Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-09-28
YLAND. SEPTEMBER 2s. 1883.

knowledgments, the Colonel lifted his
hat like modern Don Quixote, and the
stage, enveloped in cloud Of dust
rolled away toward the brightness OF
the western sky. The green veiled pas
senger caught up her parcels, skipped
over the stone site with amazing
alacrity for so apparently feeble a per-
sonago, and few like deer across the
wooded so.itudes until sho came to
low, rcd farmhouse, and entered cosy
kitchen, where a middle aged woman
was making black berry pies.
Here's your trumpet all mcnded
Aunt Roxana, said she. "And here's
the alpaca dress and the three yards Of
flannel and the basket with the tea and
sugar and spices. What are you going
to have for supper"
Spring chicken" said Aunt Rox
anna in the soft, subduei voice peculiar
to deaf people. They're on the but
try shelf, all dressed and ready. And
baked po atocs and calculate to have
them pies ready to so into the oven
right off"
"Splendid!' sail Lurana Hopkins
81 want ono Of them. And | must
have the chickons and that loaf of gin
gerbread"
Ia, met said Aunt Roxanna. Il,
the girl crazy?
ats for the schoolma' am, Auat Rcx-
anna" explained Lurana, with her rosy
mouth close to the ear trumpet. Her
beaus father came up from the traia
with me in Z doc IIawley's stage, ard
he took me for a deaf woman, because
of the trumpet, l suppose, and talked
before me to his friend real free. And
he's come out hero to surprise the
schoolma'am, and find out whether she
IS a good housekecpcr or not. And II
she isn't, he's gti 10 to set himself dead
against the match'
Il never heard nothing like it in my
life" said Aunt Roxnna.
"And she isn't--you know she isn't?'
said Lurana. "Shc just lives in half Of
the Widow SkorrItts house, and boards
herself on brcal and milk. But she l.
as sweet as peach, and people cal'
have all the accomplishments at oncc---'
IN, to b. sue not" sail Aunt
Roxanna, her slow wits following
Luranas rapid speech with consi lorable
difficulty
'Aud she shan't be cheated out OF
her lover not if cln help it." said
Lurana, hurricdly pacNing the broilers,
} beatty wrapped in a napkin. into her
M.elxat and supple mo ting thosn With a
s.neliIag as:ls.1.. .lr.l l..s!,- 40
'Voaked black berry pics, pan IL Bis
'euit and glass jar Of honey 'sNow, a
little canister of cofT,o," sho sal | 'and
some OF those pickles, and l believe
that's all. You must huat up some
thing else for supper
And once more Luraaa sped across
tn fl lls, crossing noisy brook on the
perious span of fallen tree, picking
her way deity through the hummocks
Of swamp, aud reaching the Widow
Sterritts cottage, while the Blue
Station stage, travelling the regular
road, was still good mile and quar-
ter away
Alice Alden, the district school
teacher, was just putting the last
stitches in blue checked giagham
gown that she W IS making when Llrana
rushed in ike hazo eyed whirlwind.
"Quickl" sho cried. "Kiadlo up
..ho frol Set the ta,lol Your father
sl-law is comingl'
"N1y father-in-law!' cried Miss Alden,
sghast.
'Ia the stagem explained Lurana,
breathle'sIy. TO ta1o you by sur
prise, and there's no telling how soon
he will be here
Aud then as well as she could. she
explained this unexpected combination
Of circumst ncos
But" reasoned ice, q do not
wish to deceive anybody, I cant cook,
Inever learned how"
"Fiddlestic1s cried Lurana. 'If
men will mako such geese OF themselves
we may just as we'll meet them on their
own ground. It would b, Just as
reasonable for you to refuse Victor be-
a ph llgaIy h9sqyt pIfasa4Esaieu IasaEaieu 'lfs dhs
a. nlhltur. repaired promptly and at iowsst
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