Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-02-20

lie in the world7'
And more than one diamond bright
tear drop fell among the eggs that she
packed into the fiat splint basket for
Mrs. Wixons nieces party.
Webster Wixon, a fat, middle aged
bachelor, was out helping to gather the
October apples, on the north side of the
house when Nancy came up. He made
haste to welcome her.
Good mornin', Miss Nancy said he.
AS blooming as ever, | see,
Here is your egg, spoke Nancy curt
ly.
Set down spell, won't ye?' simper.
ed Mr.. WixOn.
I'm in Il hurry, said Nancy.
But, Nancy
MY name is Miss Moppet, sir 7
I've got something very particular to
say to you, Nancy, urged the middle a.
ged suior.
1T will have to keep, said Nancy
Il have got to get right home
Cannot I walk with you piece?'
I'd rather go alone, she persisted.
Nancy-Miss Moppet-I must speak
to you, blurted out the old bschelor,-
I love you bettern all the world! l
want to make you Mrs. Webster Wix-
on There, that's what | had on my
mind! And your good, Christian
minded father, he says it would suit
HIM exactly. and
Nancy wheeled around and faced her
eager swain.
is it me or father you re courting?'
said she.
Why you, Of course
Then take my answer-no !
And with ,ut waiting for the return
of her basket she hurried away, her
cheeks blazing her breath coming quick
and fact.
Father will be awful mad, she tho't
but | would sooner die than marry that
man 7
Webster Wixon stood minute gaz-
ing after her in cresttalled silence, then
be went back to apple harvesting with
an omnous compression of his lips.
The madder she gets the pretter she
looks, thought he. Well. we'll, time
will show. Brother Moppet says she
shall be my wife, and that ought to
count for CONSIDERABLE
Mr.. Aoppet droye le'surely on to
Horn Hill, drove an excellent bargain
for highly ornamental wood stove, af-
ter having successiyely interviewed ev
cry hardware dealer 10 town, and set
forth to return with it IN his wagon at
dusk.
It's warm day for this time Of year,
said he, and it is easier travelling for the
horse arter dark. 1t ain t a bad day s
work, come to think on 1t. ! beat Bro
ther Pipe down pretty we'll on the price
and it's worth 4 dollar and half to
cart the thing home over these bumby
roads. The lowed twenty dollars tor it
and I got it for fifteen. Taking my
time and trouble and wheel Wear and
horse flesh into consideration, | guess |
won't say nothing about the odd Ave
dollars. Business is business. It's \
proper, pretty pattern, too thistle
leaqes and acorns. l would like one
the same fashion ia my best room. and
with long whistle-'why shouldn't
| have it? There IS that second hand
ed stove Gran ther Atkins took for
debt from Solon Grubb. It's est stand
ing ruetin away IN bis back wood shed
| II Ietsh it home tomorrow and black
it up, and let Elder Meachan suppose |
got bargain from somebody, and III
have the nice new stove for myself and
nobody will be 7one the wiser, now
that Gran ther Atkins is confined to his
bed, with creep;p' paralysis and Absa-
lom Parker is up in tho wood lots, cut.
ting up trees for winter frewood. Its
idee. am glad happened to think
of It,.
He drew rein opposite the Atkins
house. All was dark and quiet there
save the one red light that burned in
old Mr.. Atkins bedroom.
At that identical moment, had he but
known it, Absalom Parker the old
mans general tactotum hanging
over the garden gate of his own place,
talking to pretty Nancy among the pur-
pie dahlias and quilted asters.
And it was no df1icNlt task for a
man of John Moppet's physical strength
skiIlfully to lift the old stove out of its
place in the outer shed into his wagon
Git up, Prince ! he muttered to his