awful. They
comes up from the railroad track under
the hill, and craps just what they wants.
That's the reason the other tenants left.
They've stripped the fruit trees and
garden, stole all the fowls, and broke
into the house two or three times"
"Mcrcy on usl" gasped poor Mrs.
Truax. "But why didn't you run for
help, when you saw him snatch my
watch p
"Where would run to?" asked the
boy. "And where would find heltl"
"rick s5me Strawberries Cor .sSS"
said Mrs. Truax, recovering the bowl
she had dropped into the grass "And
be quick about it..
"Therc aint nonc," said the handy
boy.
"Can you get some milk or cream ?"
said deSpairing Mrs. Truax.
"Therc amt none short of Deacon
Peabody's, up to Pine Hollow" said
the boy.
"How far is that -
"Four miles and half"
care there any bakers here?"
"No," said the handy boy, "there
amt"
Mrs. Truax stood minute or two,
pondering. Then she went back to the
house.
"Mrs. Markham" said she, with a
courage born Of despair, "l-I am
without any servant, and there is moth
ing to eat in the house, except a few
bottles Of champagne, box OF sardines
and two pounds Of crackers. We will
lunch off these, and then l will go back
with you to the city-and stay 'therel"
Mr.. Truax was just preparing to set
out for the five o'clock way-train, when
his wife appeared, pale and wearicd.
"Job," said she, "l'm sick Of the
country"
any dtar -
"And I'm not going back there -
"But I've taken the house for the
season."
al can't help that" said Mrs. Truax.
"A hundred dollars day wouldn't in
ducc me to remain there -
And she related her adventures since
the morning, ending up with violent
fit OF Mysteries.
Mr.. Truax turned slowly around and
laid down his parcels-a pound Of can
dies, a paper Of carpet-tacks, a patent
corkscrew, n package Of buff linen, a
tin coffee-pot, whose nose protruded it.
self ostentatiously through its paper
wrappings; a roll Of blue ribbon, well
saturated with the contents Of leaky
machine.oil bottle /; a pair Of vases, a
box Of stove backing, and n roll Of
canvas and worsteds.
"Therel I" said Mr.. Traux, "I'll be a
travelling expressman no longer Wen
60 to the hotel for to night, and to-
morrow I'll look out for a house. Don't
cry, my dear The country seat on the
Hudson has been a failure, but we'll
hope for better luck the next expert
ment we try"
And that was the inglorious tcrmina-
tion Of Mr.. and Mrs. Job Traux's ex-
pcrience in country life.
p4-"Have yez any burnt bread hereI"
asked an Irishman, hurriedly entering a
restaurant. "What do you want with
burnt breadl" rejoined the proprietor.
"Well. yez see, was invited to attind
a barquet in honor Of the Land League,
an when got there jist now, man
towld me that was down for the toast,
and IL vez have ths. bread let me have