Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1889-04-12
oRT TOBACCO, MARY LAND. APRIL 70, 1889.

the Widow Baker, a motherly soui a.
ever was; but when | come out mere
missed her more than tongue can tell ana
what was / to do, ma am, forall / Iknowed
you wasn't fond of children, when
one night little Flora made her appear
ance at this very door2 And the chilu
had walked, ma'am, if you please, all
the way from New York, askin her
way here and there, and once in way
gettin' lift from wagon. And I've
kept her hid away among the sand
dunes in the day times, and took her in
my own bed of nights. And once
had to shut her down cellar, that rainy
day she couldn't go out, and you was IN
the house all day. And there was her
keep, TO be sure--you may remember
yourself noticin' how the victuals got
away-but I've eaten as little as | could
myself, and We been very economical
about other things"
Betsey looked imploringly at me.
Little Flora laughed silently over her
sea-sheels.
''Bctsey," said l, 'you have done
right-perfectly right-except in using
any concealment. You ought to have
told me everything"
II was 'fraid you wouldn't want
child rac!ictin about the house," said
Betsey, humbly. "But indeed Flora is
very quiet"
"She may stay" said I. "And you
needn't hide her away, Betsey. You
and l are neither of US very young. 1t
may do us good to have little one
about the house"
To my infinite amazoment, my hard
featured, cold-ma1nered servant took
my hand in hers, and bent down her lips
to kiss it, as if it had been the hand of a
saint.
"The Lord be good to you, ma'am,"
said Betsey, with tears in her hard, mid
dle-aged eyes, can if live to be a hun
dred years old, I'll never forget this of
you. But, Mss Emma, there's some
thing else l ought to tell you'll"
"What is it, Betsey2"
II shouldn't never "A tried to hide the
girl away, if hadn't heard story of
how the cottage was haunted by the
ghost of little child as came to vio-
lent end in this very house. Thinks |
to myself, there's always the ghost
to put any unusual tights or sounds off
on"
! smiled 70 think of the secret had
been trying tSslailla fua,,,. r,.a..
$50 you knew about the ghost, Bet
sey?' said l.
La, ma'aml I've heard the story half
dozen times over, answered my hand
maiden.
''And you were not afraid9"
I know there amt no such things"
calmly responded Bctsey. cts live
folk I'm afeord of, ma'am, not dead
ones. Me afeard2 | guess notl"
'Well, Betsey, said l, cheerfulIy, 81
know of no better recipe to drive a
shadow out of the house than to put
reality into it. Little Flora shall exor-
else the ghost! Come here, baby, and
kiss me- Your eyes are just the color of
the sea at id-day"
From that day forward the cottage
was like different place. Little Flora
frightened it up, as If her eyes had been
real stars, instead of smake- believe"
ones. No more ghostly shadows crept
across the threshold.
] took the child's education at once
into my own hands, thus passing away
many a weary hour, and l am now seri-
ously contemplating legal adoption of
the pretty plaything.
But all the gossiping neighbors are as
much exercised as ever as to how 'that
city lady" can bear to live in a haunted
house on the Sc shore. Nor do Ibelieve
that could ever make them understand
the complicated network of my thoughts
and feelings; so I shall not try.-Satw-
day Night