Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-02-05

Il Hattie disappeared with little breeze
! OF laughter, while Mrs. Prodgitt reset
tied her spectacles and uttered deep
groan.
ss1Iark my words, Mary Ann. said
| she. that girl will come to no good y
| .sHattie does not mean any harm,
Cousin Prodgitt, mildly pleaded Mrs.
Hardy, as she knitted on.
While Hattie, on her errand Of mercy.
went from house TO house in the dark
| ling lanes and crowded tenement dis
| tricts leaving an ounce of green tea
here and lecture there, q bottle of beef
wine and-iron by q sick bed, Q little rose
scented snuff in poor old woman's
hand. q picture book on the pillow of
some Little child, q wooden toy In the
| delighted grasp Of skeleton,like infant,
q gentle admOnition in the ear of a will
| full factory girl, and word of comfort to
encourage a despairing widow.
She could be gay and fiippant enough
when Cousin Prodigy" leased her, but
here she seemed to have assumed new
personality of dignity and sweetness.
Old Milo Rcneau's was the last house
on her list. She glanced anxiously at
her watch as she went in.
Past FIVE" size said to herself. ST
must make haste or the dear little mann
my will be fretting."
The dusk of the October evening had
already darkened the little room, where
| lay the patient old suffeeer from rheuma-
tism. 1t was always neat and clean
there, but in Hattie's eyes it seemed more
squalid and poverty stricken than usual
tonight. AS she came around the cor
ner Of the door. she perceived young
man sitting at an uncovered pine table
figure strongly silhouetted against the
window.
"Ah" SAID she, the spirit of righteous
evaporation rising up in her heart, $50
I've caught you at last in the very midst
of your evil practices !"
The young man rose hurriedly to his
feet.
Il beg your pardon" he began, bnt
the tide of Hatties indignation was not
thus easily stemmed.
Don't beg my pardon" said she.
BEG the pardon OF society-of public
opinion-of everything else which you
are outraging by this shameful behavior
of yours. Apparently, you have neither
pride nor self-respect left-now take my
advice; turn over new leaf. Give up
your evil practices, and set yourself to
earn decent living. Look me in the
eyes, young man ~ she added severely.
Tell me if you are not ashamed of your
self!'
To all appearances, the culprit was
stricken dumb. Involuntarily he raised
a pair of clear, honest gray eyes to Hat
ties face, according TO orders, but he
did not speak word, good, bad or in
different.
He's not bad looking, " thought Hat
tie; "but must not neglect the chance
of making an impression. am surprised
at youl'' she added aloud. "A great,
able bodied fellow like you settling down
as dispeputable incubus on your friends
and relatives Don't you know that you
are the talk of the neighborhood: Get
up-go to work Never let me see you
idling here again! No: don't answer me.
! never enter into argument with the
people in my district. Logic is useless
in case like this. .
She hurried to old Milo. who, being
stone-deaf, looked smilingly on during
this brief but energetic monoIogue, as If
it had been a recitation from Shakes
peare.
Here's some extract of beef for you,
Mr. Reneaur' she shouted in his ear;
land tumbler of lemon jelly hope
your lumbago is better. I'm sorry can't
stay little longer to- day, but I'll come
again very soon. >
And nodding and smiling good-by to
him, she hustled away.
She arrived none too soon on the do
mestic-tapis.
Betsy had already broken one OF the
moss-rose tea-cups, and spilled all the
salad dressing, so that Hattie had to 90
TO work TO make more.
Cousin Prodgitt had lost her spectacles,
and Mrs. Hardy could not find her best
lace friIl.
Consequently she was only half through
arranging her hair when Mrs. Hardy
called up the staircase:
Harriet! Harriet. Mr.. Cray has
GOMEZ
She hurriedIy eoiled up the shining
bronze locks and fastened them with
shell-pin, tied the Swiss muslin bow at
her throat, and, catching up her pocket
handkerchief, ran down stairs.
Cousin Prodgikt was still adjusting her
cap-strings, In her own room.
Miss Hardy had gone to see if the tea
was properly stepping; and so our hero
inc walked directly into the presence Of
the Reverend Cecil Cray
81 am Miss Hardy, said she. 81 beg
your pardon but"
Here she stopped, with the syllables
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