The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-08-28
TOWSONTOWN, Md, SATURDAY, AUGUST 28 1886.
maritanl Have you been in Black lane,
my dear1'

my dear7'
She blushed, laughed and stammered.
ooh, that was the most natural thing
in the world, father. You know I was
brought up among colored people, l
know how to manage them. 1t was
only ditch out here and there, few
panes of glass and bushels of lime.
They are good, affectionate creatures,
and so anxious to learn
The matter was driven out of the
'Squire's mind before he reached the
house, for he saw Tom skulking around
the stable door. He had returned that
day, and dull weight of misery fell at
the sight on his fathers heart. Tom
did not enter the house until late in the
evening, when the family were gathered
about the lawn. He came into the room
with a swagger, unshaven, his boots
reeking of the stable.
'On purpose to mortify us, thought
Grace, bitterly.
he said, in "a t5da tf56 19Q66,,ss 9Q66,ssr fine lady wife,
ashamed to introduce his scrapegrace
brother
MARY is not here said Mother Dem
ming. where is she, Grace7'
I'm Uncle Ben's room. She reads
the New York papers to him every day
now. They play backgammon together
and they have one of those silly books
of Artemus Wards. l heard him laugh.
ing and swearing harder than ever, so
he must be pleased. I wonder she can
stand it..
1T is hard to understand her. said
Isabella, dryly. MARY is not so care
full of her associations as she should be-
Tom had been listening very eagerly.
Enough said, he broke out with a
thump of his fist on the table. IF
Joe's wife can take thought of that lone
ly old man up there, there's better stuff
in her than expected. I'll go up and
make her acquaintance
For several days afterwards Tom S
voice was heard joining in the jokes and
laughter that came out of Uncle Ben's
| room.
MARY seems to have enchanted them
both, said Grace. tom is clean and
shaved to- day and looks like human
being
Perhaps she treats him like human
being, said Joe.
But even he was startled when Mary
came down that evening, dressed for a
walk, and, nodding brightly to Tom,
asked him to go with her. Finish your
book, Joe, brother Tom will be my es-
cort.'
Tom followed her slouching to the
gate. He stopped there. Shame, de-
iance, misery, looked out of his eyes.
See here, Mrs. Demming! reckon
you wouldn't have asked me to 60 with
you!'
Polly's steady, tender eyes met his.
'Yes, know
'D'ye know I'm thief? I was in
Jail at Pittsburg for a year.
Polly drew her breath hard. A prayer
to God for help went up from her heart
both hands.
'Yes, Joe told me. But this is all
over now-all, all over. You have be-
gun new again, brother Tom, come!
She put her hand on his arm as they
walked down the street. He did not
speak to her until they came back. Then
he stopped her again at the gate. my
sisters have never been seen with me in
public since I came back. I'll never
forget this of you, Mary, never!'
| f0
wife, did you know Mary was going
over her mathematics with Tom? Reg
ularly coaching him. This little girl
has the clearest head for figuring l ever
knew. But what can be her object?'
Mrs. Demming cleared her voice be-
fore she could speak. 'She has applied
to some friends in Kentucky to give
Tom situation. Father, think there
may be chance for the boy. He wants
to begin his life all over again among
strangers.
God help him, muttered the Squire.
He surprised Polly when he met heI
the next time by taking her in his arms
and kissing her.. with tears in his eyes.
In the spring Tom went to Kentucky
and began his new life. He has not
broken down in it yet.
1t was in the spring, too, that Uncle
Ben began to fail. The old man was SO
fond of Polly that she gave up most OF
her time to him, so much, indeed, that
Joe complained.
Don't say word, DEAR she said,
she has such little while to stay. Let
me do what can.
Il say, Polly, was that the Bible you
were reading to him to-day?'
Eyes, he asks for it often
Joe began to whistle and choked il
down into a sigh. Uncle Ben had beer
such a goddess reprobate in his you'll
that it had never occurred to any of tht
Demmings there was way to reach hi
soul. He lived until late in the summer
The Sunday before his death he sent TO
Mr.. Floyd and talked to him for lons
time.
When the young minister came ou
of the dying mans room he was pale
He had been much moved.
4 will give him the sacrament to
morrow he said to Squire Demming
you think he is worthy of it2'
IF sincere repentance can make an
of us worthy, he is. He asked tina
Little Polly should take it with him
She has done this for me, he said, 'it'
her work
The girls overheard the conversation
They sat gravely silent after the mini:
ter was gone.
Il do not understand Polly sai
Grace, at last. 'She never seemed t
be religious person.
Perhaps said the Squire, we hav
, not clearly understood what religion l:
We took too much for granted
E p9-An Irishman thought he mu:
conform to the fashionable mania b
E paying visit to the Falls of Niagara
s Pat arrived at the Falls, and, taking