The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-05-22

WnaC snail we 10 Will lucin! iOCi oo
if had been stealing
do with them?' repeated Classy, who
was the valiant one of the family. why
put them in your pocket, of course,
and replace them exactly where you
found them when the carpet goes down
again
But how do you suppose they came
there?'
Cousin Grimgooke put them there,
of course. It's one of his magpie's
nests, and that was the reason, don't
you see, that he was so unwilling for US
to take up the carpets.
4 wish we hadn't disobeyed him.
said Cora, with quivering lip.
'Why, what little goose you are!'
said Classy, with superior air. 'One
can't live always in the dirt, can one?'
And Cora finally came round to her
sisters way of thinking.
The two girls made haste with their
undertaking, and had the house all thor
oughly cleaned by Saturday night, just
about the time that old Uncle SilaS
Peabody came by, selling clans.
Don't want any, eh! said he. wal,
I've had dreadful bad luck to-day.
Haint no money to buy lodging.
S'pose you wouldn't like to let me sleep
in your barn?'
Certainly we should not, said Classy
with decision.
Cousin Grimgooke would never al
low such thing protested Cora, turn
ing pale.
wal, wal said Uncle Silas, there
amt no harm done! guess l can just
stub on spell furder.
But he did not Stub further than the
barn, apparently, for there he was found,
half an hour later, asleep in the hay,
with a half smoked pipe lying beside
him, and the entire premises in light
blaze.
The neighbors who made the discov-
cry lost no time in summoning help;
but there was no Steam Fire Depart
ment in Wiggletown, and within two
hours both house and barn were in ashes
Uncle Silas was carried off to the nearest
hospital, Cora and Classy wringing their
hands at neighbours window they gaz-
ed at the ruins.
And the embers were yet smoking
when Mr.. Grimgooke came hurrying
up from the railway station.
1T is true2' he said. is my house
burned DOWN.
And he was as pale as marble as he
stood there, gazing on the remains of
what had once been home.
Don't fret, Grimgooke,' consoled
Squire Burdell. They're insured, both
house and barn. And the Reviver
Company's always as good as its word.
Don't look so sad, Cousin Grim
COOKE coaxed Classy, creeping up to
his side.
Il hope, cousin, you don't blame us,
sobbed poor Cora.
mo, gals, no. said the old man,
with culver of his lip. Nobody could
ha' prevented it, least of all two slips
of gals like you. Butt wish Id told
you-my little savings was hid in my
room-all in bills. And it cuts me to
the heart to think that what | worked
so hard to save was burned up in two
or three spurts of fame, with no one to
save it.
He groaned deeply, and pressed his
hand to his eyes. Cora came closer to
him.
Cousin, she said, in a whisper, twas
it in three five hundred dollar bills ?
Under the oilclotn in front of your
washing stand?'
He started back2
'Hoy did you know?' said he.
Because they are here in my pocket,
said Cora. Eve found them when
when we were cleaning house. We were
waiting to replace them, when the fire
broke out
Mr.. Grimgooke uttered cry of joy.
Gimme kiss, little gal,' said he
For if ever you did me good turn,
you've done it now
And when Cora told the story of the
family house cleaning. Mr.. Grimgooke
laughed heartily.
We'll, I'll never object to carpet beat
ing again said he. 'And I'll tell you
what: I'll divide one of the bills be-
tween you and Classy, to buy you new
frocks.
And the hearts of the Grimgooke
girls were light once more.