The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-09-13
and we can't afford to lose them. Won't

about aud gone on hoeing withou res.
ponsive syllable
Maggics face burned hotly; her pretty
lips trembcd.
''lf | were mani" she murmured.
with her little brown hands clinched.
''liow can he! What does he mean by
it The beast"
The clucking in the tomato patch had
reached a triumphant pitch and fresh
flock was wandering through the fence.
Magg forgot Mr.. 1isdale. The hack
was coming down the street from the
noon train, laden with passengers; but
she cared not for the observation of
hack passengers, nor, for that matter, of
kings and queens.
She seized her white, bcrufiled apron
in her trembling hands and rushed
toward the garden.
There was wild cackling. fright.
cncd peeping of little yellow balls, and
n fienzied scattering.
">hoo --shoo" cried Maggie, her
voice unsteady with indignation and APP
preaching tears. "Shoo!'
{ the hens were alarmed and tempo.
rarly routed, the brilliantly tinted,
sulky.eyed rooster was not.
lie stood motionlcss on the spot where
Maggie's onslaught had found him
motionless save for n rising. n swelling,
and n trembling of his gay, red comb,
while his eyes grew flcrcer.
Maggie shook her apron with cyclonic
energy.
"You impudcnt old thingm she cried,
the laughter struggling through her
tears, and charged upon him valantly.
She felt sudden whir in the air. an
angry up. rising of yellow legs and
bright feathers, and she put her hands
TO her face with little scream.
\ sharp peck came down on her fin
gers, she heard his i'uttering wings in
the mir, close To her face.
She lowered her head into her apron,
and fought at him with one courageous
ist And then she heard rapid stridiug
steps, aud "A rattl.ng crash through the
dry bean vines. there was panic
stricken squawk, chokcd in its first stage,
u apping OF wings. and silence.
Maggie took her head out of the apron.
1t WAS rs though her fairy godmolhcr
if she had nc-had been a. \, ,ork.
Mr.. Tisdalc's rooster lay on the ground
in an expiring tu,tcr, his sheeny neck
twisted, his warhke eyes forever dulled.
And close at her side, anxious and agi-
tatcd, and wi;hal most attractiycly nice
loosing, stood strange young man in n
wcll.iittng, traycl.staincd suit, and a
soft travelling cap Fallen among the
tomuto-vinvs were cane and umbrella,
strapped together
"Arc on hurt' he said.
lie had taken out his handkerchief, and
was pressing it to her hand, on which
the blood had started.
IL saw it from the hack, you see, and
lost no time in getting over. Do you
think your hand is badly hurtp
no." said Maggie, bcwildercdly.
But she was not quite daZed. She saw
that the hack had stopped at the Tis-
da c. gate, and that trunk was unload.
ing from it.
lie had come on n visit; n relative,
probably. She felt thrill of regret at
that.
NO, she said gratefully; at was just
n peck. Low very good in you And
look at your handkerchief
"My handkerchief" said the young
man, reproachfully.
For Maggie. her pretty, brown face
flushed aud her eyes softly smiling.
looked very sweet. despite her rumplcd
hair and her wrinkled apron; and there
was something more than mere polite
concern IN the young mans pleasant
eyes.
lie took her arm, still anxious, and ed
her To an uplurntd box at the edge OF
the garden. There was room for them
both. and they both sat down.
Thank You | do feel little queer.
! WAS frightened" Maggie admitted
And can't thank you enough for
your goodness. What should | have
done, think he really meant to kill
mc-aud Just because | wanted him to
20 home"
lie oinci in her laugh, reassured by
her brigh.nc,s,
'llomc he repeated "what next
door"
Maggie nodded.
They have 50 many chickens. and
they're all SO fond Of my tomatoes" "
1hny laughed. Somehow they fe't as
though they Lad been acquainted a long
time
~ must see to that" said the young
man, dccisiyely. "l'll speak to Wil,ol
about it. lie must have II park built
certainly
Wilson" said Maggie, timidly.
My man-gardener, or whatever you
p,ea,e--he does a little of everything, -
he explained smiling. They came on
ahead, you knows your hand better,-
lie aud the hOusekeeper-to get things
settled little. Why, you didn't think, -
he quericd, studying her puzzled face,
"that they owned the housel that they
were the peoples"
lie could not help laughing. End he
took a card from his pocket-book and
gave it TO Maggie, getting up TO bow
with burlesque formality. IL bore the
name Of Harlan G.. Tsdale.
"les-yes, we did" said Maggie,
rather family. "Mercy, I'm 20 glad !"
And then she blushed, and could have
bitten her tongHe; but Mr.. TisdalC
looked delighted
'I-you see, he was so horrid, y
Maggie explained, confusedly. Tspoke
to him about the fence, and he wouldn',
even answer me: he didn't pay the
slightest attention"
"Oh, Wilson Did he have his ear.
trumpet" said Mr.. Tisdale.
81 ar-trumDpty no y said Ma0uin