The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-12-20
miscellaneous.
FILSEY.

A CHRISTMAS SKETCH FROM LIFE IN HOO
SIERDOM
81 reckon this is gon ter be er buster"
said old Uncle Billy Botsworth as he came
into the family sitting room of the old farm
house with a great load of wood on his
shoulders. With a crash he deposited his
burden on the spacious hearth where a huge
fire was already blazing, and began to pile
on the long, dry sticks of beech and hickory
until in a few moments a perfect sheet Of
flame was roaring up the wide throated
chimney.
Grandma BotswOrth who sat in her ac-
customed corner by the lamb" busy with
her knitting, made no reply, while Uncle
Billy proceeded to remove his coat, hat and
boots, and, having filled and lighted his pipe,
sat down to enjoy himself. Outside furious
snow storm was raging, and already the
earth was heavily carpeted with white. Pres
emily histw sons, Jacob and Milton, came
in from doing up the chores, and like their
father, were soon Invested of caps, coats and
boots, and seated before the rousing fire talk
ing over the events of the day.
A little later Mrs. BOtsworth joined them,
and then the family circle was complete. No,
rat complete, either; daughter was missing.
Three years ago this Christmas eve she had
gone out from the parental roof to marry the
man she loved, but whom her father had for
hidden some time before to enter his doors.
But Mary had gone; and she and her husband,
i poor mechanic, went out west to build up
ioi themselves ,''''i9 anu lor' Ai'er
they were lharrleIl' day OF TWO oetore they
were to start for Dakota Mary and her hus-
oaliu uio'e " 'ne opt NOME, "ne'e sue gov
u pu1 oi tho oussy anu Ssti'eG 10 80 INTO inc
house " eaS soou,oS' "uc uiu ''oI ASK nor
eHPIc' iT' stNe',ees from nei ia'he' ior "h''T
sue ,i"f u''o' ~, sue MIC" ne, H"o.,ei "l,u
ner oroVhefs sun io'e,i ner' anu "ouiu Slauly
nav hei 'o'iie " sec 'n,'.i' % s''o JuSU n"u
n ne manu- vi NV s"'o lItCn' anu WIN Ie"i
hiieu ~ e. was IaN'i III .'le ueu' anu
suiroui'iiss' "hen ner i"tlcr coiliihe rouilu
INC CORNER Vi the nouse' saw her'
Don yer coii'e III ue'e' nc yei!eu' hoafs st
~. Don step your 1901 inside That gate,
mary Ellen boI'"ortn. lou re no garter
NINE: lake yer hatchetlaced palht-shhger
an et'
for moment sue stoou Us II summed aG
ms words; then' without word turned and
went 10 the buggy her husoalu heipeu ner
IN, ana tneh, standing up ana shaking ms
whlP at Ohcle b'liy, Salu: Bill botsworth,
IL you wasn't my wiie lather' ia thrash you
til YOU couiuh VAIN loi d "ech' LOU oo-
Ject to me Tor son-ln-iaw only because am
poor; but III see inc DAY can ouy an sell
yoas II you was b'ack' darn you
ftere Mary laiu her mana on ms arm ana
sad, stop W III; IL won heIp thIhgs any 10
quarrel; let's GO
IL was Well that WIZ needed her advice,
for Old Uncle Billy had started for the buggy
with murder in his eye; and there is no tell
what have hammered IL
ton and Jacob at this Juhcture made their
appearance AMI urged him to be quiet.
SO Mary went from home an outcast; and,
as the buggy disappeared around the bend IN
the road, Milton turned to his father, and,
with tears III his eyes said, reproachtully:
rap, you oughtenter nave done IT,"
And Mrs. Botsworth, who had come to the
door just IN tlno 10 take IN the ahalr, echoed
her sons words:
NO, pap, you was too hasty,' she added.
Mary Ellen was anu mighty good girl;
an, though Ia rutler shed not a married
WIZ kenney, yet hope the Lord Will pros
per them poth.
You are right, mother" said Jacob, the
elder OF her sons, you are right, mother.
'flisey the nlckhaine the boys had bestowed
upon Mary when she was toddler) was the
best girl IN lndlany; kind an lovin, an
sister worth the havn'"
AS Tor uncle Billy, seeing his whole family
up In arms against nun, he vouchsafed no re-
ply, but turning strode rapidly IN the dlrec-
ton OF the barn.
FROM that time OH he hau never spoken MS
daughter name; ana aithough he knew
tna1 mother ana tne boys goC occasional
letters from her' ye0 no never oy sign OF IN
curry sho"eu tnac Ie ever lhouen0 OIL heI, OF
hau the siisntesU interest III knowing "hetnef
she was deau OF awe
DuC on the .hrlstt'as eve tha0 nave IN
trouuced MN 10 your ho1ice' ne sao Dy inc
I[e 'hilkilsi anu us thoughts were oi ner.
ne nau iohs ago auiii'1e s 70 hillse,l 1ha1 he
was TOO nasty "hen ne drove MS only dauRh-
ter away from ms nome; Dut ne sun re-
manned silent c Az each fanny reunion, al,
ways neli on Chr's1llias uay, ne hau lii sIi
he'; anu as 'ne .1iniis one was W oe neit
az his house' anu us prothels anu sisUe el,
WIN 'he. . ianillies "outu oe .nere' me- mitn
eoiio 80 US " ieenne' vs. "a ne
u1e, .no iaSU 'n"V, vniousn no ia ." Vi ns,
ho ieasoned' LUZ pi.usaies u 't' uay "o .,t
10 t,'ail ENoi yoouy nai'seu -nai tuo
lor ner anu 'alk ABOUT her, uespi0e tne ad-
iioni'ioho 'n1S iiau .eoe,,eu " 'ne oon'i" J.
AS ne was busy win MS tnSughts, gaZihs
the whne moodliy INTO tine hre, ana now anu
then punching up the fore sticks in a spiteful