Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1889-07-26


u trust not said the colonel
but Misl Gardner, Mrs. Gerry, is
WV ical young woman. She has a
rel iion for popularity. Her large
an - Npendent fortune has made her
sol eowhat crochety. am not greatly
as'onishcd at this freak, remarkable
though it is. Evidently she has tired
oi eaietics, frivolities, and has taken
'ns eoaFse for a complete change.
hale read of such things, slid the col
onsi' thoughtfully, but never before
have seen it. If it were tho act of
any but an eccoutric, self wlled young
woman, l could not believe my eyes.
But nobody outside of a mad
house said /, and considerably more in
that stain.
rAt in vain. When the colonel be-
TOOK himself anil his butterfly net and
his bottle of ether into the woods, some
time later, it was with his phenomenal
bel unchanged.
~l shall not accost her. said he.
AN exposure would Undoubtedly annoy
her.
Undoubtedly said l.
"Ihat's the first chapter Of the com
edy. To comprehend the sequel you
must understand that tie colonel i,
garrulous. When / saw him talking to
Harry Fosdick, and later to Mr.. Pierson-
when | observed them listening with
open mouths and bulging eyes-I knew
what he was imparting.
''Now, Tn discreet and far-seeing.
kept my counsel and awaited develop
ments.
"Sure enough, the little Fosdick
Joined me in the parlor one morning.
"'That is a charming girl at your
table, Mrs. Gerry SAID he. And
lady. That is evident. may as well
confess that am m lch impressed with
her. Some men woull blush to confess
it, Mrs. Gerry, merely because she has
not high social position nor money.
|, said the little wretch, am man of
more independence. l admire Miss
Polly aad l own it bold y.
''Bah! how wanted to take him by
the collar aud shake him. But knew
his sin woull overtako him, for l knew
his corrupt little head was teeming with
thoughts Of the Gardner half million
Where pure meanness is concerned l am
meroIess. own that chuckled.
- kahcs e~sne lepwi ir. Pierson' Of
the lady like hair. He referred to
Polly in terms of warm approval.
" When l marry, Mrs Gerry he re-
marked, Il marry the girl of my hearts
choice, an | not the parti indicated by
worldly prudence If it be necessary to
slap society iu the face, Mrs Gerry, l
shall do it.
you could have seen him as he
uttered it! His weak blue eyes tried to
flash, but didn't succeed, and he forti-
fed himself with the head of his cane.
" Go on, addlc -patcsr said !, in
wardly. It's fun for me. Go oni'
$50 it was, and for everybody else;
though with every body else they got
the credit of being honestly in love with
my poor Polly. had the real enjoy
ment all to myself
'POlly didn't know how to take it.
To have two fine young men of sudden
paying her all sorts of respectful atten-
tions-looking at her aud smiling at
her, hurlying through their meals in
order to get chance TO speak to her,
bowling to her as they would have to
any lady when she entered the dini no.
room-wcll, Polly was bcwildercd, that
was obvious.
1.-THE frizzled and red jer,eyed wait
resse' didn't like it. They gigglod
among themselves, AMI went about with
noses perkcd up.
"What Polly endured in the kitchen,
| don know, but the dining room at
mospheza was an indication of it.
''How shall l pace the ensuing period
realistically before you' Try to imagine
it,
"Fostilck gave Polly fresh flowers
every Gay, and Pierson sent to New
York ior box of the best con fectionery.
Fosd'ck hung about Sc luIously when
Polly was on the scene; Pierson / sus-
pect OF having sent notes to her by the
bellboy.
FINALLY, as a desperate move--you
wouidn t have believed they d have gone
to such lengths on mere speculation
but Fosdick sent to the city for hi,
trap, IN bold readiness for the next step
IN the campaign, and Pierson walked a
mile to livery stable to see if there
were any suitable buggies for hir3.
have relatives, Mrs. Gerry" said
Pierson, who would be shocked to
know Of my honest admiration for a
waitress. What do I care2 snap nv
fingers at themp
And he heroically snapped.
3zsio not ask myself what the world
Wouli say, Mrs. Gerry said Fosdick-
Fosdck grew most confidential toward
the iast-'because am not shat kind of
man. | am my own master. that shall
be seenl'
= presume they fondly believed that
repeated their remarks to Polly. Know
ing me to be on good terms with her.
l needn t say that l didn't
VI course it grew warm toward tho