The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-01-09

| Tue morse went over, ana tnen IOttcu OH
Didymus faced it too His brute got over
br d, had ridden horses TO mill bare backed
and was half centaur when q boy; so he
brought his horse up.
Miss Scamper smiled approvingly.
| Everybody admired the ease and grace with
| which Miss Scamper managed her horse, and
| Didymus more than everybody.
| When they arrived at their destination, the
party dispersed in the house and over the
grounds. They found old Scamper there. lie
| had gone over before in a carry all. Amont
was the property ofColonel Almont, and was
for sale, with its fine blooded stock of horses
and cattle, its furniture, its library, and every
| Thing in the house and around it, The Colo
| mel and his family were in Europe, and in
tended to stay there while he educated his
sons in Heidelberg. So he offered the whole
"a house that cost a hundred and thirty
Thousand dollars, with all its offices of all
kinds, stables, palmery, grapely and green
i houses, furniture made to order, and over
twelve hundred acres of land in high state
| of cultivaton-"for," as he said in his letter
"a mere song" So it was but as it was set
| to the tune of three hundred thousand dol.
lars, there were few who could render the
| music.
They all admired the place. The agent,
| WHO WIS lHeTt, SclIeu Oh INC CCulllpeTS anu
| Didymus, to whom bestowed everything and
explained everything. Didymus was amused
at this, and whispered to Miss Scamper, "IIe
| has picked out the only three who could Ger
tainly not buy it." Miss Scamper, by the
twinkle in her eye evidently appreciated the
| fun of the situation. Then the agent seized
old Scamper, and dragged him off to look at
| the booded horses and imported cattle, leav-
ing Didymus and the girl together.
| How do you like the place, Mr.. Dodd"
inquired she.
"Likeit, Miss Scamper! Why, it is gar
den of Eden that is, it would be so to me, If
| | had it with an Eve in it,"
| The young lady smiled, and said, "You
| like country life, then, Mr. Dodd ?"
| Naturally" replied Ddy mus. II lived
in the country until was twenty-five |
was born and bred there. | should have been
there yet but for the death OF both of my par
enls. | went 10 the city in search of fortune.
have done very well for the last seven years,
| and have put n little by but to covet place
like this is like wishing for the moon"
| The country is the place to live in, and
the city to work in, said Miss Scamper SEN
tentiousy.
"To live in, grant you, ifyou have the
means-a good farm and money to work it.
| Otherwise you toll harder in the country
than in town, with less comfort and less pro-
| fit"
Then they discoursed on rural topics, with
| Il marvellous unity of sentiment until the
venerable Scamper and the agent got
| back, which was at the time the whole party,
each with nosegay furnished by The garden
| er from the green houses, was ready for a re-
turn to the Springs.
| There were yet two days ofthe young mems
vacation left when he determined to place
his fate at Miss Scampers disposal at the
first opportunity. The chance came that
very night. That evening number were
seated on the veranda enjoying the moonlight
Miss Scamper sat apart from the rest, in
heavy shadow, with her grandfather. The
old gentleman rose when Dodd came, and
left. Miss Scamper made room for Didymus
Mt her side, and the two began to talk of the
days doings.
| "By-the-by," said Didymus, have you
| heard that Almont has been sold ?"
Yes
| "And to the great heiress, Miss Bolsover
| | wonder if she will keep old maids hall
| lhere?"
Miss Scamper laughed q low, silvery laugh
II presume she will, she said, "unle>s she
chanc to marry. Wasn't that sad accident
at the mill today"
Every. The man has wife and five
| children. went over to see how they were
to see if they were in pressing need, you
| know; but that part is all right. Thfs Miss
| Bosover, who must be staying somewhere
| near, had been there, and provided for all
heir wants. | suppose, as she has bought
| Almont, she means 10 play the Lady Bounti-
tnl here, which is all the better for Micky and
his family"
| 81 believe, Mr.. Dodd," said the lady, chat
you play the part of Lord Bouniful some.
times, especially if some poor woman left
with four children should arouse yoursympa-
| thies."
SLOW did you know 2" he asked.
"a little bird told me-" she said "You
not only paid Mrs. Grants rent, but got her
eldest boy employment, and than fairly ran
away to avoid her thanks. She was full of
| your praises"
"But she did not know my name" said
Didymus.
"True. But don't you remember that veil
| ed lady who sat there he last time YOU came :?
That was ]. | was in Philadelphia on visit,
and looked up Mrs. Grant, who had been
servant in our family before she married.
She told me of her troubles, and how u stran-
| ger had helped her. | looked at YOU well,
| and when you come here know y,,u in an
| instant"
Didymus felt his heart flutter. Now was
| the time; but his tongue refused its Office
After little pause, Miss Scamper said, II
| have had Il very pleasant time here, and am
almost sorry that leave to morrow"
To morrow !" cried Didynus, in despera-
ton, seizng her hand, which was not with
drawn. "Oh, Ruth-Miss Scamper-you
must have seen"
Here he stopped, but the fingers of the lady
frightened little in his grasp. A friendly
cloud passed over the moon, and the recess
grew darker.
II love you, Ruth, darling" he murmured,
| and drew her INCREASINGLY toward him.
| The people on the veranda were too busy
| in conversation to hear faint sound made at
| the scaling of u compact between two foolish
| young people. But once it was all settled,
the tongue of Didymus was fairly unloosed,
| aud he went on building his-their joint
scheme of life. He told her of the money he
had laid away, and the big salary in prospect,
ard the cozy little suburban cattage ON the
Schuylkill with its acre of ground, that he
| would be able to buy
And there is room for grandfather TO live
with us" he said.
| replied Though it is kind and thoughtful of
you. He would prefer his own larger honse
| in New York"
His larger house" cried Ddymus. II
thought he was poor"
Poor! Silas Scamper poor Why, he has
a two-third interest in the great banking
house of Gould, Silver & Co.. New York,
Paris, and Vienna, though he figures as the
Co. He has his own house, and great many
more of them"
| Didymus, in spite of his acceptance, felt
| gulf yawning somehow This rich banker
Il beg your pardon, Miss Scamper," he
said but somehow