Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1885-01-23
TOBACCO, MARYLAND, JANUARY %. 1So,

10 NlrS' Moody the majors dictum
was beyond appeal; and after she had
n"u her usual morning alteration with
'ne butcher. she crept timidly IN to
'ie thlrd-story hall bedroom, to inter
view the musical man.
Mr. Morton was writing on the
corner of his wash-stand. with his
snaDOy great t-coat on, and pocket
handkerchief tied around his neck
His pale. grave countenance softened
'ue landlady's heart at once. as he
courteously rose up and bowed
You have come for the weeks
BOARD in advance" said he. pardon
me- but our manager never pays until
saturday night. 1t is not pleasant to
confess ones poverty, but"
"Oh, never mind" said Mrs. Moody.
oil In a futter. Il only came to
see if there was plenty of fresh tow
els And if you find it cold writing
here' sir, Pm sure you're very wei
come to bring your work down to the
parlor, where there is a good fire"
Mr.. Morton smiled and bowed.
YES he admitted, sit is cold with
out fire, in November, and cannot
afford the extra expense of coal-at
present. (He glanced at his blue
nngers and shivered a little.) "If it
IS not too great a liberty, l will avail
myself of your kind offer"
And Mrs. Moody felt comparatively
happy when she saw the musical man
diligently writing, at her south win
dow, in the soft atmosphere of the
glowing anthracite
But Mrs. Racquet and her daughter,
the genteelest boardeIs in the house.
took vehement exceptions to this new
plan.
I'm not particular" said the for
mer, with toss of her head; "but this
IS really little too much A man
who plays in the orchestra of a third
rate theatre p
"But he is very respectable, ma'am,
| assure you," said Mrs. Moody. eager
F
"How am l to know that ?" said
Mrs. Racquet, tartly. 81 declare,
was mortified to death when Mrs.
Lawyer Lexington came to call. and
found him perched up in the corner
And Melissa and l shall find it neces-
sary to change our boarding house, if
this sort of thing is to continue"
"Mr. Morton is a gentleman said
Mrs. Moody, reused into temporary
Spirit. He has an equal right with
yourself in the parlor r
! Mrs. Racquet and Miss Melissa gave
warning at once.
Mrs. Moody did not care. Miss Jen-
Sins, the district school teacher, turned
up her nose and left the house.
"She wasn't over-critical," she said;
"but there were some things which no
one could stand p
One by one the boarders dropped
away, and Major Peck grew deeply
indignant.
Mrs. Moody" he said, 81 wonder at
you, after all my advice and counsel =
"You wouldn't have me turn this
poor man out of doors, now, of all
times. when he's ill with malaria
fever ?" said the widow.
"Yes, l would" (" said the major
stoutly.
But, for once, Mrs. Moody disre-
garded his advice.
The musical man was very ill.
mdeed-so i'll that he would undoubt-
edly have died, without his landlady's
careful nursing and unremitted atten
ton, But the major never went nea
his fellow boarder.
"If Mrs. Moody had taken my
advice" he said, "she never would
have got herself into this dilemma
Now let her manage the best way that
she can p
The musical man, however, did not
ole. He lost his position in the orches-
IRA, OF course. He was without means
70 meet his doctors bill; but Doctor
Hayden was a benevolent soul, and
declared that he could wait until the
profits from the uncompleted volume
should roll in.
IL was the first of February, when
at last Mr.. Morton was able once more
TO creep down stairs to the sunny
parlor window, where, by way of well
come, Mrs. Moody had placed a pot of
plossoming blue hyacinths.
"How can 1 ever thank you for all
your care p said he, earnestly.
The little widow burst into tears.
Il don't mind it !" said she, "as
iong-as long as you are well once
more. Ifyou had died.
And there she stopped short, and
grew crimson.
is 1t SO = said the musical man, in |
'nat soft, deep tenor of his. as there |
any one who really cares whether live
or die ?"
= DO r whispered Mrs. Moody, with
a fresh burst of tears.
1t would be difficult to describe
exactly how it happened. Middle-aged
ioSe-making is never exactly like the
e0S'acles Of youth. But it transpired