The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-01-30
MISS SCAMPER.
BY THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.

BY THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.
! None at the Rappaquah Sulphur Springs
knew who Miss Scamper was, and few cared
to know. She came with an old gentleman,
who registered the pair as IS. Scamper and
granddaughter, New York city, They we're
doubtless poor folks on holiday. They had
no servants with them. The old man wore
suit OF rather rusty black, and his trunk,
an antique leathern conveniency, bore the
letters S. s. in brass headed nails. The
young woman's trunk-she had but one
was large enough and of modern make, but
1t was apparently not we'll filed, since she
had shown but three dresses all the three
weeks she remained. One of these. OF rich
material, she wore OF evenings; the other
two. OF some washable material, were worn
alternately in daytime. She had no jewelry
beyond plain gold brooch. Ono Of the ell
gible oung men there said that the Scamp.
er has one Sunday go 30 msetin' ana two
work-day suits for which his neighbor
should have kicked him, but didn't. The
eligible young man WAS looking for an eligi.
ole mate in the person OF Miss Bolsover, the
great heiress. whom the society paper had
said was coming to tho RsppaQuah though
as she hadn't come, the Browns young man
OF the society paper lsbored under a delu-
sion. The match-mak ing dowagers did not
fear this modest, pretty, and well-cuItured
young woman, for the gilded youth, who
were also lying in wait for Miss BoIsoyer,
much more gilded, did not dangle in her
train. Indeed, she had no train Her busi-
ness was to look after her poor old GRANDPA.
thcr, who was not in good health, and with
whom the waters seemed to agree Didy-
nus Dodd, who had scrsped an acquaint-
ance with old Scamper, as the fellows irrey-
erently called him seemed to be her admirer;
but Didymus was nobody. He was we'll
made, tall, handsome, and of good address :;
but he was only An upper clerk in a PhiIa-
delphia Insurance company. To be sure, he
would be superintendent after January, vice
Higgins, retired and superannuated, and
would then draw salary OF five thousand
a year. But no one knew that, and the pos
siole good fortune to poor Mise Scamper
and bad they known, five thousand a year
was no great matter. So the field was left
to Miss Scamper and welcome.
Didymus only began paying attentions to
Miss Scamper out Of courtesy, and because
no one else did but the more he saw OF her
the more he liked her, and it ended In his
being badly hit As lie and she were the
only impecunious people at the old fashion
ed resOrt-the other visitors counting their
dollars well up in the hundred thousands
the matter attracted attention, apd by way
Of getting both out of the way of marriage.
able sons and daughters, scneminX mothers
lent the affair all the quiet announcement
possible. And this passed into moro act
i've natsre from two little incidents that oc-
CURED about ten days before the end Of the
two months vacation OF Didymus
There was Mrs. De Nyse at the Springs,
who was we'll known as an amateur vocalist
Of merit, and whose voice. though a little
seedy in the upper notes, had been trained
so we'll as to make her worth hearing. One
evening when a few were In the parlors, her
friends besOuRht her to favor them, and so
On, and she expressed her readiness, but
here happened to be no accompanist Miss
who was chatting near by with
Didymus, looked up, and quietly said, Per.
1aps can serve you in that way, Mrs De
Nyse.'
Can you play at sight, Miss Scamper?' in
luired Mrs. De Nyse.
Miss Scamper nodded assent, and seated
herself at the piano forte. and accompanied
he voice with such good judgment that the
'in ger was delighted.
I wish l could carry you about with me,
nv DEAR she said. But do you not sing
You surely must
"A lttle.'
Urged by all around, Miss Scamper, to her
1wn accompaniment, sang an aria from II
Trovatore. Her voice proved to be a rich
soprano, of full register, clear as q silver
bell, and admirably cultivated. There was
! moments pause when she had done, as
bough not TO lose note, and then q storm
II applause.
Here was a sensation. Everybody talked
If her method, and the Rilded youth were in
-aptures. The mammas conferred. and con-
;luded that Miss Scamper was q member Of
'ome church choir, or attached to some Eng
ish opera troupe, who knew? But they were
:ivi. There was q party going over to Al
mont, Colonel ParsIfslPs place, next day
Would she go2 She assented. Didymus
'aid to her in a low voice
1t Is riding party, Miss Scamper.
know the best horse in the livery stable here
md it you'll permit me, I'll secure it for
you.'
To which she replied in the same tone
Thank you, Mr.. Dodd you are very kind
put haze one at command alresJy. Get
hat for yourself.
Somewhat rebuffed, Didymus cOlored, but
'he added, Mine shall not disgrace you,'
which was a distinct intimation that she ex-
Dected him as escort. The spirits of Didy-
nus rose from zero to blood heat.
The next morning. as the riders were rea-
iy to start, a groom known to be one of
Colonel Parsifalls. rode up leading a manif-
,ent blooded bay horse, equipped with
,ide-sadde. AS they were admitting the an
NAL. Miss Scamper, in a reat Iiding habit,
made her appearance. The groom took off
his hat. Didymus. not a little astonished,