The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-02-13

making an impression 81 am surprised at
you" she added aloud. "A great, able-bod-
led fellow like you settling down as disrepu
table 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 idlng here again No, don't
answer me. | never enter into argument
with the people in my district. Logic is use.
| less in case like this"
| She hurried to old Milo, who, being stone.
deaf, looked smlingly on during this bre
| but energetic monologue, as if it had been a
recitation from Shakespeare
Here's some extracts of beef for you, Mr.
Reneau !" she shouted in his ear land tum.
bier 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 domestic
tapis.
Betsy had already broken one of the moss
rose tca-cups, and spilled all the salad dress
ing, so that Hattie had to go to work to
make more
and Mrs. Hardy could not find her best lace
frill
Consequently she was only half through
arranging her hair when Mrs. Hardy called
up the stair. case:
Harriet Harriet Mr.. Cray has Gomez
She hurriedly coiled 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 Prodgitt was still adjusting her cap
strings in her own room.
Mrs. Hardy had gone to see if the tea was
properly steeping and so our heroine walk
ed directly into the presence of the Reverend
Cecil Cray.
81 am Miss Hardy" said she. Il beg your
pardon but"
Here she stopped, with the sylables of fur
ther speech fairly frozen on her tongue.
A cold chill crept through all her veins, as
clear, honest eyes, the thick mustache.
But the Reverend Cecil was equal to the
emergency.
Don't beg my pardon ~ said he, gravely,
although there was rogueish sparkle in his
eyes. beg the pardon of society-of public
opinion" mo, Miss Hardy" he cried, sud-
denly dropping his solemn mannerism-
don't look so distressed OF course it was a
mistake Don't know perfectly well that
it was"
"Oh, dear" Oh, dear" gasped Hattie. 81
thought it was Gilbert Reneau. never had
seen him, you know and it was so dark, and
and"
And go you scolded the wrong man, said
Mr.. Cray. "Well, I'll pass the lecture on to
the genuine offender at the very first op.
portunity, only I'm afraid 1 can not empha-
size it half so neatly as you did"
"Oh, don't" said Hattie, piteously lifting
her little hands. "Please don't p
mo, | WON'T said Mr., Cray. "We1l for
get and forgive"
And when Cousin Prodgitt and Mrs. Har-
dy came in, Hattie and the young clergy
man We're earnestly discussing the rival
merits of the geraniums on Mrs. Hardy's
1ower-stand.
Mrs. Prodgitt stayed until spring, and
when she went back home she told her
daughter that Hattie Hardy was engaged to
young minister
"Or at least suspicion she is" she added
"She won't own nothin for sartin but
things amt now as they used to be. Folks
as was engaged to be married used to be
proud of it. But Hattie's queer giral. She
hasn't been brought up as girls was brought
up in my day"