The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-01-24
MISS SCAMPER.

Springs knew who Miss Scamper was,
and few cared to know. She came with
an old gentleman, who registered the
pair as rs. Scamper and grand daugh-
ter, New York CITY," They we're doubt
less poor folk on holiday. They had
no servants with them. The old man
wore suit of rather rusty black, and
his trunk, an antique leathern conve-
niency, 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 i,
was apparently not we'll filled, since
she had shown but three dresses all the
three weeks she had remained. One
of these, of rich material, she wore
evenings the other two, of some wash
able material, worn alternately in day
time. She had no jewelry beyond
plain gold brooch. One of the eligible
young men there SAID that the Scamp
ers had one Sunday-so-to-meetin' and
two work day SUITS for which his
neighbor should have kicked him, but
didn't. The eligible young man was
looking for an eligible mate in the per
son of Miss Bolsover, the great heiress,
whom the society paper had said was
coming to the Rappaquah; though, as
she hadn't come, the Browns young
man of the society paper labored under
a delusion. The match making dowa-
gers did not fear this modest, pretty,
and well-cultured young woman, for
the gilded youth, who were also lying
in wait for Miss Bolsover, much more
gilded, did not dangle in her train.
Her business was to look after her poor
old grandfather, who was not IN good
health, and with whom the waters
seemed to agree. Didymus Dodd, who
had scraped an acquaintance with old
Scamper, as the fellows irreverently
called him, seemed to be her admirer !;
Didymus was nobody. He was we'll
made, tall, handsome, and of good
address but he was only an upper
clerk in Philadelphia insurance COM
pany. To be sure, he would be super
intendent after January, vice Higgins,
retired and superannuated, and would
then draw salary of $1,000 year.
But no one knew that, and the possible
good fortune to poor Miss Scamper
and had they known, five thousand a
year was no great matter. So the field
was left to poor Miss Scamper and
welcome.
Didymus only began paying atten
tons 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 he and she were the only i'm
pecunious people at the old and old
fashioned resort-the other visitors
counting their dollars we'll up in hun
bred thousands-the matter attracted
attention, and by way of getting both
out of the way Of manageable sons
and daughters, scheming mothers lent
the affair all the quiet encouragement
possible. And this passed into more
active nature from two little incident.
that occurred about ten days before the
end of the two months vacation o.
Didymus.
There was a Mrs. De Nyse at the
Springs, who was well-known as ar
amateur vocalist Of merit, and whose
voice, though little ready in the up,
per notes, had been trained so well as
to make it worth hearing. One even
ing, when few were in the parlors, hel
friends besought her to favor them, land
SO on, and she expressed her readiness
but there happened to be no accom-,
PIANIST. Miss Scamper, who was chat.
ting near by with Didymus, looked uE
and quietly said, 'Perhaps l can serve
you in that way, Mrs. De Nvse"
Can you play at sight, Miss Scamp.
err" inquired Mrs. De Nyse.
Miss Scamper nodded assent, anC
seated herself at the piano-forte, anC
accompanied the voice with such good
judgment that the singer was delighted
81 wish | could carry you about witt
me, my DEAR" she said. "But do yor
not sing2 You surely must
"a little"
Urged by all around, Miss Scamper,
to her own accompaniment, sang ar