The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-11-10
MRS. SNAPWfLL'S BOARDER.

Place abeing sold2" inquired Mrs. Spar
rowgrass, who was spending the day
with the Widow Snapwell.
"Thc Buttonwood place? No Wal,
that is news Who's bought it?" quer-
led the widow, eagerly, as she carefully
basted frill of Spanish lace in the neck
of her new polonaise.
"Why, a man named Flowerdale, they
say. And he's agoin' to repair it up,
Nathan Scudderse's wife says. Must
be awful rich if he does, for the old
house is putty well run down. It's a
good farm, though. Mr.. Sparrowgrass
thinks its the best one in the hull Big
River Bottom"
The new purchase furnished suffi-
cient subject of conversation till supper
was over, and Mrs. Sparrowgrass had
rolled up her knitting, donned her shawl
and worstcd hood, and taken her de-
parture, with many injunCtions from her
hostess to be sure and "come back
again" After which, Mrs. Snapwell fell
into a brown study over the new polo
naise, while her pretty niece Eustachia
gathered up the tea-things, and gave
Sy Hedges, the hired man, his supper
in the kitchen.
''Put away them crulls and the black
berry-jet, first" commanded the widow.
"Sogrum merlasses and gingercake is
good enough for hired hand :"
eyes, it must be him that put in the
advertisement for country board" she
pondered, going back to her sewing.
ITS the very same name Flowerdale
and he wants to get board som'ers
in the Big River Bottom. Of course
it's him !"
"a bachelor, the advertisement says.
Probbly about forty-five or fifty years
old. Wal, I'm on the shady side of
f-thirty myself, and l think III answer
it. It's about the only chance for lone
woman like me to turn an honest pen
ny" she added, her grey eyes brighten
ing at the prospect before her. "Ill
answer the advertisement right Off" she
declared 'and if he comes, can fix
the spare bedroom for him to sleep in.
And III hcv Sy Hedges put up some
more shelves in the buttery, to set the
milk and butter on, It'll take up too
much fEustachia's time to be a-running
out to the spring house after 'cm. Syis a
mighty good hand to fix up things,
though | hcv to complain and grumble
as if he didn't arm his salt, or he'd be
wanting more wages"
Whatever may have been the Widow
Snapwell's faults, procrastination was
not one of them, and her plans were
soon carried into effect.
Mr.. Flowerdale had engaged the
room, paying months rent in advance,
and Sy Hedges had put up the shelves
in the buttery, for the accommodation
of the milk and butter.
Sy slept in the loft or attic, at the top
of the hallway.
'It's mighty cold up there, these
nights" he conided to Eustachia, as he
stopped at the stove one morning, when
she was baking griddle- cakes for break
fast
But the widow was in the pantry in
speeding the plum preserves, in honor
of the expected boarder, and her sharp
ears had caught the mans words.
"Nlighty cold, is it" she snapped
out, tartly. "I'll warrant faint patchin'
to what you've been used to, Sy Hedges,
ana L don I want any OF your sass
"And you are as much to blame as
he is, miss" she continued, as Mr..
Hedges slipped out of the kitchen door,
with the tin milk-pail in his hand. ''You
are always talking to him and encour-
aging his impudence."
IL didn't say anything, aunt"
stammered Eustachia, blushing confus-
edly, as she thought how frequently she
had talked to Sy, and remembered the
admirin9 glances that had lurked in his
honest brown eyes.
And in truth it was not strange if
Eustachia's soft little heart was slightly
touched by the owner of the brown eyes,
for she had small chance of falling in
love with anyone else.
''You hain't got time to be gallivatin'