Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1885-06-05
FINDING A HOME.

81 tell you what tis Henrietta, Ii
a-goin to speak my mind fur once
my life, if | never speak ag'in," al
nounced Miss Matilda Fennil as sh
4 briskly bit off the thread with whic
she was basting a iounce on a skirt o
l pearl gray cloth.
Miss Matilda looked as severely in
dlgnant as was compatible with he
plump, mild face, which was still fai
to look upon in spite Of her thirty
odd years; while her sister in-law
Mrs. Henrietta, looked supremely in
different to whatever she might hav,
to say.
Mrs. Fennil was quite the antipodes
OF her sister-in-law, being a snowy
brunette, with eyes that could look de-
murely coquettish, or spitefully scorn-
tul, according to her mood.
~ ou're a-dOin' wrong, Henrietta,
an you know it" went on Miss Matil-
da, "a-takin' up with this here strang-
er man, an acshilly goin' to marry
him, when you've been promised-an'
you know you haye-to Nat Norrowa1
fur the last two year"
"Oh, indeed" shifted the widt
"Mebbe you kin console Nat yours
Seein you're so anxious to take UNI
him"
Its burning shame so u
nued Miss Matilda. withq.s
in Maine, or Fioridy, or some
Western States, where there's
and bears, a-diggin' an a-delvin'
mines, to git money enough to ma
you. You'd orter be ashamedp'
Indians an bears! a-diggin'
delvln'-te-her' Uttered Mrs. Fenn
aggravatingly. "Thank you, Tilda. /
amt a-goin' to marry an Indian-nor
Il Dear, helIhet.
Now you know Inever said nothin'
f the kind" protested Tilda, indig-
nantly. 81 said Nat was a-diggin' in
the mines, an so he is; an here you're
,-goin' to marry this Mr.. What's-his-
name"
His name is Mr.. Theocrastus Belle
vile, snapped the widow, tsrtly; an
if you've got any more to say agrn
him, you kin go some'rs else to say it!
This is my house, an if you don't like
my doin's. you needn't stay under my
ruff another day longer. I've give you
4 home here ever sence Joe died, an
init agoin' to put up with no preach
in from you"
I've done my sheer O. the work,
Henrietta" said Miss Tilda, mildly,
while a suspicion of tears started in
ner gray eyes, AN think I've earned
my vittles and clothes; but if you don't
want me any longer, kin go"
You'd have to go sooner or later,
anyhow" said the widow, slightly
molliGed by her sister-in-law's pacific
tones. "Tain't no ways likely Theo-
crastus would want to be saddled with
a poor relation at the very start. AS
for marryin' him, I'm a-doin' the best
kin for myself. He's just bought
the incest house in town, an furnished
it complete, from garret to suller: and
! allus did want to live in town. faint
no ways likely Natn ever make a for
chin out in the mines, anyhow. An
as said before, when l marry Theo-
crastus, you'll hev to find another
home; an you might as well be a-look
In out fur it now."
Miss Matilda finished sewing the
hounce on the pearl-gray cloth. which
was to be the widows wedding dress,
and then betook herself to her own
room to have a good cry. and think
over her future prospects.
Finding another home was easier
said than done, and Miss Matilda was
naturally of timid. retiring disposi
tion, notwithstanding the bold manner
in which she had spoken her mind
on the present occasion.
But she was not to be left long to
her own meditations, for Mrs. Henri
sta Fennil was not above asking
favor IF her s'ster-in-law, though she |
had as goot as TUNED her out of the
house half an hour before.
81 want you to go with me to see
the house, Tilda," she explained, trip |
ring into the room, in her best dress
and hat bristling with ostrich plumes'
"Theocrastus wanted me to meet nm
and look over it, to see if it suits me-
and of course it wouldn't be proper for
me to go alone"
And Miss Matilda obligingly donnea
ler black. and. white shawl and her oi0' !
fashioned hst, and accompanied heF