The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-11-09

countenance "Set down, Cap'en Gilliloe.-
I've often heard her speak of you, and Pm
sure she wouldn't intend any incivility. Set
down and have chat with Mr.. Sweetlands,
our minister, and I'll step over to Betsy's at
| once and see what all this means"
The sun had gone down in the crimson
blaze which belongs only to July skies-a
soft purpling twilight was brooding over the
swamp meadow, and the orange lilies glowed
mystcally in the apple orchard, as Mrs.
PaCkenham hurried towards the old Briggs
| homestead, whose chimney stack rose out OF
wilderness of tall lilac bushes There, sure
enough, was Miss Betsy in the vegetable garden
her sunbonnet Tapping in the evening breeze,
but lust as Mrs. Packenham laid her hand on
the latch of the picket gate, Bowse, Farmer
Ponds big red bull, knocked his horns
against weak spot in the adjacent pasture
fence, and came laundering into the Enclosure
| with his tail in the air, his huge head lower
cd almost to the ground and low muttered
note of defiance breathed through his threat
enipg nostrils.
Ia, me p cried Mrs. Packenham, there's
| that brute loose again. And not man in
sight And Betsy Briggs with her red cali
ker gown on. She'll be killed as sure as the
world. Oh, dear, oh, dear!
As the reflection eddied through her mind,
the animal made an Infatuated charge to,
wards the figure darkly outlined against the
hedge of silver green pea vines, utterlng a
savage below as he rushed past, and Mrs.
Packenham hurried, screaming, down the
hill.
"Abram Mr.. Sweetlands Cap'en Gilli-
loe!" she shouted. "Help helpl Oh, why
don't somebody come? Farmer Ponds Bowse
has knocked poor Betsy Briggs down into
the pea-yines, and is a.gorin her awful
Help help help She'll be killed, as true
as the world Help helpp
Just as she burst into the door at the end
of the kitchen, the opposite one opened, and
in walked-Betsy Briggs herself cool, calm
and composed, with veil folded neatly over
her dove colored silk hat, and travelling
bag in her hand.
Mrs. Packenham sat down, and began to
laugh and cry hysterically; Mr.. Sweetlands
opened his pale-blue eyes like watery moons;
the squire started Captain Gilliloe held out
his two brown hands and waved torecastle
welcome.
Miss Betsy looked around in gentle aston
ishment.
Dear me p said she. "What is the matter?
What is everybody looking at me so for
How dye do, Cousin Giles why don't you
90 on to the house l thought you was COM
In TO make me WISH!
"I-I don't make out this here reckonin'
at all" said Captain Gilliloe, scratching his
puzzled head. Somehow the wrong signals
have been swung out. But it's all right now
ave, aye, it's all right now? The figure
head of the Betsy Briggs can't be mstook p
"Ive just been up to Albany" explained
Miss Betsy, ito order new parlor carpet,
l went up yesterday, and came down on the
evening train and"
"But, Betscy," cried Mrs. Packenham,
clutching systematically at her friends arm,
"who is that in your back garden-gathering
peas, you know? For rs true as you live and
breathe, Farmer Ponds Bowse has trampled
her to death by this time"
"That Oh, that's my wire dummy, as
had when | worked at the dressmakin trade.
just dressed it up in some of my old clothes,
as kind of n scarecrow-ike, to keep the
pigeons from stealing the green peas right out
of my pods They're the sauciest creatures
in all the world. Why, you didn't never
take it for live person, did your"
And everybody laughed in chorus, the
NOR heartily as their folly became apparent
to them.
II declare to goodness, was clean out of
tain, with chuckle.
appearances are deceitful," said mild MIR.
Sweetlands, rubbing his hands.
II won't never believe my own eyes ag'in y
shouted the squire.
And then they all three went to drive the
belligerent Bowse out of Mss Briggs vegeta-
BILE garden, and TO patch up the defective
pickets in the fence, and Miss Betsy herself
sat down to drink comfortable cup OF tea
with Mrs. Packenham.
"For Pm sure need one after all I've been
through" said the squirrels wife.
"Well, declare" said sympathetic Miss
Betsy, at must ha' been a trial / won't
never put that dummy out aga'in."-Satur-
day Might