Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-02-13

/ fine for him and he stuck to his oil
silver one. And here's your Uncl
Lamech's silver snuff box-and you
Aunt Sylvy's wedding ring-poo
child, she died before she'd been mar
ried year, and the coral ear drops sb
used to wear, It's pretty good bo
full of crinkum- crankums, amt i
child ?"
"Oh, they are beautiful" assente,
Isabel. reused to enthusiasm at last.
"And | don't mind saying, Isabel
they shall all be yours, one Of thes
days, if-mercy upon us-what's tn
matter with the child ?"
For Isabel had sprang from her sea
like frightened hare from its form
a face, grandmother-a pale, rigio
face, looking in at the window through
the darkness without"
"Oh, pshaw," cried Mrs. Kesley
there amt soul lives within two
miles Of us. Who on earth should b,
lookin' in at my window ?"
81 don't know persisted Isabel
but | did see face"
Mrs. kesley opened the door anG
looked up and down.
Il told you so,' she nodded tri.
nmphantlv, closing and boiling the
door. Not a creetur to be seen, not
so much as a stray dog. It's your
fancy. Isabel
And not all her grand daughters
protestations could convince the an.
cient dame to the contrary.
Bat about half an hour afterward.
Just as Mrs. kesl~v was spreading the
round cherry table with a cloth of
home spun damask, two tined forks.
and plates Of some foreign ware, Gu
rlously decorated with unlikenesses of
birds, bees and ins cts, a knock came
to the door. and Isabel started again.
almost as nsrvouslv as before.
1t was beginning to snow softly, SIS
Mrs. kesley opened the door. and the
crooked little figure that stood there
~ss powdered over with the white
irlft-an old woman wearing a crum-
pled black bonnet, and an ancient
brown cloak with a double cape de,
cending below her elbows.
Who be you" curtly questioned
Grandmother kesley. "and what DO
on wan. disturbing honest folks at
his time o night
I'm LOUSY Ann Paddock" was
he humble and couciliating reply,
and | started TO walk from IIollyford
on Vow here-she and my mother
fas first cousins. you know some
ow I've got helsted, so | calculated
ou'd keep me all night, on a pinch :"
"Humrh :" grunted Grandmother
Wesley, Il amt acquainted with Mrs.
ohnson, but I've heard she was a
readful likely woman, Well. walk
u, Mrs Paddock-it's an ugly night
, be ont alone in. and although We
int no great hands for company, |
utss YOU can put up with our ways,
Won't YOU lav off your things?'
"Thankee,," said the new conner. in
regular New England twang. I'll
axe of my cloak, but it it's ali the
anne TO you. I'll rather set with my
ood on-l'm dreadful subject to neu
alogy in the face -
And all they could see Of Louisy
Inu Paddock's face as the startling
right eyes that were veiisd beneath
he screen Of pair Of spectaces.
"She's a queer -lookin' old creetur,
int she :" said Mrs. kesley in whis
'er, as Isabel held her ladle sp dish
al OF delicious, limpid apple sauce"
rom a stone jar Of the same, that al
Ways stood on the second pantry shelf.
But Isabel did not auswer-she was
'atching the envious crouching figure
hrough the half open door,
Il suppose | am fanciful,' thought
heat least grandmother always
avs so; but | DO think the face is just
he same that was flattened against the
window when she was showing me tue
'ox of old fashioned jewelry. | wish
We hadn't let her in. | wish there
vas man in the house. | wish"
Dear heart alive. Isabel, what on
arth be YOU doin':' scolded Grand
mother kesley-''h holding the dish so
hat all the svrup's runnin' out -
And Isabel, with a flush and start,
vas forced to her own sbsentminded-
less.
Their own utter helplessness, their
ISOLATION and distance from aid-the
,ich old jewels in the wooden casket,
md the pallid face at the window,
;anishing almost as instantly as it
.ppeared-these, combined with one
" two discrepancies IN the conduct
md appearance of their unlimited guest.
illed Isabel Darlings's heart with
arm. People had been ruthlessly mur-
Tered in their beds before now, for
treasures less valuable than these. and,
lad an opportunity presented itself,
he would fain have taken counsel
with her grandmother upon the sub
ect. But even as she pondered, the
lew conner rose to get drink of water
rom the stone pitcher on the table.
)ne or two long, vigorous strides, and
hen catching glimpse of isabelle
tartled face, the sol disam LOUSY Ann
ubsided once more into the halting
imp of old age.
But that one instance of forgetful-
less had been quite sufficient to con-
irm the young girls already aroused
uspicions.
Il was ight,' thought Isabel, her
leart beating wildly. Il was right!
She is no woman, but a man in dis
yuiss. And Grandma Kesley never
suspects! Oh, what shall | do?'
At that moment Mrs. Kesley rose,
md, taking the shining brass candle
stick, began slowly to climb the steep
stairway that led to the attic Of the
one-storv dwelling
"For | suppose" she thought, "the
poor, tired creeter will be glad to get