Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-07-17

"Thar you air, Hazel-snug as bug
in a rug r. said Cousin John, mopping
his face with his red cotton handker-
chief, as he started the numbering oxen
on their homeward way. "An' when
you git your plunder ali put to rights
me an Arvilly'll come and make
you visit.
"Be sure you do" cried Hazel, very
brightly. "And when the cherries are
ripe, Arvilla can have all she wants to
put up"
Melzena milford, Uncle Hezekiah's
other legatee, was no less loud in her
denunciation of Hazel's investment.
"How does she ever expect to get
married I'd like to know" she commen-
ted, "away off in that lonely place,
with nobody but poky Aunt Comfort for
company? But don't care, I'm sure,
if she wants to make an old maid Of
herself I'm a.going to have the good
of my money while I'm young"
She accordingly indulged herself in
the purchase of numerous and expensive
dresses and gew gaws, banged and
frizzed her hair in the latest style, car
ried a scarlet parasol in her village
walks and after enjoying the triumph
of exhibiting herself and her new pos
sessions to the inhabitations of Drip
ping Springs, she announced her inten.
ton Of going to the seashore for the
summer.
"Going a husband hunting" declared
the gossips. There amt nobody good
enough for her in Dripping Springs!"
But if Melzena heard them she paid
no heed to their gossip, but packed
her big new Saratoga trunk with her
new 6nery, and set out on her journey.
As the weeks passed on, Hazel and
Aunt Comfort enjoyed themselves in
their new home, in spite Of the evil
representations.
And indeed, though the dissatisfied
kinfolk still shook their heads over Ha-
eel and her doings, they were very we'll
pleased to drive out to the farm on
summer afternoons, and eat their fill of
ripe black heart cherries, or drink tea
from Hazel's Aowered-china tea-cup;
or to spend the day and dine on fried
chicken, green peas, new potatoes and
other early vegetables, raised by the in
dustrv of Hazel and Aunt Comfort, with
a little help from Cousin John and his
hired hand, Mike.
married? No; nor | don't never
expect to be" solemnly asserted Mr.
Nicholas Bycrolt, as he fastened the
hasp of his trunk, and took down his
breech-loadins rifle to see that it was
in order
For Mr. Nicholas was making final
preparational for his journey to Texas
where he was going into stock-raislng
on cattle ranch of several hundred
acres.
"Gct married, indeed !" he continued
mutterins to himself. "Theoe amt no
more n one girl in a hundred I'd have,
an like as not that one wouldn't have
me. If there was a girl, now, that
thought of anything beside a-curling
her hair and dressing herself up in silks
and furbelows, an had any idea Of
what home ought to be, l dun know
but l might - But, pshaw if there is
any sich girls, have never come across
EN- an never expect to-. I'll be an old
bachelor and live by myself, like Uncle
Tom"
"Bless me, Hazel" cried Aunt Com
fort, one bright summer morning,
"here's your cousin John an Arvilly a
coming out in the spring wagon, and a
man with 'em. Who kin it be? Tain t
the minister, I know, fur he's more
grizzled looking an haint got a p'nted
mustache like this one"
1t was baking-day, and Hazel was in
the kitchen, her sleeves rolled up, and
her cheeks flushed to bright damask
red.
"I hope the best table-cloth is clean,
whoever it is" she returned, peeplng
into the oven at pan Of cherry-tarts,
that were almost swimming in their
own crimson juice:
The stranger with the 'pinted mus
tache" proved to be Mr.. Nicholas By
croft, who has stopped on his journey
to spend week with his cousin Arvilla
John Mulfords wife.
Mr.. Bycroft's visit to the Cherry farm
was bv no means his last one and fol
some season or other, his weeks visit
stretched to month, and the month